See the list of cookie winners here: Cookies to surprise even Santa Cranberry-Orange cookie rises to the top in annual contest.

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1 (13.4 ounce) can of dulce de leche

1 cup shredded coconut, toasted (optional)

Colored icing and colored sugars for decorating

Combine the sugar and lemon zest together in large bowl. Add the butter and cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. In another bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Knead dough with hands several times on lightly floured surface and shape into a disk, wrap and chill for two hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness and cut 2-inch circles. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Once cooled spread spoonful of dulce de leche on bottom of cookie, place another cookie on top to make a sandwich. Press together and roll in shredded coconut. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Warm ½ cup white chocolate in microwave until melted. Spread white chocolate evenly on top of sandwiched cookie. Decorate the top as desired. (I used a toothpick with black icing to draw snowmen faces and colored sugars for ornaments.)

Cream butter and sugar. Then mix in almond extract, then flour.

Roll into 1 ½ inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet and press your thumb in centers. Add raspberry jam into each hole and bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool slightly on wire rack.

Mix a glaze of 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract, and 2 teaspoons milk. Drizzle mixture on tops of cookies.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

Mix in order, shape into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Roll in additional powdered sugar.

Red and green liquid food coloring

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Pat cherries dry with paper towels; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Shape a tablespoonful of dough around each cherry, forming a ball. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For Christmas glaze: in a small bowl, combine confectioners sugar and enough water to achieve a dripping consistency. Transfer half of the glaze to another bowl; tint one bowl green and the other red. Dip the tops of nine cookies in green glaze and nine cookies in red glaze, then decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set.

For chocolate glaze: in a small bowl, combine confectioners sugar and enough water to achieve a dripping consistency. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Dip the tops of remaining cookies in glaze, then sprinkle with nuts. Let stand until set.

Mix in given order. Refrigerate dough for 4 hours. Roll into balls and then in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)

Mix all the ingredients except powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll into balls, dip into the powdered sugar. Bake for 10 t0 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

12 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 4 boxes)

3/4 cup light or dark corn syrup

Use your favorite dipping chocolate

Mix crushed vanilla wafers, corn syrup, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, pecans and pour the bourbon over all and mix well. Refrigerate at least over night. Make into balls and place on wax paper and put in freezer so they get hard, so you can dip them in the dipping chocolate. I only dip as many as I think I will need for the party I am having and leave the balance in the freezer for the next party. After dipping them, place them on a wax paper and a cooling rack. Store in a cool area in a closed container.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

1/4 cup pecans, roasted and chopped

1.5 ounces white chocolate, chopped (I use Baker's)

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg, and orange zest. With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients. Fold in cranberries, pecans, and chocolate.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or waxed paper so dough does not stick to your hands, pat dough into a loaf, 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. Flatten the top and sides with your hands (forming a rounded rectangular shape). Twist the ends of parchment paper to seal and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut dough crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices, turning loaf over ¼ turn after each slice (this keeps the rectangular(ish) shape). Place on baking sheets, ½ inch apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are firm to touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 32 cookies.

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and orange juice.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.

Stir in cranberries, baking chips and pecans.

Drop dough by tablespoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

In a small heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla and water. Drizzle over cookies.

30 dates, cut fine (approximately 4 cups)

Cook first 6 ingredients together on medium heat until real thick. Then add Rice Krispies and stir. Shape into balls, then roll in coconut.

1/3 cup of canola cooking oil

1 heaping tablespoon of white flour

1 cup of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips

Colored sugar (red or green)

Place Ghirardelli brownie mix, 2 eggs and 1/3 cup of canola cooking oil, 1 heaping tablespoon of white flour in an electric mixer and mix until well blended, stir in 1 cup of the Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. Place the covered bowl in the refrigerator until the dough is firm, about 2 hours. Roll the dough into balls about the size of a large walnut. Dip in the colored sugars of your choice. Place on prepared cookie sheet and place in the preheated oven at 350 degrees, bake about 12-14 minutes depending on your oven. The cookies will be crinkled on the top. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.

3/4 cup sugar, divided (1/2 cup in the dough, 1/4 cup for rolling dough balls in before baking)

1 small jar finely chopped maraschino cherries (strain and save juice, about 1/2 cup)

12 ounces white baking chocolate finely chopped-divided (2/3 cup into the dough and the remaining melted for dipping after they are baked)

In a standing mixer, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly and then add cherries. Add cherry juice a little at a time until the dough is formed up and has a nice pink color. (You might not use all the juice saved.) Shape into 3/4- to 1-inch balls. Roll in remaining sugar and place 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes or until edges are just turning slightly brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Melt shortening and remaining white chocolate, stir until smooth. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper and sprinkle with edible glitter or sprinkles. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all -purpose flour, divided

2 cups Christmas M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2- inch baking pan; set aside.

