Italian Christmas Cookies Filled Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in ricotta and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a large bowl, cream together butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies and immediately decorate with sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Sift together flours and salt.
• Cut shortening into flour mixture.
• Melt 1/2 + 1/3 cup sugar in 1/2 cup water and pour into flour mixture and mix.
• Roll out and cut into circles the size of a large can like fruit comes in, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Make the filling by mixing together nuts, 2 tbsp sugar, and raisins.
• Place a tablespoonful of filling on one side of each circle.
• Wet the edges of the circle, fold over (should look like a half moon), and seal with a fork.
• Prick the top of all assembled cookies with a fork to vent.
• Bake at 400F for 7-10 minutes, until just turning golden.
• Let cool.
• Dust lightly with powdered sugar or make frosting by mixing 1 tbsp water, powdered sugar, and vanilla. If desired, frosting may be tinted with food coloring and sprinkles may be put on cookies immediately after frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the dough: in a mixer, beat together the shortening and brown sugar. Add the milk and the egg, and beat until combined. Add the salt, baking powder, vanilla and flour. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Remove dough from bowl, cut in half. Roll each half of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Peel waxed paper off the bottom of 1 of the layers and place it in a greased 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Press dough with hands into the corners of the pan, trimming any pieces that come over the sides. Peel off the waxed paper from the other side.
• Meanwhile, stir all the filling ingredients together. Evenly pour fudge filling on top of first layer in pan. Remove waxed paper from 1 side of top dough layer and place that side over filling. Then remove waxed paper from the top side. Bake until top is brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 4 to 5 hours or even overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into serving pieces

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, softened butter, ricotta cheese and lemon peel with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Stir in vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Using floured fingers, shape dough into 54 (1-inch) balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Using knife, spread 1/2 teaspoon frosting on each cooled cookie; immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.