Friday, December 4, 2009

Christmas Goodies - A Great and Easy Gift

As most of you know I truly love to cook.  It is something that has been with me for as long as I can remember.  I remember as a little girl mixing together ingredients and baking small spice cakes  before I could even read a cookbook.  I knew the basic ingredients and I would make up my own recipes.  They really didn't taste that bad, and still I have a fondness for spice cakes to this day.  I am participating in Home Crafted Holidays over at Domestic Witch and today is my day to share some of the things I do at Christmas time.  Although this year I am hand crafting many of my gifts, each year there is one thing that I do without fail and that is make goodies for my friends & family.  Each year I try and make a new recipe just to try something different yet I always have my familiars that everyone wants for sure.  One of these regulars are Toffee Almond Sandies.  A cookie recipe I found some time back that just sounded good and after I tried it I have made it every year since.  I would like to share it with you.


The recipe is as follows:
1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon salt
1 cups sliced almonds
1 package English Toffee bits OR Almond butter brickle chips

I prefer the toffee, yet of course it is one of my favorites.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, oil and sugars.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the extract.  Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt;  gradually add to the creamed mixture.  Stir in almonds and toffee bits gently. 

Drop by teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove and let cool then enjoy.  This recipes makes aproximately 9 dozen.  I know thats alot of cookies yet seeing that I give these away I like the larger recipes so I don't have to skimp.  If you are a lover of sandies, I can tell you these are wonderful.  The recipe is easy enough to adjust to other nuts if you would like besides almonds, such as pecans, cashews etc.  If you do this though remember to exclude the almond extract.  Kept in an air tight container these cookies last a long time.  They have a wonderful texture that allows them to be moist and delicious even after packing and sending abroad.  Plus it always puts such a wonderful smell in the kitchen and house when you cook. 

Enjoy...

10 comments:

Not Hannah said...

These sound YUMMY. I love a good almond cookie!

mxtodis123 said...

Oh my gosh, they look so good. I may just have to start baking again. This is a great recipe.
Mary

luna petunia said...

Mom, I am selling AT COST the book Faith & Magick in the Armed Forces for $12.00 inclusive. I will order next Tuesday. Here is the link if you could /would (if you feel like it) mention it in your blog. Thanks!
http://tinyurl.com/ylqslfz

Rue said...

Yum - thanks for the recipe!

I like giving cookies away too - especially my gingersnaps. It never seems like too much work when people are asking for them!

Anonymous said...

These look nummy - and thanks for including the little detail that they ship well, that is always useful to know! I can do some baking now for "my boys".

Judith said...

hummm, I ROCKED at making mud pies when I was little! sort of explains my cooking.... my mom was the baker, and though I watched her, never felt the need to do anything but eat! giggle

The Soccer Moms' Guide to Wicca said...

Ok, that looks really, really good... I'm copying this recipe to my Word recipe file....Thank you!

-Fae

Jblover109Woozworld said...

Delicious sounding recipe! Thanks for sharing it!

Heather S-G said...

What a nice tradition. I love almonds and toffee and I can just imagine them in a sandie...oh yum.

Bridgett said...

I'm so saving this recipe and making these. I LOVE almonds AND cookies. So this is the perfect treat for me. ;)