What are great cookies recipe and how great for Christmas decoratetions.Please help.All advice.Thanks.?

I'm bakeing coookies as gifts for my boyfriend's dad and mom for Christmas this year and I want to make a good epesstion. Any good Chistmas cookies and how to decorate them. And where can I buy a cheap ,but nice Christmas can to put them in. Thanks for your help.What are great cookies recipe and how great for Christmas decoratetions.Please help.All advice.Thanks.?
I LOVE these cookies. They have ricotta cheese in them but you'd never know it. It makes them super moist. I worked with a lady who made them and I had to have the recipe. I make them every year now!








ITALIAN COOKIES





1/2 lb. butter


2 c. sugar


1/2 tsp. salt


1 lb. Ricotta


2 eggs


1 tsp. vanilla


Grated rind of 1 orange


4 1/2 c. flour


1 tsp. baking powder


1 tsp. baking soda





Cream butter; add sugar and continue creaming. Add egg and Ricotta and vanilla; beat well. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda, salt; add to batter.





Drop about a teaspoon of dough on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degree oven about 10 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool.





FROSTING:





2 c. confectionery sugar


1/4 c. butter


3 tbsp. milk


1/2 tsp. vanilla





Mix well and put on top of cookies with sprinkles.What are great cookies recipe and how great for Christmas decoratetions.Please help.All advice.Thanks.?
Do you have a ';Dollar Store'; that you can look for some cans?





';Cherry Snowballs'; - 2 1/2 dozen





1 cup butter; softened


1/2 cup confectioners' sugar


2 cups all-purpose flour


1 (6 oz.) jar maraschino cherries without stems; drained and halved


Additional confectioners' sugar





In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar; gradually add flour. Shape a tablespoonful of dough around each cherry, forming a ball. Place 1'; apart on ungreased baking sheets.


Bake at 325* for 18-20 minutes or until the bottoms are browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.








';Merry Note Cookies'; - 4 dozen





1 cup butter; softened


1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese; softened


1 cup sugar


1 egg


1 tsp. vanilla extract


2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


1/4 tsp. salt


Red and green colored sugar





In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar; beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.


On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4'; thickness. Cut with a 3 3/4 x 2 1/2'; musical note cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 2'; apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
You can get cans at the thrift stores, sometimes the grocery store has empty decorative boxes, they will work if you line them with wax paper before you put in the cookies to absorb any shortening.


Best cookies are always sugar cookies.. you can decorate them with sugar sprinkles, chocolate drops, even M%26amp;Ms! Also you can cut them in shapes or just leave them round.
I really like these cookies and they are super easy to make.


For Christmas tins you can look at wal-mart or target, also CostPlus World Market if you have one.








Scandinavian Almond Bars


INGREDIENTS


1/2 cup butter


1 cup white sugar


1 egg


1/2 teaspoon almond extract


1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


2 teaspoons baking powder


1/4 teaspoon salt


1/2 cup sliced almonds


2 tablespoons milk


1 cup confectioners' sugar


1/4 teaspoon almond extract


1/4 cup milk


DIRECTIONS


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).


In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract; mix until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.


Divide dough into 4 pieces, and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Flatten each roll by hand until it is about 3 inches wide. Brush flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.


Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide. When cool, drizzle with almond icing.


Almond icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.