Next to Thanksgiving Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. The sights, sounds and feeling of excitement that seems to hang in the air fills me with happiness. I’ve never been one to get caught up in all of the holiday spending that seems to go on during the holidays though. Some years it was because of necessity and other years was because I just didn’t believe that spending a lot of money on gifts captured the real meaning of the season, which is of course Jesus birth.
Giving gifts from the heart is far more meaningful for me, which is where one of my main holiday traditions started, giving homemade foods as Christmas gifts. Usually my favorite thing to make is cookies and candies, there’s just something so comforting in opening a tin or bag filled with those treats. How much more enjoyable it is to receive a gift that can be eaten and shared with your loved ones, then to open up yet another pack of socks, or a Christmas sweater that we would never think of buying or wearing. :)
That’s why I was super excited to receive a package from the Indiana Family of Farmers as part of their Table Talk contributor program. Inside were some wonderful items to help me in my holiday baking. My favorites by far were the baking sheet and silpat mat. When it comes to baking cookies, one can never have enough cookie sheets, and the silpat mat worked like a charm. Usually I use parchment paper to line my pans, but the silpat mat is so much better! It will save me loads of money on buying those expensive rolls of parchment, not to mention being better green wise on our environment.
I was also thrilled to receive 2 cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch! I found the most amazing Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting, and Fudgy Brownie Cookies recipes in their The Christmas Table cookbook. They paired up perfectly together and will make a wonderful addition to my holiday cookie trays.
*Fun Fact: Did you know that Indiana (The great state that I’m from) ranks 4th in the United States in peppermint production? Indiana also ranks 4th in the United States in spearmint production. Check out more Indiana Mint Trivia on My Indiana Home.
Fudgy Brownie Cookies with Peppermint Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons oil
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
*For even more chocolate flavor, add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips!
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. In a separate bowl blend cocoa and oil together. Add to butter mixture and blend well.
In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt and mix well with a whisk. Add alternately with milk to the butter mixture. Add vanilla and continue mixing until combined. Stir in chocolate chips if using.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoon onto a cookie sheet lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Move to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
Frost cookies with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting. Store in a single layer in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated.
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups powdered sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add extract and mix well.
Turn mixer speed to low and add powdered sugar in small amounts until well blended.
This post was written as part of the Indiana Family of Farmers Table Talk Series. As a Table Talk contributor I receive various products that help in writing these post. All opinions are 100% my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more details.
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april
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