It is Christmas Cookie Time again!

Christmas cookie baking at Rhonda's means Christmas is near!! This year we had tried and true recipes along with a couple new. Enjoy the new recipes! (The oldies but goodies can be found under cookies!)

The Bakers

Cookies Galore

Jennifer's Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temp.
• 1/2 cup butter, room temp.
• 1 egg
• 1 cup white or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 15 oz. box strawberry cake mix
• 1/3 cup powder sugar

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth
2. Mix in egg
3. Add dry cake max stir until combined
4. Stir in chips and nuts
5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar.
6. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and refrigerate (1 hr) or freeze (15 minutes).
7. Place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees.
8. Bake 8 - 10 minutes.
9. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes then move to cooling rack.
10. Sprinkles may be added prior to baking if desired.

Rhonda's Orange- Cranberry Pinwheels (bottom)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange zest 
• 3 cups all purpose flour

1. In a food processor blend cranberries, pecans and brown sugar until pieces are small. Chill.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugar. Add  baking powder, salt, eggs and zest. Beat on medium low for 1 minute or until lumpy. Slowly add flour while beating at a medium speed until mixed well. Chill at least an hour.
3. Divide dough in half. Place one section between two piece of wax paper. Roll into a rectangle approximately 1/4  thick. remove top piece of wax paper and spreed cranberry mixture over evenly but allowing a 1/2 inch border on all sides.
4. Begin rolling rectangle from short  to seal ends. Place roll on a clean piece of wax paper and shut. (To avoid a flat bottom place between two large drinking glasses).
5. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. Chill at least 24 hours. (After a few hours roll gently to avoid flat spots.)
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice into 1/4 " thick slices. Space 1 - 2" apart on a cookie sheet and bake 8- 10 minutes. Leave cookies on sheet a couple minutes then move to cooling rack.