Matcha Swirl Refrigerator Cookies

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten and then divided
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp peppermint
• 2.5 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp matcha, candy cane or peppermint flavoured
• red and green food colouring
• Christmas sprinkles

Directions:

1. Because you are making two doughs to create the swirl, you will be working with half the ingredients and making two batches. The first dough is the vanilla-flavoured red dough.
2. In a small bowl whisk together 1-1/4 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp baking powder.
3. In a large bowl mix 1/2 cup butter on slow speed.  Slowly add 3/4 cup sugar. 
4. For the red dough, add 1 tsp vanilla and half of the egg, scraping down the sides periodically.  Add a few drops of red food colouring.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together.
6. Roll out the dough in large square.
7. Next you will make the peppermint-flavoured green dough.  To do this, repeat the steps above, starting with the dry ingredients.  This time you will add 3 tsp of matcha to the dry ingredients.
8. In another large bowl, repeat the process with the butter and sugar.  Next you will add the peppermint extract and the other half of the egg, scraping down the sides periodically.  Add a few drops of the green food colouring.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together.
9. Roll out the green dough to the same shape as the red dough.  Place one on top of the other and roll gently to flatten them together. 
10. Roll up the two-layer dough lengthwise into a log; roll in Christmas sprinkles so that the outside layer is covered.
11. Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
12. Preheat oven to 375F.  
13. Cut the dough into 1/4" thick rounds and place on a large parchment-lined baking sheet leaving space between.
14. Bake for 7-9 minutes until just starting to brown.  Cool for 1 minute on baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies. 

Christmas Crack

 This is such a great treat to have in the house.  It gets its name from how tasty and addictive it is. It is a lovely addition to a cookie box around the holidays. 

Ingredients: 

• 40-45 salted saltine crackers (approx. 1 sleeve)
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• salt
• 1 pkg (300 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Additional toppings:
• chopped walnuts
• candy sprinkles
• toffee bits
• white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Lined a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease with cookie spray.
2. Place crackers side by side on the lined pan; set aside.
3. In a large saucepan combine butter and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Pour the mixture over the crackers, making sure all crackers are covered.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the caramel!
7. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.  Let stand for 3-5 minutes and then spread the melted chocolate over the crackers and caramel using an offset spatular.  If the chocolate is not melted enough, you can always put the tray back in the oven for a few minutes to melt it.
8. Sprinkle the chocolate with salt and whatever toppings you'd like.  I love adding chopped walnuts and candy sprinkles.  You can always melt white chocolate and drizzle over top. 
9. Cool completely in the fridge for at least 2 hours, then break into pieces.
10. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
    
    

The Christmas Crack is around the outside.