Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 6!

Happy Monday! First off, I have to say that I completed the Dallas White Rock Half Marathon yesterday! After this post, I plan on doing a recap of the race so be sure to check back for that later today! It was rainy, cold, and wet, but I did it!

Today I am linking back up with Neely and Amber for their Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!

Today's topic is a favorite holiday treat or desert. I have not always been a baker until recently, so I haven't really made anything in the past. My grandmother always makes the best sugar cookies at Christmas, but I don't have the recipe, so I took to pinterest to check out some of my pins and choose something I know I will make this year. I thought these cookies looked wonderful! Eric loves oatmeal cookies, so add some toffee and they are sure to be even better! Here is the picture from the website Barbara Bakes. It looks like these are actually a Martha Stewart Recipe. Yum!

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen 3-inch cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup toffee pieces, (5 1/2 ounces)

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and baking soda, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Add egg, and mix on high speed to combine. Add vanilla extract; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the sifted flour a bit at a time on a low speed until well combined. Add oatmeal, cherries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine.
Divide dough into three equal portions, and roll into logs using plastic wrap, approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. To bake, cut logs into 3/4-inch pieces. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a baking rack to cool.

Recipe from Barbara Bakes

I will definitely be making these for the couple of holiday parties we have coming up! What are your favorite holiday treats?

Soft Brown Sugar Cookies

These cookies were the absolute best! They were the sweets I served at my Stella & Dot Debut Trunk Show Launch and I have been asked for the recipe no less than three time since, so they definitely deserve a post! These cookies are so soft, as the title says, they are almost cakey, not like a cookie. The icing was super easy! I made them again this morning to take to my mom's Stella & Dot trunk show today, so I am super excited to get to have them again!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (Weird, yes I thought so too.)

Blend together the butter and brown sugar in the mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time and blend well.  Add vanilla and beat until light.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto non-stick or lightly greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes (mine took more like 10).  Remove to a wire rack and cool. Frost with browned butter frosting. Makes 2 dozen or so.

Browned Butter Frosting

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden.  Watch carefully as this will happen quickly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.