Show Us Your Life - Christmas Cookies

This week on Show Us How You Live over at Kelly's Korner, we're showing off our Christmas cookies. My grandma was the baker in our family and every Christmas she'd spend an entire weekend doing nothing but making cookies. These are cookies that I liked the best from her smorgasbord

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Makes 24

Ingredients

• 4 - 14 oz bags sweetened coconut flakes
• 2 - 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract (not imitation)

The Chocolate Ganache

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Pour 3 bags of coconut flakes into your mixer and then pour the condensed milk, sour cream, cream and vanilla on top of the coconut flakes.

Turn the mixer to a slow speed.

With the mixer running, slowly add the fourth bag of coconut flakes.

Mix for about 10-15 seconds until combined then stop.

Scrape the paddle with a spatula and give the the batter a few turns to make sure all the ingredients are well distributed.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and cover your sheet pans with parchment paper.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out the macaroons and slightly press together. They need to be able to keep their shape once they're on the cookie sheet. Then place the cookie sheet into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. The bottom of the macaroon should be lightly caramelized. Then let cool.

The Chocolate Ganache

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil.

Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk or spoon until smooth. Let cool to room temperature before dipping in your already cooled macaroons.
Dip in chocolate to taste and then put all of the macaroons into the refrigerator. It helps the chocolate dry nice, shiny and smooth. Once the chocolate ganache has completely hardened, they are ready to eat!

Pressed Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1lb butter
• 1 full cup sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar together

Mix in egg and vanilla

Add flour, baking powder, and sugar and mix until well blended.

Using a cookie press, in the shape of your choice (mine is my grandma's old star press), press out your cookies onto a chilled, ungreased cookie sheet. Try and not make them too small, or they'll burn. Bake 10-12 minutes, removing at the first hint of brown around the edge.

Decorate them how ever you like- I prefer a less is more approach, because I want to taste the cookie more than anything else. (P.S This is my dad's favorite cookie and he likes them plain, not one things added to it.)
And those are the cookies I make every year. I hope ya'll enjoy them as much as I do.

**More Show You How I Live Posts**

The Pets
School Spirit Pride
Halloween Costumes
Baby Gear Favorite Dessert Recipes
Favorite Go-To Dinner Recipe
My Baby Shower
School Pictures
Favorite Vacation Spot
I Have a Child. The Jig is Up.
Here Comes the Maid Of Honor