Graham Cracker Santas Recipes

SANTA'S SLEIGH FAVORS

Steps:

• Sleigh bottom #1: Coat 1 side of a graham cracker cookie completely with white royal icing. Place 2 candy canes on top, keeping the hooks pointing upward, holding them in place for a few seconds to let set. Sprinkle coconut over the whole cracker and candy canes and set aside to let dry.
• Sleigh bottom #2: Coat 1 side of another graham cracker completely with red royal icing and set aside to dry.
• Presents: Pipe ribbons with white royal icing on fruit candies. Set aside to let dry.
• Santa's seat: Take 2 sugar wafer bars (attached) and completely wrap with a fruit roll-up. Take another pair of wafers and do the same. Place seam side down to keep from them unfolding. Set aside.
• To assemble: Pipe a thin line of white royal icing over the length of the candy canes that are attached to sleigh bottom #1. Place sleigh bottom #2 (red graham cracker) on top of candy canes (red side up)and hold for a few seconds to let set. Make a seat out of the fruit rollup covered sugar wafers by making an "L" shape on top of red cracker. Use 1 as the seat and the other as the back of the seat.
• On 1 side of the seat stack a few candy gifts and on the other side, place the chocolate Santa. Spread out 1 fruit rollup and place a few gifts in the middle and make a pouch, tying the ends of the rollup together with a twizzler, like a beggar's purse. Place gift pouch behind Santa's seat.

SANTA'S FAVORITE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine graham crumbs, butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hr.
• Meanwhile, combine cranberries, orange juice and remaining sugar and vanilla in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1 min. or until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over medium-low heat 6 to 8 min. or until cranberries are softened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve cornstarch in water. Add to cranberry mixture; mix well. Cook 30 sec. to 1 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in orange zest. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Spoon cranberry topping over slices of cheesecake just before serving.

MAGIC SANTA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter together in a bowl; press into the prepared pan.
• Pour 2/3 the sweetened condensed over the graham cracker crust. Sprinkle chocolate chips, marshmallows, coconut, pecans, and cranberries over the sweetened condensed milk layer; press into the pan. Drizzle the remaining 1/3 sweetened condensed milk evenly over the toppings.
• Bake in the preheated oven until topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

GRAHAM CRACKERS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla. Combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Cover and chill dough until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into rectangles. Place 1/2 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp. Edges will be golden brown. Remove from baking sheet to cool on wire racks.