Brandy Drops

These cookies are eggnog in cookie form. It must be the brandy and nutmeg that give them this distinctive egg nog flavor.  Because I love egg nog, naturally, I loved these cookies. The cookies make a great addition to a Christmas cookie plate or can just be enjoyed any time.

The recipe itself is very simple. I did find that the cookies spread when baking, so be sure to place the dough two inches apart. The use of powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar results in a very delicate cookie. I followed the recipe and topped each cookie with a pecan, but if you are concerned about nut allergies, you could easily leave the pecans off.

Brandy Drops 

• 1 cup softened butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten slightly
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. brandy
• Pecan halves

Cream butter; add sugar and cream again. Beat in eggs. Stir in the dry ingredients alternating with the brandy. Chill. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with a pecan half. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Remove from sheet; cool on rack. Enjoy!

Orange Sugar Cookies

Can basic sugar cookies be improved? These orange sugar cookies just might be an improvement. The recipe is the basic sugar cookie with the addition of grated orange rind. The resulting cookies are delicious with a subtle orange flavor that improves but does not overwhelm the cookie.

I used Christmas cookie cutters for these cookies to match the season when I was making them. But, you could use any shape to cut the cookies because they would be delicious any time of the year. If you do not want to actually grate orange rind, you can find dried grated orange rind at the grocery store. I topped the cookies with a basic vanilla sugar glaze and sprinkles. But as MDS can attest, the cookies are delicious even without frosting, especially straight out of the oven. I brought these cookies to a standard Saturday night at Mom's house, and the cookies were a hit with the nieces and nephews.

Orange Sugar Cookies 

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. grated orange rind
• 3 1/2 cup flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat eggs and rind into mixture. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add one half of the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix well. Add vanilla and milk, then the remaining dry ingredients. Chill well.

Roll 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for about eight to ten minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Frost, if desired. Enjoy!

Christmas Coffee Bread

This recipe makes a delicious bread that can be eaten anytime. The name of the recipe might make you save this bread for the Christmas season, but you can enjoy it in any season. Mom's recipe card calls for shaping the bread into a candy cane and a Christmas tree, but you could just make a braided bread or any other shape. The name also implies that it would be a delicious bread served with breakfast or brunch, which is true, but it can be enjoyed all day.

This bread is rich, thick and slightly sweet. Mom's recipe calls for shaping a candy cane out of plain dough and the Christmas tree out of dough with candied fruit added. But you could add candied fruit to all of the dough or leave it out completely. Instead of candied fruit, I used dried cherries. Also, instead of one very large Christmas tree as described in the recipe, I made two smaller trees. Shaping the candy cane was much easier than shaping the tree. A holiday-shaped bread would be a nice treat for a holiday party. Whether you make a candy cane shape or a standard loaf, give this recipe a try.

Christmas Coffee Bread 

• 2 packages dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup candied fruit
• melted butter to brush on bread
• 1-2 cups Confectioner's sugar 
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• food coloring, optional
• decorating sprinkles, optional

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water that is about 120 degrees. Add buttermilk, sour cream, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup butter, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend all ingredient, scraping sides and bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining flour. Knead for five minutes on a lightly floured surface.

Shape one-third of the dough into a 30-inch rope. Fold the rope in half, twist together and form into a candy cane shape on a greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter.

To the remaining dough, knead in candied fruit until evenly distributed. Shape into a 60-inch rope. Pinch off a one-inch segment for the trunk. On a greased baking sheet, Shape into a tree starting at the top, and increasing the length for each switchback turn. Brush the top with butter.

Set the bread in a warm place to rise for about an hour or two. Preheat oven to 375. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool. Make the frosting by combining the confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of water until it reaches frosting consistency. Add food coloring, if desired. Frost the cooled bread. Add other decorations if desired. Enjoy!