Jello Christmas Cookies, A Blast From My Past

Ok, how many of you were in 4-H?  I loved 4-H.  I loved the cooking part of it especially.  There were a handful of recipes I wanted to make all the time, and one of them was Jello Cookies.  This cookies were so easy, and you could change them up so many ways.  Of course I loved feeling grown up cooking or baking by myself, and having everyone love it.  These cookies are really great and let's keep it real here.....who is sick of getting cookies trays with all brown cookies on them??  These are a simple, tasty cookie that will brighten up your trays wonderfully.  
 

As I was baking these cookies, I was thinking of a ton of different things you could do with them.  Let me give you my ideas first so that you can make changes if you wish.  This are so easy and fail proof.  Just make sure not to over bake them, 8 minutes is IT.  Otherwise they will lose their color and get a brown tinge.  

1.  Use any flavor jello you like, I used cherry for the red color, making them Christmas-ee, but could use lime or another green jello flavor.

2.  Replace vanilla extract with an extract that is the same flavor as your jello.  Cherry jello=cherry extract.

3.  I sprinkled mine with red sugar for effect.  But you could top the cherry cookies I made with a maraschino cherry the last minute or 2 of baking.

4.  You COULD intensify the color with food coloring matching your jello color as well.  These are not colored with food coloring and I think they still turned out fairly vibrant.  

Ok so maybe that wasn't an official "ton" of change ups but each involves change ups galore!  

Jello Christmas (or any other day) Cookies!
1 1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 3oz. pkg Jello of choice
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla (or flavoring of your choice)
1 tsp baking powder
3 1/2 cups flour
Red sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add all the rest of the ingredients except flour.  When thoroughly combined, add flour a little at a time.  Use cookie scoop and scoop cookies 2 inches apart, sprinkle the top with a little red sugar if you desire.  Use silicone mat or parchment paper (or cooking spray). Bake 8 minutes.  ONLY 8 minutes.  If you bake longer, your cookies will get hard, and have a brown look to them which you do not want.  

Make these cookies tonight!  They are fast, simple, and tasty!  Merry Christmas my dear friends, I pray for the best for you all always!

Your "the world needs brighter cookies" chefwannabe

Chris

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