Nilla Wafer Cake Bites

Ingredients

• 36 NILLA Wafers
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1⁄4 cup raspberry jam
• 8 oz. vanilla candy wafers (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• Assorted decorations

Instructions

1. Brush flat sides of 24 NILLA Wafers with juice, then spread with jam.
2. Place remaining wafers, rounded sides up, on waxed paper-covered baking sheet; top each with 2 jam-topped wafers, jam sides down. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
3. Melt candy wafers as directed on package; stir in oil until well blended. Dip NILLA stacks, 1 at a time, in melted candy wafers, turning to evenly coat stack, reheating candy wafer mixture if needed. Return to baking sheet. Immediately add decorations to resemble photo.
4. Refrigerate 30 min. or until candy coating is firm. Keep refrigerated.
5. Substitute: Prepare using 2 pkg. (4 oz. each) white baking chocolate, melted as directed on package, and omitting vegetable oil.
6. Note Keep the stacked cakes refrigerated until ready to dip them in the melted candy wafers. Work with a couple at a time so they remain firm, which makes dipping them easier.

Recipe by Corrie

Almond shortbread cookies with Amaretto

• 1 Cup unsalted butter
• 1 Cup confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon liquor
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Cup all-purpose flour

 In a large mixing bowl, using mixer, beat butter, sugar, amaretto, salt until smooth and creamy. With mixer on low speed, add flour and mix until dough forms. Using rubber spatula, mix in almonds. Form dough into a rectangular log (or 2 rectangular logs). Wrap each log in plastic wrap. Once the log is wrapped in plastic wrap, it is easier to continue shaping it as a more perfectly shaped rectangular log. Freeze the log for 40 minutes in freezer, then 20 minutes in refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 325. Using sharp knife, cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices, place them on un-greased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe by Katie

Oreo Truffles

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided

1 8oz pkg. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Recipe by Renee & Renee

Ginger Snaps

2 c sugar                        4 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/3 c vegetable oil        1 tsp salt
1/2 c molasses                2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs                            2 tsp ginger
4 c flour                         Granulated or large crystal sugar for rolling in

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream together sugar, oil, molasses and eggs.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix until a nice dough forms.  Chill in fridge 30 min.  Roll into 1" balls and roll completely in granulated sugar or just press the tops into the large crystal sugar.  Bake on a ungreased cookie sheet for 8 min.

Recipe by Christie

Peppermint Brownies

Brownies
3/4 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup crushed peppermint candy, divided

Glaze:
1 Cup (six ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening

Line a 13 in. x 9 in. baking pan with foil; grease foil and set aside. In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar until blended. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to oil mixture. Set aside two tablespoons peppermint candy for garnish; stir in remaining candy. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Spread over brownies; sprinkle with reserved candy.

Recipe by Laura

Lemony Almond Macaroons

1 

14-ounce package sweetened shredded coconut

1 

cup 

sliced almonds

3/4 

cup 

sugar

1 

teaspoon 

grated lemon zest

1/4 

teaspoon 

kosher salt

4 

large egg whites

Heat oven to 325° F. 

In a large bowl, combine the coconut, almonds, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Mix in the egg whites.  Drop mounds of the mixture (each equal to 2 tablespoons) onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1½ inches apart.  Bake, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges begin to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to one week.

Recipe by Marina

Glazed Maple Pecan Cookies

1 3/4 c flour                             1 T butter
1/4 c cornstarch                       1 c powdered sugar
1 c butter, softened                  1 T real maple syrup
1/2 c brown sugar                    1-2 T milk
1/4 c powdered sugar               Additional chopped or halved pecans
1 egg yolk
1 tsp maple flavoring
1 c finely chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk flour and cornstarch together.
Mix together butter and sugars at medium speed until creamy.  Add egg yolk and maple flavoring, beating until well mixed.  Reduce speed and gradually add flour and cornstarch mixture and toasted pecans.  Measure dough by the scant Tbsp and shape into balls.  Place dough balls on baking sheets and press down lightly until dough is about 1/2" thick. Bake 9-12 min or until cookies puff and are very lightly browned.
Glaze:
Combine butter, powdered sugar and maple syrup.  Add enough milk to make a glaze and whisk until smooth.

When cookies have cooled, dip tops of cookies in the glaze. Garnish with pecan halves or chopped pecans.

Recipe by Evelyn