Christmas Cookie Recipes for You Lazy City Folk

I write this post from the comfort of my parents’ couch. Later on today, I’m planning to do some baking and dirty up as many dishes as possible just because they have a dishwasher. But if you’re sticking around NYC for the holiday weekend, making a giant mess in your own kitchen is less fun. Sure, you could make a whole batch of sugar cookies, but it’s already Christmas Eve. Do you really want to wake up tomorrow to a sink full of flour encrusted mixing bowls and sticky cookie sheets? If you don’t want to show up to your holiday party empty handed, or if you just want to have fat kid time on your own, try one of these recipes with minimal baking and prep.

Peanut Butter Globs
½ cup Karo corn syrup
¾ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
2 heaping cups corn flakes

Mix Karo and sugar in a pot, and bring to a boil over medium heat. (This is when the mixture starts to form large bubbles that pop. Stir constantly to avoid burning). Add peanut butter and mix well. Remove the pan from the stove. Add corn flakes. Drop by the spoonful onto wax paper or a cookie sheet. Let cool.

Turtle Graham Bars
While I got the peanut butter globs recipe from my Grandma, I found the Turtle Graham Bars on the Food Network’s Web site. And these bars made with chocolate, pecans and graham crackers are freaking delicious. So for the recipe, click here.

Bird Nest Cookies
This one is from an old Issue of My Big Backyard, and it’s another recipe that explores the magic of corn syrup.

3 cups rice krispies
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup light corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Jelly beans, m&ms, or some other egg-shaped candy

Bring the corn syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter and vanilla to a boil. Remove from heat and add the coconut and rice crispies. Roll into little balls, and then press a little dent into the center to make it nest-shaped. Put a few little candies in the middle to be the eggs. Almond m&ms are tasty (in general, but in this case specifically the cookies).

photo from 3.bp.blogspot.com