Pecan Crescents (makes 4 dozen)
½ lb. butter (2 sticks) softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tblsp. Evaporated milk or cream
Cream butter and powdered sugar. Add flour to mixture with pecans. Add vanilla and cream. Roll in small pieces and shape like crescents. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes and roll in powdered sugar. These cookies freeze very well.
Cake Mix Cookies (makes 4 dozen)
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
2 eggs
1 Tblsp. Water
½ cup Crisco
powdered sugar or sprinkles (non-pareils work best)
Combine cake mix, eggs, water and Crisco. Mix until well-blended. Shape dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll in powdered sugar or sprinkles. Place about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. You can use other cake mix flavors if you like, but chocolate fudge is our favorite!
Butter Jewels (makes 5 dozen)
¾ lbs. (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks *
4 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
strawberry jam (or other flavors—peach, blueberry, raspberry, etc.)
Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten egg yolks, salt and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Dough will be stiff and crumbly, like pie crust. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. With your thumb, dent the top of each ball and fill with jam. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Note—be sure to separate yolks from whites well; egg white will make the cookies hard as rocks!