Hi folks.
I am so thrilled today to bring you the first in a week-long series of Christmas posts. What’s really special is it’s not just me posting them but I’ve gathered an amazing group of bloggers to help spread Christmas cheer.
Awhile back myself and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina were gabbing, as we do often. We thought it would be fun to bring together a group of bloggers who would help us kick off the holiday season. So you can look forward to Christmas posts all this week with tons of links to other bloggers who are participating. Each day has a special theme and we all put our own spin on it. I really hope you enjoy this as much as we all did.
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 4 30 inch black licorice laces, cut into 3 inch lengths
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer beat the butter until it's creamy, takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the sugar gradually and continue to beat until pale and fluffy, takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Mix in the almond extract.
- Mix in the egg.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture.
- Split dough into two. Take one piece and wrap it up in plastic, stick it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
- Pop the second piece back in the stand mixer and add about ¼ cup cocoa powder and mix on low till blended. Wrap in plastic and stick in fridge for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cookie doughs from fridge. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of the dough. Roll in hands and form an oval shape, then slightly elongate one side to form the mouse face. Pinch the bridge of the nose so you can form eye sockets. With a small knife make small slits at the top of each shape, which will hold the ears. Place an almond in each slit for the ears. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart from each other.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Immediately poke a hole so you can insert the tail.
- You can melt your chocolate and use that to make the eyes and nose. Or use gel icing if you like.
- Serve with a big old "I likey Micey" smile!
I shall try to take some better photos in natural light. I got home from a conference in Virgina, and immediately got stuck in traffic on the bridge for most of the night trying to cross back into Canada. Hubs has my blog room painted but it’s still drying so taking food photos around here has become quite challenging. My photo lights are stored while we paint and redo rooms so it’s a bit complicated at the Bee household right now. Luckily I will be able to zip into the newly painted blog room/photo studio tomorrow and take some shots by the big patio door. Yah for natural light!
These mice are totally adorable and I sure hope you try them out for Christmas. I’m baking up a second batch tomorrow. Not only cute but yummy too!
Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Cookies and Bars”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.
- Mice Cookies from Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
- Biscoff Blossoms from Jen of Juanita’s Cocina
- Double Chocolate Thumbprints from Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cookie Sticks from Anuradha of Baker Street
- Snickerdoodles Snowballs from Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
- Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Biscotti from Isabelle of Crumb
- Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies from Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
- Hot Cocoa Blossoms from Erin of Spiffy Cookie
-
Jam Thumbprints from Ramona of Curry and Comfort
-
Fudgy Cathedral Cookies from Heather of Girlichef
-
Cherry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Cathy of A Dutch Baker’s Daughter
-
Cranberry Sauce Brownies from Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious
Thanks so much to Jen for helping get things organized for the group while I was away whooping it up at Mixed. I owe you a debt of gratitude Jen! Also a huge thank you to all the participants. You folks rock with your willingness to jump on board a new project.
Make sure you all tune in tomorrow when we share our Peppermint Surprise Recipes with you!
Toodles and Christmas Smoochies! xx
Ramona says
First of all… blog room! I am so jealous. If you see how I have to work (especially with my photography) in a corner of my kitchen. I could not wait to see these cookies when I saw them on the list…. they don’t disappoint. They really look like little mice. Very cute. 🙂 Thanks for inviting me to join the Christmas Week event. 🙂
PS… hope I did all my stuff right…I don’t do many of these kinds of things so it’s all new to me and I’m a computer twit. 🙂
Liz says
Aw, so darn cute! Did you get ANY sleep??? Thanks for all the fun this weekend…and for hosting Christmas week! xx
Baker Street says
How adorable are these cookies! Almost too cute to eat! Heh.
Kristen says
I want an email telling me all of the juicy details of your weekend, Make me jealous, woman.
Love the mice. I am such a cookie scoop person, my kids will never see a molded, shaped cookie like these, but I love them anyway.
Becky says
These little mice cookies are so cute. ( Did I just say that?) I would certainly like these mice:)
Tara Noland says
How cute are they!!!
Isabelle @ Crumb says
These have got to be the cutest. thing. ever!
What a great choice to kick off a whole week of awesomeness. Thanks again to you and Jen for including me in such a fabulous group of ladies.
PS: Welcome back! Glad to hear you made it home from Mixed in one piece.
PPS: A whole room for blogging? I’m dying of jealousy. DYING.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
Ahahahaaaaa omg these mice are the cutest things ever!!!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
So cute! Love that you made two different colors
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
Awwww, these are just too stinking cute!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
How adorable!! Swoon! My girls saw these and they love the little mice! 🙂 PS: You have a blog room???
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
I would love a photo room! The room I could use only has one tiny window, so I am stuck taking stuff up and down all the time in the dining room 🙁
The cookies are too cute!
Heather @girlichef says
These are adorable and just so much fun. I know the kids would adore them!
Dara says
These are so adorable! You are so creative.
Becca from It's Yummilicious says
I was gonna tell you how adorable these mice are… but Jenni just posted the photo of the two of you at Mixed with the Becca paper plate between you. I’m going all kinds of crazy with cuteness now! <3
Colette @ JFF! says
OMG I love these mice!
Ann says
What a great idea, Kim….and I’m glad you had fun at the conference! I can’t wait to see what everyone is making!
Jen @ Juanita's Cocina says
Those are some cute meeses. And the only kind that I won’t kill with rat poison or by setting the cat on them.
Did you sleep yet?
Marina@Picnic at Marina says
They look so-so cute! Lovely idea for Christmas week!
Suzanne Perazzini says
Mice cookies would go down well with the kiddies at our Christmas get-together. There are 24 of us but only two young ones. It’s time for the next generation to start producing offspring.
Steve says
This looks great! I cant wait to let my eight year old help me make these….she is going to love it!
Anna @ hiddenponies says
These are SO cute, and I’m so excited for you getting that whole blog room! The natural light makes me a little jealous, I am still hauling things outside half the time due to my awkward window situation 🙂 Can’t wait to see all the Christmas goodness!
mjskit says
These are such cute cookies and what fun pictures!
Cathy W says
How cute are these?!! What a great start to Christmas Week. Thank you so much for including me–I’m having a blast and I love seeing what everyone has created!
Katerina says
They are so irresistibly cute and delicious!
Carla says
Cute! I’m afraid to make them though because my little hero will either a – store them under the stove with his other toys or b – “kill” them.
kitchenriffs says
Cute mice! And a fun recipe. It’s a pain not having lights, particularly since it gets dark so early this time of the year. You’ll just have to make things earlier in the day! Good stuff – thanks.
Lyn @LovelyPantry says
Kim, you’re such a creative gal. These are so cute! I’m loving the tail! I’d eat that first 🙂