It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we’ve got a treat for you! Several treats actually – all submitted by our staff members at Sylvania Advantage. These are our tried and true holiday cookie recipes that have stood the test of time with our families. They love them and we hope your families will too. Happy Holidays!

Peanut Butter Bars – submitted by Sharon Lange, founder of Sylvania Advantage
“I’ve been baking these bars since 1963. The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is so good, plus they are so easy to make,” Lange explained. “I make them for every family gathering.”

1 stick butter, softened
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oatmeal, ground
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup milk

Heat oven to 375 F. To a large mixing bowl, add butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal, flour and baking soda. Add to peanut butter mixture.

Spread mixture in a 9 x 13 well-greased baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the bars. Bake 5 minutes more. Allow to cool.

For the frosting, combine powdered sugar, peanut butter and milk. Stir until consistency is spreadable and top the bars.

Vanilla Cake Cookies – submitted by Sarah Groves, copy editor
“My daughter Jennifer came up with this recipe originally. These cookies are moist and delicious, and we love the combination of chocolate and butterscotch chips,” Groves said. Recipe yields 30 cookies.

½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 French vanilla cake mix
Chocolate chips and butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk oil and eggs together. Add the cake mix and chips. Stir to combine.

Drop heaping spoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes.

Jam Thumbprints – submitted by Suzanne Crawford, publisher

“These thumbprints are a family favorite,” said Crawford. “My children and I always enjoyed baking these cookies during the holidays. They thought the name was funny and liked sticking their thumbs in the middle to make room for the preserves.” Recipe yields 36 cookies.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/4  teaspoon salt 

2/3 cup butter, softened 

1/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves

Heat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla and almond extracts. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and beat until well combined. Cover dough with wax paper and chill for one hour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in egg whites, then roll in walnuts. Place one part on an ungreased cookie sheet press down the centers with your thumb.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Just before serving, fill centers with your choice of preserves.

Gingerbread Cookie Bars – submitted by Jennifer Alexander Ruple, editor“If you love the sweet and spicy flavors in gingerbread cookies and cakes, you will love these bars. Plus, the 1/2-inch-thick cream cheese frosting takes them over the top,” said Alexander Ruple. Recipe yields 24 bars.

2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg
1/4 cup whole milk

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Holiday sprinkles

Heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with baking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and molasses until light and airy, about 4-5 minutes.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and begin to combine. Add in milk and start mixing again. Add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

With a spatula, spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

In the meantime, prepare cream cheese frosting by creaming together butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar (one cup at a time) and vanilla extract. Mix until light and fluffy.

Once bars have cooled completely, frost. Then shake on sprinkles. For extra smooth-cut edges, pop the pan into the refrigerator for an hour or so, then cut bars into squares and serve.

(Recipe adapted from inspiredbycharm.com)