cookies!

The tree is up.  The construction-paper chains are linked and strewn.  The stockings are hung.  Now the cookie planning starts.

I'll be baking next Thursday night and Friday afternoon, for anyone who wants to stop by and take advantage of a hot oven.
I have found out the hard way that in tight times, heating up the oven can really do in your gas bill.

I think I have just about everything I need to bake except butter and flour.

And bourbon.

I mentioned it on Facebook back when I had Facebook, I've switched from vanilla extract to bourbon and OMG. 
You wouldn't think that just a teaspoon of something would make much of a difference, but yes.
I've been using Woodford Reserve, just because that is what we had when we didn't have vanilla extract.  And it is amazing.  It adds a woody (does it really, or am I just thinking woody because of Woodford? I don't know.) sort of taste.  A more complexity grownuppity sort of taste to the cookies.  And it's such a small amount that you don't have to worry about the kiddies eating the cookies.  There is probably more booze in a dose of Triaminic than there is in a teaspoon of baked bourbon, so let them eat the whole batch if they want.

Michelle at So Wonderful So Marvelous posted a recipe for DIY Bourbon Vanilla Extract. Which I'm going to use for the cut-out cookies.

My cut-out cookies are really good.  I'm not sure where I got the recipe from, but it is time-tested and muchly-approved and you can find it here.  It's sort of a pain in the ass, but it's totally worth it.

I'll be making the oatmeal cookies of course, which are my personal favorite.  I will use Heath pieces in there this year.  I used to use butterscotch chips but I've forgone them for the Heath.  Again with the complexity grownuppitiness.  And be sure to use the bourbon in this recipe!

And the cranberry almonds, but this year there will be real dried cherries in there instead of cherry-flavored cranberries because I got to Trader Joes after a delivery and they were in stock and I had just gotten a check from the auto insurance place after the car crash so I was rich that day.  I think I'll do the vanilla bourbon here too.

And chocolate chips.  Half with nuts and half without.  Because everyone has a preference.

I don't like to use shortening in my cooking because I feel like it makes everything greasy and somehow plasticine (and if it touches my skin I alway gag and sometimes puke- depending on how much raw cookie dough I've already eaten.  I have sensory issues), so I haven't been making peanut butter cookies or snickerdoodles for years.  I'm looking for a non-shortening recipe for these two that isn't dry or crumbly.  If you have one, please pass it along.

Also, I'm getting adventurous and making up a new cookie this year.  I'm thinking it will be similar to those cookies with the Hershey Kiss on top, but no peanut butter and I will be using an Andes Candy (or maybe they make mint Kisses?) and mint-infused bourbon as the extract.  Like a Mint Julep.  We'll see.  I'll keep you posted.

My cookie secrets are:
dark brown sugar instead of light brown
pecans instead of walnuts
gas oven instead of electric
bourbon instead of vanilla
butter instead of margarine or shortening
use LARGE eggs, not extra large.
make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, unless the recipe calls otherwise
knowing when to take the cookies out of the oven- they still bake after they are out!

What are yours?