Christmas Cookies

The following took place the second week of December.

I need to write a baking list. Why? Because having a baking list written out means I'll actually get to it in a timely manner. I've been wanting to bake pumpkin-cranberry biscotti ever since reading the recipe in Once Upon a Tart about two years ago. Now you see why I need the list!

The Once Upon a Tart biscotti recipes are interesting in that some call for whipping egg whites for the batter. Some cream the butter with the sugar, others call for melted butter. I also formed mini logs because it makes perfect gift-size biscotti and because miniature is cool.

It bleeds. Oh, the pain!


I know what you're thinking. I don't know what it is, either.

After the logs cool a bit, they get sliced and baked again. It makes for perfect coffee dunking.

I then melted some of the above...

To do that. I wanted them to be extra special since some were to be a gift.

(The pumpkin-cranberry biscotti were great. It didn't have a strong spice taste, but rather a subtleness. The same with the pumpkin, though it was apparent that it was pumpkin and you didn't have to wonder what that taste was. In the words of LeVar Burton, "You don't have to take my word for it!" Go make some. I'm sure you still have a can of pumpkin puree leftover from the holidays!)

For the second part of the gift, I cut mini snowflake shapes out of the honey-spice dough.

Fun times! Royal icing is the ultimate for making perfectly iced cookies. (I added a teaspoon of lemon juice this time.)

I was so stoked to make these because I had decorating sugar. Besides making it look better, it adds a nice crunch.

All wrapped up.