Photo & Recipe Courtesy of Hersheys.com
One of my favorite things about this time of the year is baking cookies. I love baking cookies to give away to friends and family. There was one year when money was so tight that the only gift we gave to friends and family was cookie trays. (I made 18 different types of cookies that year!) To me, sometimes homemade gifts like this are treasured more than gifts you buy and wrap. Typically, what I do is bake lots of cookies over one or two days. I then freeze them until we get closer to Christmas. I then thaw all the cookies and make cookie trays to give away once the week of Christmas is upon us.
Every day between now and Christmas Eve, I will post 25 Days of Christmas Cookies. I would love your help! If you have a favorite cookie/bar to make this time of year, I would love for you to email me a picture of the finished product as well as a step by step recipe for it. I will then post your recipe and thousands of Addicted to Saving readers will get the chance to try out your recipe! Email me at addictedtosaving at hotmail dot com (all one word).
Day 1 of 25 Days of Christmas Cookes: Peanut Butter Blossoms
This is by far my favorite cookie to eat and make. 🙂 I also love to switch it up a little and use Hershey’s Hugs Kisses (with the white chocolate and milk chocolate). The swirl is really pretty on these cookies and the white chocolate is a fun twist!
Ingredients:
48 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
1/2 c shortening
3/4 c REESE’S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
1-1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
Granulated sugar
Directions:
Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Thanks for coming to Addicted to Saving! Here’s a little bit about me so you can know who’s behind all these posts!
My name is Liza and I began my money-saving journey in the Spring of 2009 as a way to stretch a limited household income. I had lost my job and my hubby was self-employed. I launched Addicted to Saving in November of 2009 and it has grown by leaps and bounds. Since then, my hubby and I have struggled with the ups and downs of two failed adoptions and are now LOVING being parents to our little man Asher who we brought home from Ethiopia in August of 2013. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to help you save money. My goal is that you will have FUN and become empowered to save more and more money each week..
do you freeze them in tupperware? or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap?
how long do they need to thaw for? will they still taste freshly bakes after thawed?
and how far in advance can i make them?