Cookie Challenge #7: Bars & Balls

We have a bounty of recipes for you today—two easy and delicious squares, several balls and two biscotti. We have some prizes to give away: Shelley H wins a Confetti Sweets GC; Les G wins an Italian Centre Shop GC and Kelly J wins a Darling GC. Congratulations! You have all been emailed.

Today’s recipes include many family favourites and recipes that are fun to do with your kids (well, maybe not the rum balls). Easy, fun and tasty ideas as we get closer to the holidays.

Cranberry White Chocolate Crumb Bars

This delicious square from Vancouver blogger Karen Gordon uses fresh cranberries: cookie base, covered with cranberry jam, then white chocolate chips, topped with more of the base crumbled along with more white chocolate. The tangy cranberry keeps the squares from tasting too sweet.

Silver Palate’s Pecan Squares

Our friend Justine’s family treat. It’s one of those great recipes you could do all by hand, comes together quickly and easily, wonderful for camping or at the lake, (prep the dry ingredients beforehand). Justine says; “I’ve used whatever nut I have on hand.” We had walnuts.

Confetti Sweet’s Cookie Balls

This was our web guy’s favourite cookie during the testing and photo shoots. We rolled them in bittersweet chocolate and crushed candy canes for a Christmassy vibe. This recipe is also on the bottom of every Confetti Sweets bag.

Soonie’s Almond Rum Balls

There are a zillion rum ball recipes out there—some use cookies, some use brownies (one called for stale bread?) and I bet you have a family favourite. I didn’t, but our friend Soonie did! Use a high-quality Jamaican rum such as Appleton Estate or Black Tot Caribbean rum. You will taste the difference. (Or, you could use Armganac or whisky.) The classic is chocolate sprinkles, but we rolled some of the balls in grated chocolate, some in chopped almonds and some in toasted coconut (pictured.) You could make-ahead: layer between wax paper in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze for up to 1 month.

Cherry Chocolate Ginger Soft Biscotti

I sold this soft and chewy biscotti at Christmas markets for several years and hadn’t made them since. I had forgotten how delicious and versatile they are. Based on a recipe by dee hobsbsawn smith from the cookbook Double Dishing. Don’t like the cherry chocolate candied ginger combo? You can use about anything as long as your additions equal two cups. The variation pictured is with chopped apricot, white choc, almonds and fresh ginger. Note: The biscotti look more appetizing when things are rough chopped by hand s as opposed to chopped more finely in a food processor as they are in the variation pictured.

Gingerbread Biscotti

A classic hard biscotti with Christmas flavours, ideal for dipping in eggnog or hot tea. Adapted from a Smitten Kitchen recipe. We ran out of cinnamon, so the biscotti pictured do not have the sparkly cinnamon sugar topping.

Hit the Share this Cookie button to invite your fellow cookie fanatics to the Cookie Challenge. Every friend you invite is an extra entry for prizes.

“We’re in full holiday baking mode and happily taking on all those last-minute orders right up until December 24,” says Kathy. “Be sure to head to our website to place your order and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll be closed December 25 and 26, then it’s right back to baking for New Year’s Eve and for all the non-Christmas cookie occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries, or just-because treats around the holidays? Those deserve cookies too!”