One dough: Three totally different cookies!

 The expression "brothers from another mother" comes to mind when I am making these cookies. I love these cookies because from one dough you can get three totally different cookies! This is a recipe my mom uses for holiday cookies. I love it and I am going to start making it year round!
Here are the recipes:

TRIO COOKIE DOUGH

 ¾ cup butter, softened             ¾ cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar                                   ¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup salt                                             1 egg

1 egg yolk                                            3 tablespoons milk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla             4-1/2 cups flour

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Beat until combines, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in the egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can wit the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

2. Divide dough into three equal portions.  Use it to make Santa’s whiskers, Chocolate Mint Thumbprints, and Lemon-Almond Tea Cookies

SANTA’S WHISKERS

¾ cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped

1/3 recipe of Trio cookie dough

Few drops of red food coloring (optional)

½ cup coconut

-         Pat cherries dry with paper towels.  IN a medium mixing bowl combine the cherries, cookie dough and it desired, food coloring.  Using a wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined.

-         Shape dough into a 10-inch long roll.  Roll dough in coconut until covered.  Wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until firm. 

-         Using a sharp knife, cut dough into ¼ inch thick slices.  Place slices 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

-         Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned.

-         Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. 

-         Makes about 36 cookies.

CHOCOLATE MINT THUMBPRINTS

 1/3 recipe Trio Cookie Dough

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons milk

Peppermint Filling

¼ cup chopped candy canes or hard peppermint candies

-         Combine cookie dough, chocolate, and 2 tablespoons milk.  Mix until thoroughly combined.

-         Shape dough into an 8-inch long roll.  Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.  Chill at least 1 hour in refrigerator.

-         Using a sharp knife, cur dough into ¾ inch slices.  Cut each slice into quarters and roll each quarter into a ball.  Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Press down in center of each ball with your thumb.

-         Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until tops look dry.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

-         Spoon a scant teaspoon of Peppermint Filling into center of each cookie.  Sprinkle cookies with the chopped candy.  Makes 48 cookies.

-         Peppermint Filling: Beat ¼ cup butter with an electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until softened.  Gradually add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating until combined.  Beat in 2 tablespoons milk, ¼ teaspoons peppermint extract, and a few drops of red or green food coloring, if desired.  Gradually beat in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until smooth.

LEMON-ALMOND TEA COOKIES

1/3 cookie dough                                  2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

1 teaspoon almond extract peel Lemon Frosting

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

-         Combine cookie dough, lemon peel, and almond extract.  Using a wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined.

-         Shape dough into an 8-inch long roll.  Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.  Chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

-         Using a sharp knife, cut dough into ¼ inch thick slices.  Place slices 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

-         Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned.  Transfer to a wire rack; cool.

-         Spread about 1 teaspoon of the frosting atop each cookie.  Sprinkle wit sliced almonds. 

-         Makes 32 cookies.

-         LEMON FROSTING: Beat ¼ cup butter, softened for about 30 seconds.  Gradually add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar; beating until combined.  Beat in 4 teaspoons milk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, and a few drops of almond extract.   Gradually beat in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until smooth.


Side Note:I am not the biggest fan of the the first dough (Santa's Whisker's) coconut is not may favorite but I love the lemon-almond and the chocolate-mint. Here is a trick that I like to use when making these cookies; I make the main dough and just make one type of cookie from the whole dough. So say I was going to make the chocolate-mint cookies-I would triple the chocolate and milk and add during the initial mixing. This helps out a lot because once the dough is formed it can be tricky to mix in the chocolate. Although when it comes to the frosting amount, I would say only a double batch is needed to frost a triple batch of cookies. Enjoy and let me know what you think!