12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 14 oz. can sweetened, condensed milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped

Stir first four ingredients in double boiler, or in a heavy saucepan over low heat, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in flour, vanilla, and pecans. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

Makes 24 cookies

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
20 chocolate wafer cookies (about 1/2 a 9-ounce box)
1/2 cup finely chopped pitted prunes (about 15 prunes)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup bourbon or 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar, or colored decorating sugars, for garnish

Put chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium power for a minute. Stir and repeat until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes in all depending on the power of your microwave. Alternatively, put the chocolates in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan (without touching the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.Process the cookies in a food processor until finely ground (you should have about 1 1/2 cups ground cookies). Alternatively, put cookies inside a heavy re-sealable plastic bag and crush by moving a rolling pin over the cookies.

Stir the cookie crumbs, dried plums, confectioners’ sugar, bourbon or brandy, and condensed milk into the chocolate until evenly combined.

Cover and refrigerate the mixture until firm enough to roll into balls, about 45 minutes. Scoop a tablespoon or so of the mixture into small balls with a cookie or small ice cream scoop and set onto a baking sheet or a large plate. Roll each portion by hand into a smooth ball.

Store booze balls in an air tight container at room temperature for a day to allow the flavors to come together. Store balls in the refrigerator for a week or freeze for up to 1 month.

To serve, put the sugar on a plate and roll the balls in it to coat. Serve at room temperature.

1/3 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 (9-ounce) package chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
3/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
Powdered sugar

Combine liqueur, corn syrup, and instant coffee granules; let mixture stand 5 minutes.

Stir until granules dissolve.

Combine cookie crumbs, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and chopped almonds; stir well. Pour coffee mixture over crumb mixture, stirring well.

Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar twice to coat well. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Yield: Makes about 4 dozen

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
6 (2-ounce) packages chocolate-caramel cookie bars, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
2 (2-ounce) vanilla bark coating squares

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla, beating until blended after each addition.

Combine flour, cocoa, and soda; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Shape 1 tablespoon dough around each candy piece, covering completely, to form balls.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Gently press the top of each ball into pecan mixture. Place balls, pecan sides up, 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Bake at 375° for 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; cool completely on wire racks.

Melt coating squares in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Twix Caramel Cookie Bars.

Yield: 4 dozen

10 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, divided
1 cup white chocolate morsels, divided
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
Toppings: holiday sprinkles, candy-coated chocolate pieces, white chocolate pretzels
White chocolate, melted

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; blend well.

Combine flour, soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1/2 cup each of semisweet and white chocolate morsels. Spread dough evenly onto 2 lightly greased 6-inch round pizza pans.

Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Working quickly, sprinkle crust with remaining semisweet and white chocolate morsels; drop peanut butter by tablespoonfuls onto crust. Let stand 5 minutes or until morsels and peanut butter are softened; gently spread evenly over crust. Decorate with desired toppings; drizzle pizza with melted white chocolate.

NOTE: One lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan may be substituted.

1-1/2 cups blanched whole almonds, toasted and cooled
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries or cherries
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange zest
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

Recipe Directions
1. Pulse almonds in a food processor until very finely ground (do not overprocess, or nuts will turn into butter). Transfer to a bowl. Add cranberries with flour to processor and grind until cranberries are very finely chopped. Add to bowl with zest.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F and line 4 large cookie sheets with parchment.
3. Melt butter with sugar and cream over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and slightly thickened. Bring mixture just to a boil over moderate heat, stirring. Remove pan from heat and stir in almond mixture until just combined. Immediately spoon scant tablespoons about 4 inches apart onto prepared sheets and with the back of a wet teaspoon, or finger, spread batter into 2-1/2-inch rounds.
4. Bake wafers in batches in middle of oven until a rich golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer pans to racks to cool (cookies will crisp once cool) until firm enough to be lifted, about 2 minutes. Carefully transfer wafers with a metal spatula to racks to cool.
5. Melt half of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk chocolate until smooth.
6. Fill a small sturdy resealable plastic bag with melted chocolate. Push chocolate to one corner of bottom of bag and snip that corner to make a small opening through which to pipe chocolate. Pipe chocolate in a zigzag motion across top of each cookie and transfer to a parchment-lined tray. Chill cookies until chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes.
7. Wafers will keep for 1 week stored between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 3 dozen wafers

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degree F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla, blend well. Stir in flour, cocoa, and salt until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into two 8-inch disks and wrap each in plastic. Chill 30 minutes.
2. Roll each disk out between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out with a 3-inch star cookie cutter and place on 2 large, ungreased cookie sheets. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until firm, then bake until edges are a little darker and center is firm, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Decorate as desired (if using gold dust, gently rub a small amount over each cookie with your finger). Makes 30 cookies.