Christmas cookie recipes are often passed down from generation to generation, and every family will have their favourites. Add a new recipe to your collection with one of the following tempting sweets.Thumbprint cookies have been around since Grandma’s time, being a long-time favourite. The Scottish shortbread with candied ginger is delicate and buttery with a bit of zip. The tangy lemon glazed butter cookies are a great sugar cookie for cutting out shapes and decorating.

Jewelled Thumbprint Cookies

 
Makes 4 1/2 dozen

375 ml (1 1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) sugar
1 large egg
2 ml (1/2 tsp) pure vanilla
750 ml (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
Assorted jams; apricot, marmalade, raspberry, strawberry

Preheat oven to 180º C (350º F). In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt add to butter mixture a third at a time. Mix until just blended and a dough is formed.

Roll dough into 2.5-cm (1-inch) balls, place 5-cm (2-inches) apart on cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the centre of each ball. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Fill centres with 2-cm (1/2 tsp) assorted jams while still hot. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool.

Variation: Roll balls in ground almonds or ground hazelnuts before baking.
Tip: Make dough ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bake a few at a time as needed.  They will be fresh and hot from the oven when company arrives.

Scottish Ginger Shortbread

500 g (1 lb) butter, room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) confectioner’s sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) cornstarch
1 L (4 cups) all-purpose flour
75 ml (1/3 cup) candied ginger, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 155º C (310º F). In a large mixing bowl, mix butter, sugar, and cornstarch.         Add flour and mix by hand until a coarse mixture forms; add ginger. Knead dough well. Chill for 15 minutes and roll out to .5-cm (1/4-inch) thickness and cut out shapes with assorted cookie cutters. Prick dough all over with a fork.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned. Remove shortbread to racks and cool completely.

Store shortbread in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week or freeze for 2 to 3 months.

Tip: For plain shortbread omit the ginger.

Lemon-Glazed Butter Cookies

Makes 3 dozen

125 ml (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
75 ml (1/3 cup) sugar
1 large egg
10 ml (2 tsp) pure vanilla extract
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking powder
 
Preheat oven to 180º  C (350º  F). In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon rind.  Mix together flour and baking powder and slowly beat into butter mixture.

Divide dough into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to handle.

Roll out dough and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Drizzle lemon glaze with a fork over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with decorating sugar.

Glaze: Combine 125 ml (1/2 cup) confectioner’s sugar with approximately 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice to make a thin glaze.