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It's one week until Christmas! So exciting! One of my favorite Christmas traditions is making our favorite goodies and bringing them to friends and neighbors (usually with a carol too!). If you do this same tradition and are looking for new recipes to make and share this season we've rounded up 16 of our cookie recipes for you guys.

1. Fudge Mounds- You can't have a better chocolate cookie than this. It's cake-like texture makes it so scrumptious, especially paired with a plain vanilla frosting. These are so easy to decorate for Christmas too.
2. Chocolate Dipped S'more Bars- these are no bake but seriously so delicious!
3. Vegan Chocolate Chip- Don't forget about your vegan friends.They need a special treat this season too and these cookies will not disappoint vegans and non-vegans alike!
   
4. Chocolate-Chip Peanut Butter- Is there an any more magical combination than Chocolate and Peanut Butter? Probably not. This cookie holds all that magic you need for the season.
5. Zebra Cookies- A classic chocolate chip cookie but with a fun twist.

     6.Gingerbread- A holiday classic that doesn't just have to be in the shape of people.
     7. Owl Cookies- If you have an owl lover in your life they'd be delighted to receive these adorable 
        cookies on their holiday plate.
    8. Cookies to Hang on a Mug- Use our sugar cookie recipe to make these cute treats that hang
        nicely on your mug of cocoa (made from a hot cocoa bomb of course)!
    9. Marbled Sugar Cookies- Although our original recipe was about autumn, this could be easily
        adapted for Christmas by swapping out the shapes and colors. These are great when you just
        don't feel like messing with frosting and sprinkles!

   10. Turn Everyday Cookies into A Holiday Treat- For when you don't want to turn out a classic
         recipe but you do want something a bit more festive.
    11. Carrot Cake Cookie- A delightful morsel with flavors that go surprisingly well with the season.
   12. Oatmeal Cookies- We actually did a whole series of testing and trying out oatmeal cookie
        recipes but these were the ones we loved the most.
   13. Oatmeal Butterscotch- The delicious cookie that started us on the oatmeal cookie quest with
         neither raisins nor chocolate chips.
   14. Strawberry Shortbread Sandwiches- These crisp and delicate cookies are perfect for your
        holiday plates of goodies. The strawberry jam has the perfect Christmas color and tastes
        heavenly with the lemon!
  15.Pumpkin Snickerdoodles- Why should pumpkin be kept as just a fall cookie? These delicious
        cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar will delight your taste buds!
  16. Strawberry Thumbprints- An old favorite who's red and white appearance is sure to evoke
        images of Santa to the recipient.

These aren't all of our cookie recipes but these are some of our favorites! Do you have any favorites you like to give away each year?

Merry Christmas! And Happy Baking!

      Hello Friday Faves Fans! We have hit Friday Fave #44!  Did you know that tomorrow is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day? What a great day! Of course, we are celebrating this day by beginning with this question:

     The first thing I thought of was, "My finger!"  Then I asked my husband and he said, "Well, I don't know, my finger?"  Great minds think alike.

     My girls were much more creative right off the bat.  The first thing Maddy said was pretzels.  I had to agree right away! That chocolate sweet taste mixed with the salty pretzel is just so good.  This time of year, you've got to add the sprinkles, and maybe a layer or caramel under the chocolate? Just a thought.

     Alicia also said that she loves chocolate dipped pretzels and then said she loves candies like Mounds that are coconut dipped in chocolate! Alicia is also the one who dipped Oreos in chocolate for us. Those are super good! Who can forget her 2 year old's Halloween reindeer? It is a delicious blend of pretzel and Oreo! What could be better?

     Lindsey loves fruit dipped in chocolate.  I am also a fan of a big chocolate dipped strawberry.  And don't forget the banana peanut butter dipped chocolates I blogged about on this post. 

     Speaking of peanut butter, Ritz Crackers spread with peanut butter and then dipped in chocolate are so good as well.  
       I guess we are giving you a couple more than 5 ideas because I can't talk about dipping chocolates with mentioning my family's favorite dipped chocolates that I make on occasion.  I am going to repost the recipe below.  You can read about how I used them on Easter here.