In large bowl cream 3/4 cup butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla. In a medium bowl combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Divide batter in half. Blend together cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon melted butter; stir into half of the dough. Spread cocoa dough evenly into prepared baking pan. Stir remaining 1/4 cup flour into remaining dough; spread evenly over cocoa dough in pan. Sprinkle with Christmas M&M's. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in tightly covered container.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Additional granulated sugar for rolling cookie dough in

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

About 60 Special Dark Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped (from a 12-ounce bag)

Powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional)

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs and almond extract until well-blended, about 2 minutes. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix well. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Shape dough into about 60 balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll in granulated sugar to coat. Place each dough ball in mini muffin pan and press dough into bottom and up the side, creating a cup. (Nonstick pan must be used.) Prepare fudge filling: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low to medium-low heat. Stir in cocoa and sugar. Add sweetened condensed milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 7 minutes, or until perfectly smooth. Remove from heat and mix in raspberry flavoring. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill each cookie cup with 1 teaspoon of fudge filling. Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until firm. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pan (loosen with a thin knife blade if needed) and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Top each with a kiss. Makes about 5 dozen.

1 1/2 pounds white candy coating coarsely chopped

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and spray it; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the candy coating, milk and salt.

Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and gumdrops.

Spread into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Using foil, lift fudge from pan; discard foil. Cut fudge into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container.

1 cup brown sugar firmly packed (divided)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted flour

1/2 cup Karo syrup (blue or red label)

Cookie base: preheat oven at 350 degrees. Blend 1/2 cup brown sugar and butter. Stir in 1 cup sifted flour. Pat mixture into a 9 by 9 by 2-inch square metal pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

Coconut/walnut topping: While the cookie base is baking, blend 2 eggs and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Karo syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Stir in coconut and nuts.

Spread coconut/walnut topping evenly over the cookie base. Return the pan to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool in pan. Cut into bars.

2 1/2 cups flour (save 1/2 cup for fruit)

4 slices green candied pineapple, cut up

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift 2 cups flour with remaining dry ingredients. Dredge fruit with remaining flour. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir in fruit and nuts. Drop from spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten dough a little. Bake in slow oven 300 degrees about 20 minutes (don’t overtake). These freeze well.

Blend in 2 eggs, unbeaten, 2 T. water, 1 tsp vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

1 box of solid chocolates mint wafers

Enclose each wafer in about 1 tablespoon of chilled cookie dough for the top and bottom. Make sure the layers are pressed together. Bake 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cream butter, shortening, powdered sugar and white sugar together.

Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour, cream of tartar, and soda. Roll into small balls.

Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for approximately 8-10 minutes. Frost with powdered sugar icing and Christmas sprinkles when cookies have cooled.

Makes approximately 7 dozen depending on the size of your balls.

When storing, place wax paper between layers. They freeze well.

1 package brownie mix with syrup pouch

1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candies

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (from syrup pouch)

1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling

48 Hershey's kisses candy cane candies

Stir together brownie mix, cocoa and crushed peppermint candies in a large bowl. Add contents of syrup pouch, water, egg and oil, beating until well blended. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes. Press candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool.

Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon size scoops and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Combine glaze ingredients and add enough milk to thin to a drizzling consistency. Drizzle on cookies and add crushed peppermint on the top.

These soft and tender cookies have an amazing velvety cheesecake texture and flavor, along with the perfect hint of peppermint. The tasty glaze and crushed candy jazz up the cookies to give them that holiday flair. They are fun and festive on a cookie tray. Be sure to use full fat cream cheese and good quality butter for best flavor.

Mix in given order. Chill for 3 hours. Roll out think with a generous amount of flour. Cut with cookie cutter. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Dissolve gelatin in ¼ cup cold water. Set aside.

Bring ¾ cup water to a boil with salt and sugar. Boil until it spins into a thread (7 to 10 minutes). Pour over gelatin mixture and stir well. Let cool to room temperature. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Frost cookies.

Mix flour, salt and oats. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add vanilla. Add flour mixture and combine thoroughly. Make balls using about 1 teaspoon of dough. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 17 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool cookies completely. Mix together Powdered Sugar Icing ingredients, except coconut. Dip cookies in icing, drain slightly. Roll immediately in coconut. Place on waxed paper to dry. Store tightly covered.

1 box of white cake mix

8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Then roll into balls. Dip in coconut. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

212 grams finely ground blanched almond flour (or 1¾ cups plus 2½ tablespoons) 212 grams confectioner’s (powdered) sugar (or 1¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pre-sifted)

82 grams egg whites (or ¼ cup plus 1½ tablespoons)

90 grams egg whites (or ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons)

236 grams granulated sugar (or 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)

Prepare baking sheets with silicone mats that have pre-printed circles in the shape of snowmen on them.

