Holiday Puzzle Cookies
1 (17.5 oz.) pouch sugar cookie mix (like Betty Crocker)
1/3 c. all purpose flour
1 large egg
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 c. ( 2 oz.) brick-style cream cheese, softened
1 (7.1 oz.) pouch prepared cookie decorating icing (like Betty Crocker)
Assorted sprinkles and decorations
Preheat oven to 300. Lightly coat a 9 x 13″ pan with cooking spray. Line pan with large piece of parchment paper, allowing overhang on 2 side. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, egg, butter and cream cheese until mixture forms a soft dough. Press dough into pan. Bake until golden brown at edge and just est at center 21-24 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool completely. Invert cooled cookie slab onto cutting board; peel off parchment. Trim edges, if needed. Cut into 15 rectangles (3 across short side, 5 down long side). Using cookie cutters, cut out the center of each cookie (so that there is a silhouette and a small cut out cookies). Decorate with icing and sprinkles. Makes 30 cookies.
Reindeer Cookie Bars
1 (17.5 oz.) pkg. sugar cookie mix
1/2 c. butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 (16 oz.) pkg. chocolate frosting
27 mini pretzel twists, broken in half
54 candy eyeballs
27 brown candy coated milk chocolate candies (like M&M’s)
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13″ pan with foil, leaving foil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan; coat with cooking spray. Stir together cookie mix, butter, cream cheese and egg in large bowl until soft dough forms. Spread in pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil; peel away foil. spread frosting over top. Cut into 27 triangles; using sharp knife, cut into 3 long rows. Cut each row into 9 triangles so each triangle has about a 2″ wide base, cleaning knife with paper towel after each cut to keep frosting clean of crumbs. (Set aside end pieces for snacking). For each reindeer, press 2 halve pretzels on corners of cookie triangle for antlers, 2 candy eyeballs in center for eyes, 1 brown candy on tip of triangle for nose. Makes 27 bars.
