These are delightful cookies that mix the best of chocolate and vanilla based sugar cookies. You can also make chocolate and cherry or Chocolate and mint. Whatever suits your fancy when it comes to making these lovely Christmas cookies.

The first thing with these is you are actually going to make two separate batches of dough. One will the regular vanilla sugar cookies and the second will be the chocolate. Of course you can always make the chocolate by itself and make two separate batches but these can be used to create things like pinwheels and stripes.

Here are the two recipes the first is the vanilla:

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 c butter
2 C white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (this can be changed to almond, mint or even maple depending on taste and variation)
5 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Soften the butter so that it is room temperature and easily to manipulate but do not melt it. Use the Thaw feature on the microwave if necessary but usually leaving it on the counter for a few hours or over night will take care of it for you.

Take a large bowl and combine the sugar and butter until it make a smooth and creamy mixture. Next add in the eggs and the extract, in this case Vanilla. You can add more vanilla if you want depending on taste. Stir in the flour, the salt and the baking powder.

Then cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

6 squares of chocolate - semi sweet 1oz per square
1 C unsalted butter
1 C sugar ( you can also use Artificial Sweetener that is blended or made for baking)
2 eggs large
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Melt chocolate you can do this either in the microwave using a glass container or over the stove. If using the microwave it should only take 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds to melt. Set the melted chocolate to the side.
Soften the butter this should be done so that is soft enough to manipulate but not melted. Leaving it on the counter overnight usually works and it will not harm the butter in any way. Cream this by itself until smooth then gradually add the sugar to the mixture.
Add the eggs one at a time mixing each egg in completely and then add the vanilla. Set this aside and combine the flour salt and baking powder. Then take the butter and sugar mixture and add the flour mixture to it gradually mixing each addition in completely

Chill for 1 hour as well.

Once both dough mixtures have chilled pull them out of the refrigerator.

Making shapes

Pinwheel

Roll out the first dough, which ever you choose is fine into 1/4 to 1/2" thick sheets. You will do the same for the second dough. Then layer these two sheets on top of each other and carefully roll the entire thing. Then cut cookies the size you want from the roll. Place on cookie sheet and bake these should be the same size as regular cookies 6-10 minutes in a 350 F oven though you may find you want to adjust this depending on how thick you cut the cookies.

Striped cookies

Depending on the size of the cookie you can do these in three's, four's or five's most people however do it in five's, this refers to the number of stripes in the cookie. Take each of the flavor of dough and split it into three balls for each flavor making a total of six balls. Each ball needs to be rolled into a 7 1/2" by 3" rectangle, it is okay to be a little off on the size the important thing is to cut the strips of dough approximately the same size. They should be cut into 1 1/2" by 3" strips. Stack these strips in layers one on top of the other depending on if you want 3's, 4's or 5's. Refrigerate the strips by wrapping in plastic wrap and waiting 1 hr. You can actually freeze these for up to three months if you wish. Lightly grease the sheet cut these about 1/4" thick and place on the cookie sheet for these the oven should be at 350 F you can make it hotter but decrease cooking time if you do. These should cook for 8-10 minutes.

Checker board

This is another common design used for these cookies. Roll out the two flavors of dough into two logs each making a total of four logs, two for each flavor. Next cut the logs lengthwise in half, then each half again. Reassemble the logs using alternating pieces so you get two logs with a total of four pieces two chocolate, two vanilla. Then cut and place on lightly greasing sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.

The layers

This is similar to the pinwheel. With a few difference, first take the dough and roll it to 1/4". These actually need to be 1/4 because of the layers, larger layers will cause the cookies to need longer cooking times. Take the two layers and lay them on top of one another then cut with a cookie cutter. This creates a vanilla top and chocolate bottom. Cooking time should be between 6-10 minutes depending on the size of the cookie and if you are using a 350 or 400 F oven both can be used.

The twist or bow

These cookies are a little different, cooking time will vary depending on how long and large you make this particular style so some experimentation may be necessary to find out what works for the particular style it is best to start with 350 F and 8-10 minutes. This style is particular difficult and takes some practice to work. Take the dough form rolls, these should be relatively thin but not too thin 1/4" should be good for the more simple of these. Take one chocolate and one vanilla and twist them together. These cookies should be about 2-3" long. Lie on cookie sheet and bake When edges turn slightly brown test cookies and adjust cooking time. For bows, take several strips twist and curl into bows then bake.