12 Days of Cookies 2008 - Day 4

Giada's Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Holiday food is fun, but Giada thinks cookies are the most fun of all. What’s wonderful about her cookie is its creamy peppermint center. And the entire treat is built around store-bought sugar cookie dough, which makes it a great recipe to whip up with the kids. Get today's web-exclusive recipe at Food Network Watch Giada make her Sandwich Cookies Miss a cookie? Find recipes and photos Check out more recipes for holiday treats View our collections from previous years See our complete guide to holiday baking

Cook Time 10 min Level Intermediate Yield 12 cookies Ingredients 1 (16.5 ounce) tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Decorating suggestion: crushed candy canes or peppermint candies; white, red and green sprinkles; or red and green decorating sugar Special equipment: a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, and a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop Directions Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, knead together the cookie dough and 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Knead together any scraps of dough and roll out again. Continue to cut out pastry circles until there are 24 pieces in total. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are slightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reserve 1 parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and the cream in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the peppermint extract and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, place the chocolate mixture in the center of the flat side of 12 of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top and gently squeeze to distribute the filling evenly. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until the filling has set, about 25 minutes. Combine the remaining chocolate chips and the vegetable oil in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight plastic container. Recipe Tools Print Recipe Get 3x5 Card Get 4x6 Card

12 Days of Cookies 2008 - Day 3

Anne Burrell's Gingerbread Cookies Gingerbread cookies remind Anne of Christmastime as a kid. Her family decorated their tree with these home-baked cookies cut into lots of different shapes and sizes. If you’d like to string yours up as ornaments too, just poke holes in them before baking. Get this exclusive cookie recipe from Food Network Watch Anne make her Gingerbread Cookies Miss a cookie? Watch the video now Find more recipes for holiday classics View our collections from previous years

Cook Time 25 min Level Intermediate Yield 60 cookies Ingredients 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading 6 tablespoons baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1 tablespoon ginger Pinch of salt 5 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup honey 1 3/4 cups sugar Juice of 2 lemons Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange 2 eggs Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt together in a large bowl, and set aside. In a small saucepan combine the butter, honey, sugar, lemon juice and the lemon and orange zest. Bring this to medium heat and cook until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to about room temperature and beat in the eggs. Make a well in the flour/spice mixture and add the egg/sugar mixture to the well. Using a fork, begin to gradually incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. When the flour has mostly been incorporated, turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and gently knead until the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Knead in a little more flour if the dough seems sticky. Chill dough for 1 hour or overnight. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to an even thickness of about 1/4-inch. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are firm and lightly browned. Let the cookies cool for 3 to 4 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. When the cookies are completely cool decorate as desired. Cook's Note: If you are planning to hang the cookies, make a hole for the string before baking. Recipe Tools Print Recipe Get 3x5 Card Get 4x6 Card