We love Christmas at Steeles Tavern Manor B&B and Alpine Hideaway Cottages! You can read about our traditions (like making Gingerbread Houses) and get a great recipe for Chocolate Mint Squares from past blogs.
This year we baked our Christmas cookies in early December when our kids and grandkids came to visit. Baking cookies is a huge project in our kitchen and the aroma fills the inn – inviting guests and family members for tasting. While we occasionally try a new cookie recipe, there are five favorites that we bake every year. Read on to learn about the top recipes for our family baking traditions.
The recipe for Peanut Butter Cup cookies came from Hershey, PA – where Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups call home! My job prior to innkeeping was with PNC Bank. PNC bought the Hershey Bank and I gained more interest in baking with this recipe from Alice, one of the Hershey Bank’s employees. This recipe has been on our “must have” cookie list since the 1990’s!
My mother got the recipe for Chocolate Mint Squares from the wife of one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ coaches. This has been a long-time family favorite cookie bar for cookie swaps or for taking to parties.
The Sour Cream Cookie recipe came from Rose who was my Godmother’s mother. I miss Rose but these cookies remind me of her every time I bake them. Rose had lots of baking tips – one of the tips is to use only “Domino Sugar” for rolling these cookies before they go into the oven.
Two other favorite cookies are Oreo Balls (my granddaughter’s favorite) and Italian Wine Cookies – my mom’s recipe and one of my personal favorites. And we always have Steeles Tavern Manor Chocolate Chip Cookies on hand too!
You now have my (and Ray’s) list of favorite Christmas Cookies. Now it’s time for you to try one of these recipes!
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ cup flour
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups (1 package)
Directions:
TIP: Freeze the peanut butter cups.
Mix butter, peanut butter, sugar & brown sugar in mixer. Add egg & vanilla. In separate bowl, mix together flour, soda, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and mix together. Chill dough for several hours or overnight.
Form 1-inch balls and place in ungreased mini muffin tins. Recipe should make about 42 balls. Bake 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
While cookies are baking, prepare the peanut butter cups by removing the wrapper from each one. (This is the hardest part of the recipe!). They must be unwrapped and ready to use before the cookies come out of the oven.
Remove cookies from oven. Immediately press a frozen peanut butter cup into the center of each baked cookie. The cup should be pressed down into the cookie so it is level with the top of the cookie.
Cool completely before removing the cookies from the tins.
Makes about 42 cookies.
Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy these cookies at home OR make a reservation for a stay at Steeles Tavern Manor B&B and Alpine Hideaway Cottages and try ALL of our favorite cookies.
