November 2025 – Christmas Cookies & Holiday Treats

Cheesecake Bars

Laura Brubaker, Ephrata

Chocolate Batter:

• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1¹/₃ cups flour

Cream Cheese Mixture:

• 16 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:

• nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Cream together butter and cocoa. Add remaining batter ingredients and mix well. Pour into cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.

Combine the cream cheese mixture ingredients. Pour on top of the chocolate mixture; swirl with a knife. Sprinkle nuts or chocolate chips on top if desired.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Red Velvet Fudge Pie

Theresa Gettle, Ephrata

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• ¹/₃ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup butter
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts – or homemade, your choice

Preheat oven to 350°F and roll out pie crusts into pie pans.

Prepare cake mix according to instructions on back (Duncan Hines calls for 3 eggs, 1¼ cup water, and ¹/₃ cup oil). Mix well and pour into two refrigerated pie crusts in pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until crusts are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If crusts begin to brown before pie is done, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

In medium saucepan, combine butter, 10 oz. of chocolate chips (reserve some for garnish) and sweetened condensed milk. Stir over medium heat until smooth and pour over pies.

Garnish with extra chocolate chips.

Allow to cool, then enjoy!

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Fiber One^® Chocolate Peanut Butter Haystacks

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

• 12 oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
• ½ cup reduced-fat peanut butter
• 1 pouch (3¾ cups) Fiber One^® original bran cereal

Line cookie sheets with waxed paper.

In a large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and peanut butter, uncovered, on high 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute longer, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth.

Stir in cereal until well coated. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

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Christmas Holly Candy

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• ½ cup butter
• 10 oz. package miniature marshmallows
• green food coloring (about 1½ teaspoon)
• 5 cups cornflakes cereal
• red cinnamon candies

Melt marshmallows and butter in a saucepan. Add enough food coloring to create the dark green color of holly. Add cereal and stir quickly to coat the cornflakes completely. Drop by tablespoons onto wax paper. Butter your fingers and form each into a holly wreath shape. Use cinnamon candies to create “berries.”

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Chocolate Thumbprints

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

• 1 oz. square unsweetened chocolate
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg, separated
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ finely chopped pecans
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt chocolate. Let cool slightly.

Cream butter. Add melted chocolate, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Sift flour and salt and add to creamed mixture.

Chill dough slightly so that it is easier to handle.

Beat egg white with fork until foamy. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll dough into balls, about 1 teaspoon per ball. Dip balls in egg white to coat, then roll in chopped nuts.

Place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet; press thumb gently in center of each cookie.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to rack.

Immediately place 3 to 4 chocolate chips in each thumbprint. When chips have melted, spread evenly over the thumbprint.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Marilyn Bashore, Lititz

Cookie Bars:

• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
• 2¼ cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Frosting:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• sprinkles, if desired

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9”x13” baking dish with parchment paper; grease and set aside.

Combine butter and brown sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add molasses and beat until well combined. Add flour, baking soda, and spices and mix well.

Press cookie dough into baking dish and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Beat butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat another 4 minutes. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Decorate with sprinkles.

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Applesauce Fruitcake Bars

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 14 oz. can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup margarine or butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups biscuit baking mix
• 15 oz. jar applesauce
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 6 oz. container green candied cherries, chopped
• 6 oz. container red cherries, chopped
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup raisins
• confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the milk, eggs, margarine and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients except the confectioners sugar.

Spread evenly into a well-greased and floured 15”x10” jellyroll pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly.

Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 48 bars

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Apple Pie in a Goblet

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• 3 large tart apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 12 shortbread cookies, crumbled
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• whipped cream

In a large saucepan, combine the apples, sugar, water, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until apples are tender. Uncover and cook 9 to 10 minutes longer, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

In each of four goblets or parfait glasses, layer 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs, 1/2 cup ice cream and 1/4 of the apple mixture. Top with remaining cookie crumbs and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Snowflake Press Cookies

Mary Ann Dell, East Earl

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup shortening
• 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Blend butter, shortening and cream cheese; add sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and orange zest. Mix well. Set aside.

Combine flour, salt and cinnamon; stir into butter mixture. Chill 30 minutes.

Place dough into a cookie press. Form snowflakes 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Dust baked cookies with sanding sugar for sparkle.

Makes 4 dozen.

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Dried Cherry Cookies

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups flour
• 2 cups dried tart cherries
• 1½ cups quick cooking rolled oats
• ²/₃ cup chopped pecans
• ²/₃ cup white baking pieces

In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, eggs, baking soda and salt. Beat on medium speed until combined, using a spatula to scrape the side of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the flour. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the dried cherries, rolled oats, chopped pecans and white baking pieces.

Drop the cookie dough by rounded teaspoons 2” apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet (may also use parchment paper).

Bake in a 375°F oven for 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are light brown.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

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Mocha Nut Butterballs

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1¾ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans
• powdered sugar

Cream the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the coffee powder, cocoa, flour and salt; mix well. Add the nuts.

Shape into 1” balls and put on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 325°F oven about 15 minutes.

When cool, roll in powdered sugar.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

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Molasses Spice Cookies

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup shortening
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ cup granulated brown sugar or granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease the cookie sheets.

Beat granulated sugar and shortening about 5 minutes in a large bowl, until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat until fluffy.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt and mustard in a medium bowl. Add this to the shortening mixture and mix until just combined.

Place brown sugar in a shallow dish.

Roll tablespoons of dough into 1” balls. Roll in the sugar to coat. Place 2” apart on cookie sheets.

Bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool 2 minutes before removing.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.