Surprise Snowballs!

The kids are gonna love these... 

They are so much fun to make and really fun for the kids to share with their friends... 

Have them offer a Snowball cookie to their friends when they can watch the friend... wait for it... bite into it... Surprise!

Let's get started!

Here's the ingredient list:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugr

2 cups white flour

6-ounce bag of chocolate kisses

2 candy canes, crushed

Powdered sugar for dusting

Yield:  24 cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar with mixer until smooth (adult helper needed here, please... do not leave children alone with an electric mixer!). Slowly add flour, mixing well.

Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling have the little elves remove the foil from the chocolate kisses (24 of them). Also, place the candy canes in a zippy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin... the kids really like this part!

Remove dough from the fridge and roll into 1-inch round balls... an easy way to do this is rolling the dough in palms of hands. The kids love getting their hands into it! The balls don't have to be perfect at this point.

Insert a chocolate kiss into the center of each ball making sure it is completely covered by the dough. If necessary, do another quick roll between palms.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes (be careful not to get too brown or burn!)
Note: I almost always us parchment paper... it is definitely cookie baking BFF!

Put down waxed paper under a cooling rack to catch excess powdered sugar and candy cane sprinkles. Either sift powered sugar over the top of cookies or roll cookies in the powdered sugar. Sprinkle the tops with the crushed candy cane peppermint. Gently have the kids push the cane cane sprinkles with their little thumbs into the cookies so it doesn't fall off!

These are great little gifts. The dollar store sometimes has clear little plastic boxes that would hold maybe 6 cookies... tie with a bright red Christmas bow and attach a candy cane!

Are we having fun yet? Merry, Merry!

'Tis the Season for Getting Kids Into the Kitchen,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Window Pane Christmas Cookies...

{Photo Source:  Kraft}

The kids will literally sit on the floor with the oven light on and watch these cookies bake as the candies melt. Let the magic begin as dough is transformed into cookies with colored window panes! The kids are gonna love it!

Here's the ingredient list:

18 red and green clear hard candies

2/3 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

Sifted powdered sugar 

Cookie cutters of the kids' choice Note: You'll need a large cookie cutter and a matching smaller cookie cutter for some cool Christmas trees, bells, stars... let them use their imagination.

Line cookies sheets with foil and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Have the kids put the red and green candies in separate small "heavy" plastic zippy bags. Crush candies, leaving them coarse. Place each color in a small bowl.

Now let's mix up the cookie dough...

Let the kids measure the ingredients using several measuring cups (just like on the cooking shows)! And, please stop the mixer and let them dump ingredients into the mixing bowl. DO NOT keep the mixer running while those little fingers are near, please. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds (an adult helper is needed here, please). Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat mixture until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally (if the kids want to scrape, please stop the mixer). 

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in fourths. 

Now the kids can jump in... the kids will love trying to roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll a portion of the dough 1/4-inch thick. Using 2-1/2- to 3-inch cutters in desired shape, cut out dough. Place cutouts about 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. 

Using smaller, 1/2- to 3/4-inch hors  cutters, cut out two, three, or four shapes from each larger cutout. Note:  The key here is to not let the kids cut out too many shapes so the dough won't hold together... I know, details!

Fill cutout openings with crushed candy. Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (have the kids watch carefully so they don't burn). Cool completely on foil. When completely cool to the touch carefully peel foil away from cookies. 

The kids will like this part... using a small brush, dust the edges of cooled cookies with powdered sugar. Makes about 4 dozen. These make great gifts and the kids will be SO proud of them!

Merry, Merry!

'Tis the Season for Cooking with Kids,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

Finger Painted Christmas Wreath Cookies!

 {Photo Source: Betty Crocker}

Finger paint with frosting... it doesn't get much more fun than this!

If you have a favorite sugar cookie recipe and want to go to the trouble of preparing it, then please do... If not, use a roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough.

Make sure the cookie dough is very firm... pop it in the freezer for about 20 minutes before beginning to work with it. Be sure to check as you don't want it frozen just really cold!

Place dough on waxed paper and slice in rounds. Use a small cookie cutter (actually a bottle top will do) and cut out the middle of the wreath. Have the kids cut this center of dough in half with a plastic knife and place the 2 halves at the bottom of each wreath. Shape the halves slightly forming what will look like a bow on the wreath.

Bake according to your own recipe or according to directions on the cookie dough package. Don't overbake.... let the cookies get golden and just begin to brown!

Remove immediately from the cookie sheet to a wire rack for cooling (If you leave them on the cookie sheet, they will continue to brown). Cool for about 30 minutes until completely cool. 

While the cookies are cooling, stir up the "finger-paint icing." 

Here's what you'll need:

1 tub of Vanilla (white, white) Rich and Creamy frosting

1/4 teaspoon green food coloring

1/4 teaspoon red food coloring

1/4 cup red hots

Reserve 1/2 cup of the frosting (just white) in a small microwavable bowl and set aside. Let the kids spread the remaining white frosting on the cookies.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the reserved frosting into another small microwavable bowl. Microwave each bowl of frosting uncovered on High for only about 5 seconds until just warm. Stir until frosting can be poured. Stir in the green food coloring into one bowl and the red into the other bowl.

Now for the fun! Let the kids use their fingers to create the wreaths by dipping one finger into the warm freen froting and lightly pressing onto the wreath part of the cookie. They can slightly swirl it so it looks like the greenery on a wreath.

Note: The color will appear watercolor-like and a bit transparent.

Create a red bow by dipping another fingertip into the warm red frosting and lightly coating the bow part of the wreath cookies. 

Note: A "light touch" is the secret to making these cookies really special!

If the frosting gets too stiff in working with it, simply pop it back into the microwave and re-heat. 

Press at least 4 red hots onto the wreath to look like red berries on the wreath.

The kids will love these and they taste great too! 

Merry, Merry! 

'Tis the Season to Get Kids Cooking,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach

A Recipe for Christmas Joy!

Merry Christmas and God Bless you every one! 

Here's a special little recipe for stirring up some Christmas Joy... Let's remember the "Reason for the Season" as we have fun here at KidsCooking411 with some wonderful recipes coming your way.

To set the Christmas spirit in motion, here's a Recipe for Christmas Joy (please feel free to add any of your own special ingredients :-)...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Hugs
4 teaspoons Kisses
2 cups Smiles
4 cups Love
1 cup Special Holiday Cheer
1/2 cup Peace on Earth
3 teaspoons Christmas Spirit
2 cups Goodwill Toward Man
1 Sprig of Mistletoe
1 medium-size bag of Christmas Snowflakes (the regular kind won't do!)

Mix Hugs, Kisses, Smiles and Love until consistent. Blend in Holiday Cheer, Peace on Earth, Christmas Spirit and the Good Will toward Men. Use the mixture to fill a large, warm heart, where it can be stored for a lifetime... the shelf life is FOREVER :-)

Serve as desired under mistletoe, by the Christmas tree... or just when the mood strikes! Be sure to sprinkle liberally with special Christmas Snowflakes of Love.

It is especially good when accompanied by Christmas Carols, family get togethers, connecting with old and new friends... and even sprinkled amongst unsuspecting strangers!

Serve cheerfully to one and all.

May you have the Merriest Christmas Ever! 'Tis the Season and I'll have some really fun recipes for cooking with the kids beginning this weekend so please stop back by!

'Tis the Season to get kids cooking,

Jan McCracken, Culinary Coach