Christmas Crack (Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich No-Bake Cookies)

1 box (15.1oz) Ritz crackers
3 bags (11.5oz each) semi-sweet chocolate chips
peanut butter (how much you need will depend on how much you like!)

1. Make sandwiches using a dab of peanut butter sandwiched between two crackers. Make sandwiches until all of the crackers have been used.

2. Empty one bag of chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 70% for 75 seconds. Microwave in additional increments of 15-20 seconds until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth.

3. Carefully drop each sandwich into the melted chocolate, turning with a fork until it is fully coated. Remove from chocolate using a fork and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat until all the melted chocolate has been used. Add more chocolate chips to the bowl; melt, and continue coating sandwiches until all sandwiches and chocolate chips have been used.

4. Set cookie sheets aside for the chocolate to set; decorative sprinkles or a white chocolate drizzle may be added at this point, if you wish. (They may be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to speed the setting process.) Once chocolate has hardened, cookies may be stored in tightly closed containers with wax paper between the layers; can also be stored in the refrigerator.

Makes approximately 50-60 cookies.

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Shortbread Bites

1.25 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter (no substitutions), cold, cut into pieces
1.5 tbsp red and green nonpareils or sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 325 with baking rack in top third of oven.

2. In a food processor with knife blade attached, pulse flour and sugar until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough begins to come together. Place dough in a medium bowl. Gently knead in nonpareils or sprinkles until evenly blended and dough forms a ball.

3. On lightly floured wax paper, pat dough into 8x5" rectangle; freeze 15 minutes. Cut dough into 1/2" squares. Place squares 1/2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake cookies 18-23 minutes, rotating once, or until lightly browned on the bottom and just beginning to get a hint of light brown on top. Transfer cookies to wax paper-lined wire rack to cool. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature for up to one week or in freezer up to 3 months.

Makes approximately 100 pieces.

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Sugar Cookies

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract, and the egg; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

4. Add the flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed until the mixture is evenly moistened.

5. Scoop the dough by tablespoonfuls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them. Using a flat-bottomed glass, flatten the cookies to about 1/4" thick.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes — 10 minutes for softer cookies, 12 minutes for crunchier. The edges of the cookies will just barely begin to brown.

7. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a rack to finish cooling completely.

Makes 6 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Note:
For rollout cookies, make the dough with 3 1/2 cups flour; place the dough in a plastic bag, flatten it into a disk, and chill for 1 hour before rolling it out and cutting. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, until golden brown at the edges.

(adapted from King Arthur Flour)

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