BMancastar K chill is m the air and what better way to spend the day than surrounded V by the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies. Whether it’s Classic Thumbprint Cookies or Spiced Apncot Pastnes, there’s sure to be a cookie in the batch for everyone. Create a family tradition that will last far longer than the sweet taste of [jUj vH , cookies! The J.M. Smucker Company has some simple tips and ideas that will V? " » make baking cookies fun for the whole family, • A perfect way for kids to review their basic math skills is by having them measure out the ingredients. Assign flour or sugar measurement responsibilities to the younger kids who can hold a plastic measuring cup. Ask the older ones who can handle the teaspoons and tablespoons to measure the baking powder and salt. • When preparing the Classic Thumbprint Cookies, have your kids choose their favorite flavors of jams, jellies and preserves and let them place the fruity dollop themselves. The result? A dazzling array of jewel-like cookies that your children will proudly present to admiring guests. • Make sure to have plenty of paper towels and napkins on hand, especially when working with the crumbly oat mixture in the Chewy Red Raspberry Squares Don’t forget to remind kids to wash their hands before preparation. • Children of all ages will love using the cookie cutter to cut out the circles, squares and even stars for the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies. Try chilling the dough ahead of time for easier cut outs. • Keep a roll of refrigerated cookie dough on hand as well as your favorite flavor of Smucker’s jam to make Quick n’ Nutty Jam Gems for those last minute gatherings or the perfect “I’m hungry, what’s fun to eat?” snack. It may be cold outside but it will be warm inside when baking delicious cookies. So get the hot cocoa ready and remember to involve the whole family in the cookie-making process. You’ll create some great memories and put a smile in everyone’s day. Peanuf- Buffer & Jelly SandwkK Cookies Yield: 48 cookies * 1/2 cup natural peanut butter 1/3 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup honey 1. Mix peanut butter, sugar, butter, honey and egg. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; add to the peanut butter mixture and mix well 3. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Wrap each portion m plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. 4. Remove portions from refrigerator and place each portion between two sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Roll each portion into a “sheet” about 1/8-mch thick. Refrigerate dough again if it becomes too soft to handle. 5. Preheat oven to 350°. Using a drinking glass or cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Using a smaller drinking glass or cookie cutter, cut smaller circles or “windows” in half the circles. Transfer cookies to a non-stick baking sheet, leaving 1/2-inch between them. 6. Bake all cookies 5-6 minutes or until they’re just starting to brown. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. When cookies have cooled, spread jelly on the plain cookies and top them with the “window” cookies. Quick* n’Nu'H-y Jam Gems Yield 32 cookies ' ounce log refrigerated sugar cookie dough cup peanuts cup jam or preserves, any flavor or combination of flavors 18 I 1 1 Put cookie dough log into the freezer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350° Finely chop the peanuts and put them in a small bowl 2 Take cookie dough from the freezer and remove the plastic wrapper. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough log into 16 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut each slice in half and shape each half into a ball Roll dough balls in the chopped peanuts and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 3 Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on edges. Remove cookies from the oven and immediately make a depression in each cookie with your thumb or the back of a teaspoon. Spoon preserves into the depression of each cookie Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. For more greaf- recipes log on fo www.s(Aucker,com large egg cups all-purpose flour teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder cups strawberry or grape jelly 1/4 1/2 1/2 Classic Tlrvumbprinf Coo Wes cups flour cup brown packed cup butter room 2 large eggs, separated tjL teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons 2 cups finely chopped pecans Hkhib^S^^H^HHH^BlHiiiiii^HßSftUlßkUMßeßHii^SKSLJ 1 cup preserves or Jam, any flavor or combination of flavors 1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and salt. Slowly add the flour and stir until well blended. 3. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Put nuts in a separate bowl. 4. Using a teaspoon, scoop out dough and shape into 1-inch balls. Dip each dough ball into the egg whites, then roll in the nuts and place on a prepared baking sheet. Using a teaspoon or your thumb, make a round indentation in the top of each cookie, being sure not to make a hole all the way through the dough. 5. Bake cookies for 8 minutes (they will not be fully baked); remove from oven. Using teaspoon or other small spoon, scoop the preserves into the indentation of each cookie. Return cookies to oven to bake another 6-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Spiced Kprkof Pastries Yield: 60 pastries 1 12 ounce jar apricot preserves (may use peach preserves instead) 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest (orange part of the peel) 1 egg 1 tablespoon water 1 cup butter (at room temperature) 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature) 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour powdered sugar 1. Preheat oven to 315°. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray 2. Combine preserves, nuts, pumpkin pie spice and orange zest; mix well and set aside. 3. In separate bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add flour; mix until well blended 4. Divide dough into thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. 5. Spoon heaping spoonful of apricot filling in center of each round. Combine egg and water; brush on edges of each round. Fold opposite sides to center, slightly overlapping edges; pinch to seal. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. 6. Bake at 375° for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. PufApklrrOrange Marrv\alode Cookies Yield: 48 cookies For the cookie dough: I cup sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade 1/2 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 1/2 cup raisins (optional) For the frosting: 3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature) 1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade orange juice (to thin frosting if necessary) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, pumpkin, orange marmalade and shortening. Add flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix until well combined. Stir in walnuts and raisins, if desired. 3. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. 4. Prepare frosting: in a medium mixing bowl, beat all frosting ingredients together, adding orange juice only as needed to make frosting spreadable. Frost each cooled cookie. Mrr»* Byw >Liis "TF" ' v * Jgf?** CKewy Red Raspberry Squares Yield: 16 squares 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature) 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned) 1/2 cup red raspberry preserves 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat an BxB-inch baking pan with cooking spray. 2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in almond extract. 3. Mix in flour, baking powder and oats until mixture is combined and crumbly. Reserve 1/4-cup of the mixture for topping; set aside. Pat remaining mixture into bottom of prepared baking pan 4. Spoon preserves on top of oat layer, spreading it as much as possible without disturbing the bottom layer. Sprinkle reserved topping on top of preserve layer. 5. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. When cooled, cut into squares. To receive a free Smucker’s Classic Cookie Recipe Collection brochure, send a self-addressed stamped envelope (two 33 cent stamps and a #lO envelope) to The J.M. Smucker Company, Attn; Classic Cookie Recipe Collection, Consumer Relations Department, PO Box 280, Orrville, Ohio 44667. ,/i- %f uh ‘ 1 1 1 J #11"