Cooking Lesson #956: Fat Santa’s Down the Chimney Christmas Eve Cookies

…from the Perspectives’ Holiday Kitchen

How you doin?  My Fat Santa’s Down the Chimney Christmas Eve Cookies are sometimes called butterballs and are sometimes shaped into crescents like the moon. They're also delicious when made with pecans or hazelnuts instead of almonds, though I prefer the almonds.
 
This recipe has been handed down from generation to generation from a friend who grew up in Denmark. They are some of the best Christmas cookies I've ever had. These tender and crumbly treats, dusted with powdered sugar, melt in your mouth and deliver a nutty flavor, making them a universal favorite. And they are great for gifting, too!
The charm of these Christmas Cookies lies in their simplicity and tradition. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just indulging in a mid-afternoon snack, these cookies are sure to win hearts, minds and satisfy palates.
Give Santa a choice… my Down the Chimney Christmas Eve Cookies are perfect on a cookie platter surrounded by other treats like easy almond biscotti, thumbprint cookies or dusted sugar cookies. I love to bake a good cookie plate to take to friends and neighbors and help feed Fat Santa.
 
Prep time:  45 minutes
Bake time:  15 minutes
Additional time:  15 minutes
Yield:  80 cookies
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (I prefer Plugrà European-style butter)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups finely ground almonds
4-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for rolling
 
Directions

• Preheat an oven to 325⁰ F.
• Place the butter, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in the ground almonds and vanilla.
• Blend in flour gradually until well-combined.
• Shape into balls (or crescents) using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie.
• Place the dough balls 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until just browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let the cookies sit on the tray until slightly cooled, about 15 minutes.
• Roll the cookies in remaining confectioners' sugar.

ChefSecret:  Plugrà uses specially selected cream with just the right amount of butterfat to produce Premium Style Butter—perfect for baking. The butter is brought to the optimal temperature before churning and then chilled and packed to produce butter with the right balance of moisture and fat. You can see it in how well Plugrà  blends with all the other ingredients.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why is Christmas like a day at the Office? A. Because you do all the work and the fat
guy in the red suit gets all the credit.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Baking #ChristmasEveCookies #AlmondCookies #Santa #Plugra #HolidayRecies #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
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