    I know that a lot of people like to just melt their chocolate in the microwave, but I always use a double boiler.  I don't have to worry about having to remelt as it cools because I can keep it over the warm water and it stays perfectly creamy.  My old set of cookware came with a double boiler, but my new set didn't.  I kept my old one.  I really like it because it also has a steamer option which is really nice for vegetables.  If you don't have one, they are a super great tool to have in the kitchen. There are a few choices available on Amazon. You could get one in time to dip chocolates for the holidays! 

So, What do you love to dip in chocolate?  Have fun deciding and let us know! 

     There is just something about these mornings during the holidays that put me in the mood for something warm and tasty for breakfast that has just the right sweetness and is comforting and delicious.  This morning I have the perfect recipe to check off all of those breakfast wants: Cranberry, Banana Orange Muffins and/or Mini Loaves.   
    

     I had some fresh cranberries and ripe bananas that I needed to use and this recipe just came to me and seemed like the perfect solution.  I am so pleased with how they turned out because I haven't baked with fresh cranberries very much and I got a little worried when Madalynn asked me (as I was mixing them into my batter) if I had ever eaten a cranberry whole and fresh.  I replied that I hadn't and she said that she had and that they were gross.  She told me that I should try one! I said that now that I knew they were gross, I didn't want to try one.  So, I wondered if they would be gross in the muffins.  Guess what! They aren't gross at all! The combination of the banana and orange with the tang of the cranberries is just perfect!  And, the muffins are light and fluffy, not heavy at all. There is just the right amount of sweetness.  I ate a warm one, I will let you know later how they taste when they are cool.

     I think that those mini loaves will look great on a give away platter! They are so cute and just big enough to share with someone. You can order it from our affiliate partner Amazon here.

     I picked up those cute muffin cups somewhere last year and forgot to use them until this year.  I love how they make my muffins stand up so tall and perky! Here are some similar ones in many designs, and here are some jumbo ones!
​    Now, on to the recipe! 

When you unwrap them from their casings, they look so cute! 

      I think a cup of Hot Cocoa Bomb would be just the thing to go with one of these muffins! 
I hope you give them a try, you won't be disappointed! 
      PS-Madalynn didn't find the cranberries in the muffins gross.  She gobbled down most of my muffin! 
        PPS- I just ate a cold one and it was still so delicious.  Moist with cranberry surprises, the hint of banana and orange that don't over power.  You will love these! 

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you.  All opinions expressed are our own.  Thank you for your support.

      Today is officially, on the calendar, Gingerbread Cookie Baking Day and we are totally celebrating it here at 3 Winks Design.  I have never been a big gingerbread house decorator. I think they are cute, but I guess I don't have the patience for them and also, after all of that work making it, I hate to take it apart to eat it.  If you don't eat it, it feels like a big waste of food.  But, years ago, I found the perfect solution for the dilemma of wanting to decorate a gingerbread house and wanting to eat it as well.  I have a 7.5" gingerbread house cookie cutter that is so much fun to decorate, give as a gift and kids don't get bored with it as they work on it.  

     First of all, here is my gingerbread recipe.  I like to cut back on the tang of the molasses by using honey with it.  Also, I use half butter and half shortening in my recipe.  

Rolled Gingerbread Cookies

     Now you are ready to start rolling the dough.  I use a piece of plastic wrap over this dough when I roll it  to be sure to get a smooth cutting surface.  
​     

     I was getting worried that I wouldn't be able to find you the same cookie cutter because I purchased mine a long time ago.  But I found it and it is really inexpensive!  Seriously, smaller ones were way more. This one is the biggest, the least expensive and the best! 

     I was disappointed that I didn't have any gumdrops today because I love gumdrops on gingerbread houses, but I still think it turned out pretty cute! I used a chocolate bar for the front door and one of our little owls (of course) is perched above it! I like to make a Christmas scene with the house, gingerbread men and trees.  I think you could even add a snowman and a santa and that would be so cute. 

     Now, just wrap up your gingerbread scene and take it over to a neighbor for Christmas!  Maybe you could add some gingerbread flavored Hot Cocoa Bombs to go with it! No one will mind eating this gingerbread and dipping it in hot cocoa is perfect! 

Have fun! 
Helen

And, in case you still want to build the whole house: