Hill County 4-H Youth Development

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to our4-Herswith
DECEMBER Birthdays

Margaret Carroll

Everly Hanson

Tia Kallenberger

Katie Matakis

Reagan Moog

Natalie Rowe

Tyler Rowe

"S" is for SERVICE

December is overflowing with commitments to the last
“H” or “My hands to larger service.” Many of our Hill
County 4-H Clubs are giving back this holiday season
through service projects. Serving their communities and
with that service lifting-up those in need.

Ways to use your “Hands for Larger Service” include:
Shopping for the Angel Tree
Ringing the Bell for the Salvation Army
Adopt a Family through the Salvation Army
Food Drive for the Food Bank
Donating time to the Soup Kitchen
Reading to Youth and/or Elderly
Sponsor a Resident at the Care Center
Shoveling Snow for your neighbors, family and friends
Volunteering at the Community Christmas Dinner
Donate gently used toys to Toys for Tots, Daycares, and Preschools
Donate to Koats for Kids
Donate to The Winter Clothes Drive at the College Library
Operation Christmas Child (Northern Chi Alpha)

4-H CHRISTMAS DANCE

     December 19, 2025
Hill County 4-H Chuckwagon
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to come to this dance. 

All funds go to restore the
Alma Seidel Memorial 4-H Museum
as it is in need of a new roof and windows.

Free Will Donation - thank you.

Blaine and Liberty County 4-Hers also invited.

RECIPE CORNER

Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
(Dairy Free, Too!)

This gorgeous gluten free chocolate crinkle cookies are fudgy and absolutely delicious!

Prep Time: 20minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40minutes minutes
Chill Time: 4hours hours
Total Time: 5hours hours
Servings: 4 Dozen small cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup avocado oil (sub neutral-tasting oil, like vegetable oil/canola oil)
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder* (96 grams)
1 1/2 cups cane sugar (300 grams)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups gluten free measure-for-measure flour * (210 grams)
1 cup powdered sugar (or more, if needed) (120 grams)

Instructions
   Combine. In a large bowl (or a stand mixer), combine oil, cocoa powder, and sugar. Stir until well-combined. (It’ll look like very dark wet sand). Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing in-between each addition to incorporate well. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Add salt, baking powder, and gluten free flour. Stir until just combined.
   Chill the dough 3-4 hours (or overnight). Do NOT skip this step, or your cookies will spread too much in the oven.
   Preheat & Prep. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place powdered sugar in a bowl.
Scoop & Roll Cookie Dough. Use a scoop or a tablespoon to roll out 1″ balls of chilled dough. Roll each cookie dough ball in powdered sugar to coat well.
   Bake Cookies. Place 8-12 coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes, or until just the edges are set and the centers are still wet.
   Cool. Allow the cookies to cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet to allow them to continue to set, then transfer to a cooling rack.  Repeat with remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.
   Serve & Store. Enjoy cookies right away, or store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days. Or, freeze 2-3 months.

Notes
*Gluten-Free Flour. Our favorites for this recipe are King Arthur Flour Measure-for-Measure gluten free flour and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup to avoid packing extra flour into the cookie dough.
Cocoa Powder. I recommend Dutch processed cocoa powder for the best color and flavor, or you can use half natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s) and half Dutch-processed/dark cocoa powder. If you use all natural cocoa powder, the chocolate flavor will be much weaker.
**Powdered Sugar. You won’t use all the powdered sugar for this recipe. You’ll need about 1/3-1/2 cup total to coat the cookies, but it’s MUCH easier to coat them if you measure out a full cup.
If Your Crinkles Aren’t Looking The Way You Want Them To: make sure you’ve chilled the dough completely. COLD dough works best. Coat the cookie dough in powdered sugar COMPLETELY before adding them to the baking sheet. If that’s still not working, you can roll the cookie dough in white sugar (granulated sugar) first, THEN roll them in powdered sugar.

UPCOMING MEETINGS / EVENTS

11.28-12.2.25 - National 4-H Congress in Atlanta Georgia

11.30.25 - Deadline for ALL 4-H Re-enrollments (members and leaders) to
     be completed in Zsuite

12.1.25 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

12.2.25 - 4-H Foundation / Council Budget Meeting at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

12.2.25 - 4-H Livestock Committee Meeting at 6:15 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

12.8.25 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

12.13.25 - 4-H Holiday Cookie Tray Bake and Take Event at 9:00 a.m. at
     the 4-H Chuckwagon

12.15.25 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

12.15.25 - 4-H Foundation Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Timmons Room

12.16.25 - 4-H Swine Workshop at 7:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

12.18.25 - 4-H Horse Workshop at 5:30 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

12.19.25 - 4-H Dance from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

12.21.25 - 4-H Cloverbud Meeting at 2:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

12.22.25 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

12.25.25 - Christmas Day - Holiday - Office Closed

12.29.25 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

1.1.26 - New Year's Day - Holiday - Office Closed

1.5.26 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

1.6.26 - 4-H Livestock Committee Meeting at 6:15 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

1.11.26 - 4-H Cloverbud Meeting at 2:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

1.11.26 - 4-H Swine Workshop at 4:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

1.12.26 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

1.15.26 - 4-H Council Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Timmons Room

1.15.26 - 4-H Goat / Sheep Workshop at 7:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

1.16.26 - 4-H Friday at 2:00 p.m. in the 4-H Chuckwagon

1.16.26 - 4-H Horse Workshop at 5:30 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

1.19.26 - Martin Luther King Day - Holiday - Office Closed

1.19.26 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

1.20.26 - 4-H Dog Workshop at 7:00 p.m. at the 4-H Chuckwagon

1.26.26 - 4-H Shooting Sports Practice at 5:00 p.m. at the 4-H
     Chuckwagon

4-H BRAND RESOURCES

     The 4-H brand tells the world who we are and has a great impact when used correctly.  The 4-H brand uses a precise 4-H clover in a certain color.  Specifics on approved logos and colors can be found at www.montana4h.org/resources/4-H_brand.html.  If you are making a flyer and need logos or clip art sent to you, we are happy to do that.  Call the Extension office to make that request.

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2025-2026 4-H Clubs