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No Kolachki anyone??? This year, running short on time...Lekvar, apricot and cherry Kolachki, russian tea cakes, hand dipped choc pretzels, spritz cookies (green trees w dragee "stars"), cranberry mini bread loaves. All this with the oven breaking the Tuesday before Christmas week... Eeeek!

I like to make sugar cookies with sprinkles in festive colors and I also like to make chocolate peanut butter balls.I do alot of baking and stuff as well.Alot of times in my family I bake gifts for Christmas and buy decorative tins and I wrap bows around them.Julie Lowe

Thanks iheartny22!

I swore I wasn't going to bake – I made double-layer pumpkin cheesecake, espresso chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, macaroons, brownies, wedding cookies and chocolate crinkles. And I've yet to make almond paste cookies and peanut butter blondies. I swear I have a disease.

i made chocolate and vanilla shortbreads...im baking them tommorow, and im scared i messed them up from overworking the dough...ack. stress.

not baked, but I have made bourbon balls (rum balls but with extra whiskey instead) and peanut butter balls (buckeyes, but totally covered and with a pecan on top) for the past 10+ years and don't think i can stop now as they are not only anticipated but somewhat expected every christmas season from our friends and family. Luckily both are super super simple and inexpensive.

coconut ice is traditional in our house, pink and white of course

I used to make a number of different cookies but for the past several years, since I started making Martha Stewarts candied ginger shortbread cookies, they have become the only cookie I make.

This year I made 30 dozen and they are all gone in gifts and I made a small second batch for our family Christmas which my sister actually hid and wouldn't serve because she didn't want to share them.

You should be warned against making these because you may never be able to stop!

Candied Ginger Shortbread

1 cup butter, creamed
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup candied ginger chopped
sesame seeds

Add icing sugar to cream butter, mix well. Add candied ginger and mix, Add salt and flour and mix well.
Divide dough into two logs and roll in sesame seeds. Refidgerate for one hour or freeze.

Slice into cookies and bake for 14-17 minutes at 350 degrees. You've been warned!

Every year I make:

I make vanilla spritz (pressed cookies) in various shapes. The cookie press came from William-Sonoma and the recipe I use was included with it. The cookies are beautiful, delicate and small - just the way I love cookies.

Brigadeiros (Brazilian chocolate fudge caramels) rolled in either Christmas color sprinkles or flaked coconut. My daughter, who is still a true believer, thinks that they help Santa find our house.

This year I added:

Pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese rolls). I actually make these for just about every special occasion.

This year I added almond and pine nut cookie. I adapted Marcella Hazan's recipe for an almond and pine nut tart and made them very small. I think this one might get added to the permanent rotation.

@lamora -- Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. It sounds good, easy, and very versatile.

If I have enough time, I'm adding these to the "to do" list! Again, thanks.

I made Shortbread and Chocolate Snowballs this year to take to work with me. I also made ginger snaps for another friend.

http://natstriedntested.blogspot.com/2008/12/cookies-for-christmas-shortbread-and.html

I just pulled off a Christmas miracle this year! Didn't think the baking was going to make the to-do list this year, but it DID!

Here's the list:
Peanut Butter kisses
3 layer Peppermint Bark
Dill crackers
Rocky Road fudge
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Banana Bread with cinnamon/suger topping
Chocolate covered pretzels

Like I said, a Christmas Miracle ... off to make the tamales!