Holiday Recipes

German Christmas Cookies Recipes Article

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Recipe for Jolly Snowmen

from: Karlie Bestler

One of my favorite Christmas snack recipes is very easy to make. Your kids will love making jolly snowmen out of white bread dough. Once the snowmen are shaped and baked, the kids can add ribbon scarves and present their edible Christmas snack treats to teachers and friends.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1 1/2 cups warm milk
4 tablespoons softened butter
raisins
dried apricots
gumdrops

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Set aside.

Pour the warm water (around 100 F) into a large bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir and let the mix sit for 5 minutes, until bubbles begin to appear.

Stir in the warm milk, butter and 2 cups of the dry ingredients. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients 1 cup at a time and mix until the dough is stiff.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and knead for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and springs back when touched.

Grease a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and cover it with a dish towel. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour or until it doubles in bulk.

Punch down the risen dough and turn it onto a lightly floured countertop. Divide it into 4 pieces (1 for each snowman).

Cut off the top third of each piece and shape it into the snowman's head; shape the larger piece into a ball for the body.

Place the 2 balls on a baking sheet and pinch them together. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough until you have 4 snowmen. Cover and let them rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Brush the snowmen with milk and adorn with raisin eyes, a dried apricot nose and gumdrop buttons. Cover the fruit and gumdrops with small pieces of aluminum foil so they won't burn and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on racks. Tie a ribbon around each snowman's neck for a scarf. Wrap in plastic before adding the scarf if using as presents.

*Makes 4 snowmen.