Holiday Cookie Recipe... Eggnog Spritz & Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars

Eggnog Spritz

Cookies
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons rum extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Rum Drizzle
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F (if using dark or nonstick cookie sheet, heat oven to 325°F). In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, 2 teaspoons rum extract and the egg until smooth. Beat in flour and 1 teaspoon nutmeg.

2. Place 1/4 of the dough at a time in cookie press. On ungreased cookie sheet, form desired shapes with dough.

3. Bake 6 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

4. In small bowl, stir all glaze ingredients except nutmeg with spoon until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Pour mixture into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle glaze on cookies. Before glaze is set, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg over cookies.

 Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars

	1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
	1 bag (12 oz) dark chocolate chips (2 cups)
	1/3  cup whipping cream
	1 cup butter
	¼ cup dry pudding mix from 1 box (4-serving size) vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
	½ cup whipping cream
	½ teaspoon peppermint extract
	½ teaspoon vanilla
	1 bag (2 lb) powdered sugar
	½ cup coarsely chopped peppermint candy canes
	Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Reserve 1/2 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips. In 2-quart saucepan, heat remaining semisweet chocolate chips, the dark chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cream over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Pour into pan; spread evenly. Refrigerate.
	Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat butter, pudding mix and 1/2 cup cream to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in peppermint extract, vanilla and powdered sugar, beating well, until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly over cooled chocolate layer; freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
	Place reserved 1/2 cup chocolate chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 45 to 55 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle over top. Immediately sprinkle with chopped candy. Cut into 15 rows by 5 rows.