Ingredient: dried cranberries, chopped

I think my mother enjoyed Christmas baking very much. Many of the ingredients for the special things she would bake at this time of year were just too expensive to have on hand all the time. Somehow she would work her magic and make that grocery money stretch to include these things.

While we were at school, over the weeks prior to Christmas, she would bake many different kinds of cookies & squares. When we would arrive home in the late afternoon there was no trace of what she had baked. Every cookie tin and various other containers were being filled with these glorious goodies.

Mom & Dad would make a ‘batch’ of their homemade rootbeer as well. During our Christmas vacation from school, after supper and all the outside chores were done, we as a family gathered around the dining room table. In four of her prettiest dishes, mom would put mandarin oranges, unshelled mixed nuts, Christmas candy and some of her baking. In small little pretty glasses she poured for each of us some homemade rootbeer.

It was such a special family time to visit with each other and nibble on these treats. Life in the fifties had a gentle rhythm to it and I am forever grateful to have been a part of it all.

Even though there is just the two of us at our house, I can never resist finding some reason to do some Christmas baking. I mean, what better gifts for the neighbors and friends than homemade goodies! Over the next few weeks while I’m baking, I’d like to share with you some of these recipes so I’ll start off with a sour cream cookie.

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Anise-Orange Sour Cream Cookies

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Rating: 5
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Course

dessert

Cuisine

German

Servings

cookies MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp anise seed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla

Filling

• 100 grams cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Course dessert Cuisine German Servings cookies MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Cookie Dough 2 1/4 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 Tbsp anise seed 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup margarine 2/3 cup sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tsp orange zest 1 tsp vanilla Filling 100 grams cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped 2 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp orange zest 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Cookies

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, anise seed & salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat margarine, sugar & egg until light & fluffy. At a low speed, beat in sour cream, orange zest & vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in flour mixture until well combined. Cover & refrigerate 1 hour or more.

Filling

1. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cranberries, 2 Tbsp sugar & orange zest. Beat until light & fluffy.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place chilled dough on a piece of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap & roll dough into a 15" ( 38 cm) square. Remove plastic wrap & carefully cut dough into 30 - 2 1/2" (6.35 cm) squares (making sure not to cut through parchment paper).
3. Place entire sheet of paper with cookie squares on baking sheet. Make 1-inch cuts from each corner toward the center of the dough. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of filling onto center of each square. Fold alternating points to the center to form a 'poinsettia'; pinching gently at center to seal. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire rack & cool. If desired, drizzle with a cream cheese frosting.