Cran-Pistachio Cookies

Original Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• optional - green food coloring (I didn't add any but if you wanted them extra green you could)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl stir cookie mix, pudding, and flour. Add melted butter and eggs and stir until incorporated.
3. Add pistachios and cranberries and mix well.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and slightly flatten with fingertips.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The only way you can ruin these cookies is to overbake them! If you bake them too long you will lose the soft texture and they won't be as green. They will not look done but take them out and let them sit on the pan for about 2 minutes. Trust me.
6. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Candy Cane Cookies

Allrecipes.com

Ingredients 

1 cup margarine

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed

1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, white sugar and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Cover or wrap dough and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Divide dough into halves. Color one half red by mixing in the food color. Roll a small amount of each dough into a 2 inch long worm. Roll them together in a twisted rope and curve the end like a cane. Place onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. In a small bowl, mix together the crushed candy cane and remaining white sugar. Roll hot cookies in the sugar mixture.