Chrismas Cookie Favorites 2007: Grandma's Recipes and More

Holiday traditions can involve many different things, but often revolve around food. Many families have long standing favorite recipes, but isn't there always room for more? The best way to involve the whole family, from grandparents to toddlers, is to make some Christmas cookies. It might be messy, but it can be a lot of fun if you make a day of it. Add some hot apple cider or hot cocoa and everyone can gather around and help out.

I've personally been fortunate enough to have met all of my grandparents and great grandparents. These memories are special to me, especially knowing not everyone has had that honor. I truly treasure the recipes passed down within the family. Learning to make Sparkling Gingersnap cookies with grandma, knowing it is a favorite of my dad's, has become special for my dad and I over the years. I learned all about the kitchen from summers spent with my other grandma and I even have an old cookbook of hers that has recipe favorites written in the margins and on the back pages of the book.

Who doesn't love a warm, cozy kitchen filled with laughter and the aroma of fresh baked cookies? There are tons of cookie recipes to be found on the internet. These are the cookies that turned up on almost every search for Christmas cookies: Shortbread, or Chocolate Dipped Shortbread; Peanut Butter (usually with a Kiss); Spice or Gingersnaps; Thumbprint (with jam or chocolate filling); Snowballs; Stained Glass; Candy Cane; Gingerbread people; Chocolate Crinkle; Snickerdoodles; and the ever popular Sugar (rolled or drop). I know some families that make a wide variety of cookies in their own kitchen, but the easiest way to get a big variety with less work is to host or attend a cookie exchange. Everyone brings a plate of cookies to eat there and another plate or two to share. Go home with a variety of other cookies. It's fun to see what other families consider their favorite.

Below are a few of my own familiy's favorites recipes:

tsp= teaspoon
Tbsp= tablespoon

Grandma S. Sparkling Gingersnaps
This makes a soft, chewy cookie with a slightly crispy outside. Grandma insisted that they had to be mixed by hand "no mixer". I've cheated and used a mixer but this year stirred them by hand and I don't know if I imagined it, but they were a little bit better. I'm writing this just as she wrote it out rather than listing ingredients first.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together until light and fluffy: 3/4 cup butter and 1 cup sugar. Beat in 1 egg and 1/4 cup molasses.

Sift together: 2 cups flour; 2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 tsp cloves; 1 tsp cinnamon.

Stir into the egg mixture gradually. Mix well, chill the dough, shape into small balls (about 1 inch). Roll balls in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet. Do not flatten the balls about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 9-10 minutes. (Try not to overbake as they get hard. The best way to tell when done is that the cookie with spread out and be slightly raised, the top will just begin to crack. That's when you pull them out of the oven.)

Grandma N's Date Sticks
Not the favorite of everyone, but these are sticky and chewy and covered with powdered sugar. One of grandma's favorites, written on the inside of her cookbook.

Sometimes you have to love grandma, no baking temperature listed but I go with the standard 350 degrees.

Again, grandma's don't list ingredients first it seems:

Sift 1 cup flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs and gradually add 1 cup sugar, then 1 Tbsp hot water and 1 Tbsp melted butter.

Add 2 cups finely chopped dates and 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are best). Add the flour mixture gradually and beat well after each addition.

Pour batter into two well greased pans.. I think she use sqare 9 inch pans, but she doesn't list it (I haven't made these in a long time) so judge for yourself. The batter should be about 1/2 inch thick in the bottom of the pan. Bake 35 minutes. Let cook and cut into 1/2 inch by 3 inch strips. Roll well in powdered sugar. Store in a tightly covered container.

Kayla's Chocolate Crinkle Cookie

My daughter has her own version of the holiday favorite Crinkle cookies. It was found on a box of cake mix (yes cake mix...trust me, they're delicious). She sold them to earn money for a Student Ambassador trip a few years ago and when I recently took them to sell at a high school food booth, her friends saw the cookies, saw me and said "are these Kayla's cookies?" then to their other friends, "oh my god, these are the best cookies ever". Sure there are more traditional ways to make these cookies, but this is a quick easily remembered recipe to get kids involved.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1 box chocolate cake mix (you actually can use any flavor of cake mix you like)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix the ingredients together well. You will probably have to chill the dough. Roll into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll well in powdered sugar.

Place on cookie sheet with enough room to spread.

Bake 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Watch the cookies on your first batch and judge your timing from there so they don't overbake and get hard. Cookies are done when they spread out, slightly puffed, and just begin to crack on the top. Remove from oven and cool. They will flatten slighty and become a chewy cookie that is a little crispy outside. Store covered.

Snowballs

I love these delicate cookies...they don't flatten and practically fall apart when you bite into them. You can add flavored extracts such as orange or mint to make these different.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup very finely chopped or ground, toasted walnuts (or pecans)

Cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. In another bowl combine flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until it forms a soft dough, then add the nuts and stir well. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet.

Bake 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are slightly browned. Roll cookies while warm in powdered sugar to coat well. Place on wax paper to cool, then store in an airtight container.

Bake all of the above with people you love. Start your own tradition with kids and grandkids. There's something about a house filled with the aroma of fresh baked cookies that makes it a home.