Prepare a large pastry bag with a standard round decorating tip (1/2 inch or Wilton #12). Use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is at the proper temperature. Adjust your oven settings until a solid 325 is reached prior to baking.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F convection.

In a large-sized mixing bowl, combine almond flour and confectioners’ sugar; sift or whisk together to mix. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the egg whites and vanilla extract in the well, mix ingredients thoroughly with a wooden spoon. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.

Place the egg whites and pinch of granulated sugar in a large bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set aside while starting the sugar syrup. Sugar Syrup:

In a medium-sized heavy saucepan combine sugar and water. Heat over low heat, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the sugar is completely dissolved and syrup looks clear. Stir gently to avoid splashing the mixture onto the sides of the pan.

Begin Whipping Meringue: When the syrup looks clear increase the heat to medium and cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches a temperature around 200 degrees F. using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. While letting the

sugar syrup continue to cook, begin whipping the meringue; turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then reduce the mixer speed to low to keep the egg whites moving as the sugar syrup continues to cook and reach a temperature of 248 degrees F.

As soon as the sugar syrup reaches 248 degrees F. immediately remove the pan from the heat.

Finishing Meringue: Quickly, as soon at the sugar syrup is removed from the heat and the bubbling decreases a bit, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup down the side of the bowl, pouring the syrup between the side of the bowl and the whisk. Try not to allow any syrup to pour onto the whisk as it will spin the syrup around the sides of the bowl. The meringue may deflate as the hot sugar syrup is poured in. Once all the sugar syrup has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip the meringue until it is cooled and has formed stiff glossy peaks, about 5 minutes. Touch the mixture and make sure it has cooled to room temperature, if not continue to whip until it is cooled.

Fold mixtures together: Add about one-third of the meringue mixture to the bowl with the almond mixture. Gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture with a large rubber spatula. Continue adding and folding additional meringue to the almond mixture, a little at a time, until the batter is smooth and slowly runs off the spatula in thick ribbons. Tip: You will probably need most but not all of the meringue. The batter shouldn’t be so stiff that it holds its shape and doesn’t move, but it shouldn’t be so loose that it dissolves into itself and does not maintain the ribbon. It is better for the batter to be slightly stiff than too loose.

Spoon a portion of the batter into the prepared pastry bag. Twist the top of the bag, hold the bag upright about ½ inch above the center of one of the traced circles and pipe out enough of the mixture to fill the circle. Fill the remaining traced circles on this first pan. To make a snowman, pipe the main circle for the body, and then pipe a smaller circle to join it above it. You may want to create a parchment outline to make uniform snowmen. Tip: Gently squeeze the bag and let the batter flow out, then as you release, sweep the tip to the side rather than lifting straight up and forming a peak. Rap the bottom of the baking sheet a few times on the counter top to spread the batter evenly and smooth any peaks left by the pastry bag. Let cookies sit for 30 minutes until the tops are dry when gently touched.

Bake: Bake the macarons one sheet at a time. While baking, the macarons should form the classic “feet” around the bottom. Use a new parchment paper for each batch. If using a convection oven, bake 13 to 15 minutes or until the tops are smooth and set.

Peppermint candies ground in food processor

Heat up cream in microwave or saucepan until bubbles appear around the edge; remove from the heat. Add the espresso powder and stir to dissolve.

Pour over heavy cream mixture over chocolate. Let it sit for a couple minutes and then mix together until smooth. Allow to cool halfway, until it is thick enough to work with but soft enough to go through piping bag. Fold in peppermint candy.

Pipe some ganache on a shell and close with top cookie. Don’t wait too long to close them, your ganache will harden and then it won’t stick.

Eyes, nose, scarf, and buttons

1/2 T. coconut milk, like what you use in cereal is fine

Red, orange, and brown food coloring.

1. Mix your coconut milk, powdered sugar, and ⅓ cup of your corn syrup together. If it’s still too dry, add more corn syrup. (The mixture should be the consistency of white glue, or maybe a little thicker.)

2. Divide the mixture into 3 in separate small bowls.

3. Then add a drop each of food coloring. Stir. Red for the scarf, orange for nose, and brown for eyes and buttons. You may use other colors for the scarf and buttons too. Add more color for a darker decoration.

4. Then place your icing into 3 separate piping bags with small tips (Wilton tip #3 or #4). Or use a ziplock plastic bag and cut off a small hole in one corner 5. Carefully, make the eyes and buttons by making dots. Make the nose by piping a small line. And then for the scarf, pipe the icing over the ‘neck.” TIP: You may practice piping first on the side of the sheet before making the design on the cookies.

6. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until the icing is set. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours to allow them to “mature.”