Cook up a few Kansas City favorites this holiday season. Here you'll find a few holiday recipes that we have put together that are uniquely Kansas City. Remember to follow the recipe and good luck.

Bess Truman’s Butterscotch Cookies

Harry and Bess Truman returned to Independence after Truman’s presidency to live a pretty normal life despite the occasional reporter lingering about the Truman Home, which is today open for tours. One story tells of Bess inviting a reporter in on a cold December day to enjoy hot chocolate and cookies—perhaps these butterscotch cookies.

Note: Chill dough overnight in refrigerator before slicing and baking the next day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup chopped nuts, any variety

Mix all ingredients. Form dough into two-inch rolls and cover with plastic wrap. Chill dough overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cookies to rack to cool. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Quintuple Chocolate Nut Cookies by The American Restaurant

The American Restaurant at Crown Center sets the standard for fine cuisine in Kansas City. It has been consistently awarded both the AAA Four Diamonds and the Mobil Travel Guide Four Stars ratings—recognition of the highest levels of cuisine and hospitality. Pastry Chef Nick Wesemann offers this recipe for a chocolate cookie that will please even the most sophisticated palettes.

Note: The chocolates in this recipe can be found at most fine food stores like Dean & DeLuca or The Better Cheddar.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bitter chocolate (66% cocoa mass)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (58% cocoa mass)
• 1 ounce butter
• 6 ounces sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso or coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 ounces cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 ounces very bitter chocolate (72% cocoa mass), chopped
• 2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces nuts, chopped

Melt butter with 66% and 58% chocolates over double boiler. Set aside. In a mixer, whip sugar gradually into eggs. Add vanilla and coffee or espresso. Whip on high until foamy. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture. Add flour and baking powder, mix until just combined. Add remaining chocolates and nuts and mix well. Let mixture set and cool slightly. Scoop into small portions. Bake at 350 degrees just until outside is set and inside is still fairly soft and gooey. Let cool and serve. Cookies will be moist and gooey.

Southmoreland Harvest Pie

The Southmoreland on the Plaza is known for pampering its guests with a range of delicious flavors from complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres to a full gourmet breakfast. This recipe brings together a delightful combination of the tastes and aromas of the autumn harvest—crisp apples, tart cranberries, and the comforting scent of baked nuts and spices.

• Crust
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 tablespoons cold butter
• 3 tablespoons ice water

Prepare pie dough by combining flour and salt in a bowl, mixing well. Cut in shortening and butter. Slowly add ice water. Form the dough into a ball and store in the refrigerator for at least one hour. On lightly floured wax paper with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to cover a nine inch pie pan, with a remaining inch for the edges. Place the pan upside down over the dough and gently place hand under wax paper and flip the crust into the pan. Crimp the edges.

Filling

• 5 medium Jonathan apples peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, finely chopped

Toss the sliced apples in the orange juice until they are coated. Add remaining ingredients for the filling, mixing well to ensure the apples.

Topping

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2/3 cup flour

Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl; add flour and walnuts and mix well. Fill the crust with the apple/cranberry filling mixture. Pack the mixture tightly in to crust using fingertips. Distribute topping over the filling until completely covered.

Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, lightly cover pie with foil to prevent over browning of topping, and bake for an additional 50 minutes.