This is my mother's favorite holiday. There is something about the family togetherness, serene settings with a warm glow of lights on a Christmas tree and miracle jingles playing in the background. I think the lights and songs of home are my favorite.
Here in Minnesota the weather has been quite chilly. I even ventured out Saturday morning to take some Senior photo's for my parents' foreign exchange student from Australia. She wanted them in the snow... But, Friday night was one of those nights where all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a good Christmas movie and watch it in the dark. That, however, was not how my night went. I had this yearning to also do some baking.
Oreo Cream Cheese Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
6 oz. Cream cheese, room temperature
2 Cups granulated sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup mini dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Cups Oreo Crumbles (about 1 1/2 rows)
*I added some chopped Andes Mints to the last pan*
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
2. In mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and cream cheese until thoroughly combined.
3. Add sugar and vanilla, mix well.
4. Add flour one cup at a time and mix on low just until combined. Stir in chocoalte chips with a rubber spatula.
5. Pour Oreo crumbles into a separate bowl. Scoop dough out and roll into roughly 1.5" balls, then roll in cookie crumbles- coating thoroughly.
**Be sure to cover the dough balls really well with crumbs, as this is what holds the cookie together while baking.
6. Space cookies about 1-2" apart on baking sheet.
7. Bake on center rack about 14-15 minutes. Allow to cool on sheet several minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
