Hometown Holiday Treat Recipes

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The KCRG-TV9 team is sharing their favorite festive treat recipes throughout this holiday season! Take a look at some of the goodies we’ve shared on air! We’ll update this as we continue to share recipes!

Emily’s Peppermint Kiss Cookies:

• 1 package of candy cane kisses
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose four
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Red or green sugar crystals (or granulated or powdered sugar)

Heat Oven to 350°F. Remove wrappers from candies. Beat Butter, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternate with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red and green sugars (or a mixture). Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the cookie is set. Remove from oven, and cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Press a candy piece into the center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Jan’s Toffee Bars:

• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. packed brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 (1.45 oz.) milk chocolate bars
• 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar. Add in egg yolk and vanilla, and mix well. Stir in flour and salt until the dough is well blended. Spread into greased jellyroll pan (or 9x13 baking sheet) - you will have to work with it to spread it evenly into a layer and into the corners as the dough is quite stiff. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place chocolate on top. Let stand until the chocolate is soft, then spread evenly over the entire surface. Sprinkle with nuts and cut while still warm.

Becky’s Molasses Cookies:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl and put aside. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until blended, then beat in egg, and molasses. Gradually add the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture until well combined. Roll ¼ cup of dough into a 2-inch ball, roll the ball in sugar from a small bowl, and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hannah’s Homemade Hot Chocolate:

• ¾ cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• ⅓ cup boiling water
• 3 ½ cups milk
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup half-and-half cream

Combine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a saucepan. Add boiling water and whisk until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring continuously to prevent scorching, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in milk and heat until very hot without boiling. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Divide hot cocoa between 4 mugs. Add cream to each mug to cool cocoa to drinking temperature.

Joe’s Butterscotch Bars:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups mini-marshmallows
• 6 oz butterscotch chips
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter

Prepare graham cracker crumbs by placing in a bag and using a rolling pin to crush them. A food processor can also be used. When finely crushed, set aside until ready to use. Prepare a 9x13 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Spray the paper with baking spray and set aside. In a saucepan, heat butter over low heat. Once melted, whisk in sugar and eggs. Over medium heat, bring to a low simmer and continue to cook for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool about 10 minutes. Add graham cracker crumbs and marshmallows. Stir to combine. Pour into prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Set bars aside and prepare topping. Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter in microwave in 30-second increments until completely smooth, about three 30-second increments. Spread over prepared bars and smooth out, making sure to spread into the corners. Allow bars to cool at least two hours before cutting to ensure the topping has set. Cut into small squares and enjoy.

Chris’ Thumbprint Cookies”

Cookie Dough:

• ¼ Cup Softened Butter
• ¼ Cup Shortening
• ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg (Yolk and White Separated)
• ½ Tsp Vanilla
• 1 Cup Flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 Cup Finely Chopped Walnuts

Frosting:

• ⅓ Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
• 2 Tsp Butter
• 1 Tsp Milk
• ¼ Tsp Vanilla
• Food Coloring

Thoroughly mix together BUTTER, SHORTENING, BROWN SUGAR, EGG YOLK, VANILLA. Sift together FLOUR and SALT and add to mixture. Roll dough into 1″ balls. Dip dough balls halfway into BEATEN EGG WHITE (use a fork for dipping the dough) and roll the dipped portion in finely chopped WALNUTS. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5 minutes in an oven preheated to 375℉. Take out of the oven and make a small indentation in the top of the cookie using the handle of a fork or spoon (like making a thumbprint). Return to the oven for 8 minutes. Let cookies cool off and then fill the indentation with FROSTING.

Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved.