Annual Baking Day!

My sister, my mom and I always get together and have a baking day before Christmas each year. This year we made a few different cookies each. My mom made Chocolate peanut clusters, Finger Frets, and Peanut Butter Blossoms..my fav! My sister made English Toffee and Thumbprints. I made Thin Mints and Soft Ginger Cookies...my other fav. It was really fun...we always enjoy ourselves and eat way to many cookies. Here are the recipes:

Big Soft Ginger Cookies-allrecipes.com

2 1/4 c Flour

2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 c Margarine, softened
1 c Sugar
1 Egg
1 TBS Water
1/4 c Molasses
2 TBS Sugar
Preheat 350
Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl. cream margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Then stir in the water and molasses. Add in the dry ingredients gradually. I like to refrigerate my dough for about 30 mins. If you don't have time it is not necessary. Then shape into balls, about the size of walnuts, and roll them in the remaining sugar. Place on cookie sheet and flatten down slightly with the bottom of a glass.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and they are ready to eat!

Chocolate Glazed Peppermint Cookies...aka Thin Mints

1 c. Butter, softened

1 c. Sugar

1/2 c. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 c AP Flour

Chocolate Peppermint Coating

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, add salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

2. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 10-inch roll. Wrap each roll in plastic. Chill about an hour or until firm enough to slice.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack;cool.

5.Dip each cookie into the Chocolate-Peppermint Coating, turning to coat all sides. Scrape off excess on bottom with thin metal spatula. Place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Chill until coating is set. Makes about 40 cookies.

Chocolate-Peppermint Coating

In a medium saucepan, combine two 12-oz packages semi-sweet chocolate pieces, 1/4 cup shortening and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until chocolate and shortening are melted.

Cookies can store in freezer p to 3 months!