The Christmas Cookies

The Christmas Cookies 

Does anyone remember the smell of mom's house or even grandma's house at the holidays when she would start baking all those cookies and other goodies? All the smells of chocolate, cinnamon, spices, raisins all hot and gooey sitting on the counter or table just begging to be eaten? 

In my family, it was a Christmas tradition to spend days baking Christmas cookies. Both my grandma and mom would bake. Grandma baked less than my mom. I think that would be because mom took over and had a family and at grandma’s house it was just her and my grandpa. At my mom’s house, it was a rule that no one touches any of the cookies until all the baking was done and she deemed that we could then dig in. The wait was an eternity. In reality, it was probably only two or three days at most. Mom baked more cookies than anyone I knew. Some of them I loved, some were okay, and others I could do without.  

I was a single parent and lived with my parents until I was in my early 30s. During that time, mom pared down on her baking. After I moved out, I begged for years to get all those recipes. I never did get them directly from her. She ended up sending them to my oldest daughter when she had her baby! She brought me the CD and I copied it onto my computer for future use. I even made a cookbook out of it so I could get to the recipes quickly. 

The types of cookies my mom made are: Almond Crescent, Butter Balls, Butter Horns, Chocolate No Bake, Hungarian Kifli, Liquor Balls, Peanut Butter Bon Bons, Raspberry Jam Cookies, Thumbprints, Turtles, Sugar Cookies and Yum Yum’s. My mom even made No Cook Mint Patties. I only make a few of these cookies. I usually make the Liquor Balls as gifts, the Chocolate No Bakes and the Sugar Cookies. Then I mix up the rest. This year I will make the Raspberry jam and Hungarian Kifli. 

Here are the recipes in no particular order. (Note: I didn’t include Sugar Cookies because every cookbook has that recipe.) 

•  6 C. flour                                                                               
• 1 C. shortening
• ½ lb. butter                                                                           
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg                                                                                     
• Small can evaporated milk
• Pkg. yeast 

Crumble yeast into flour; work in shortening like pie dough.  Add yolks and the egg and milk.  Work with hands until dough pulls from side of bowl.  Form into several large balls and chill.  Roll out very thin on powdered sugar.  Cut into small squares and add filling and shape.  Make your own filling or use prepared filling from cans.  Solo brand has all kinds.  Bake at 350°on greased cookie sheet.   

•  2 C. white sugar
• ½ C. milk
• ¼ lb. Margarine
• ½ t. salt 

Cook together until sugar is melted and mixture comes to a boil.  Add 3 C. quick oats, l C. shredded coconut, 1 C. chocolate bits, ½ C. chopped nuts, 1 ½ t. vanilla.   Stir until chocolate bits are melted.  Then drop by teaspoon on wax paper until set.   This is more like a candy than a cookie.  Also butterscotch bits may be used.   

•  ½ lb. vanilla wafers
• 1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans
• ½ C. seedless raisins chopped                                   
• ½ C. chopped dates
• 1 T. cocoa                                                                             
• ¼ C. bourbon or rum
• ½ C. light corn syrup                                                     
• Powdered sugar 

Combine all ingredients (except powdered sugar).  Roll into walnut size balls.  Roll in powdered sugar.  Store in tightly covered container.  Makes 36.   

RASPBERRY JAM COOKIES

•  ½ C. butter                                                                           
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ C. sugar                                                                            
• ½ C. sugar
• 1 ½ C. flour                                                                           
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 egg yolks                                                                           
• 2 t. cinnamon
• Raspberry jam                                                                      

Chopped nuts Cream butter and sugar.  Add flour and egg yolks and mix well.  Roll out dough on cookie sheet.  Spread with jam.  Beat together until stiff egg whites, ½ C. sugar and vanilla.  Spread this mixture over jam.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with nuts.  Bake at 350°for 30 minutes.  Cut into squares or oblongs. 

•  3 egg whites                                                                         
• 1 T. vinegar
• ¼ t. salt 

Beat all together until stiff.  Gradually add 1 C. sugar, l t. vanilla and ½ t. almond flavoring and 1 small bag chocolate chips.  Bake at 250°for 30 minutes.   

•  1 C. butter                                                                             
• 1/3 C. sugar
• 1 2/3 C. flour                                                                         
• 2/3 C. chopped nuts
• Powdered sugar 

Cream butter and sugar.  Add flour, chopped nuts and mix.  Roll dough and shape into crescents.  Bake 350°for 12 minutes.  Roll in powdered sugar.  Makes 6-dozen. 

BUTTER BALLS 

• 1 C. butter                                                                             
• 3 T. powdered sugar
• 1t. Vanilla                                                                              
•  2 C. flour
• 1C. chopped nuts 

Cream butter, add sugar and blend.  Add vanilla, flour and the nuts.  Shape into small balls on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350°for 20 minutes.  Roll in powdered sugar while warm.  Makes about 3-dozen.   

•  1/3 C. soft shortening (half butter)                                                   
• 1 C. flour
• ¼ C. brown sugar (packed)                                                
• ¼ t. salt
• 1 egg yolk                                                                                             
• 1 egg white
• ½ t. vanilla                                                                                            
• ¾ C. finely chopped nuts 

Heat oven to 350°.  Mix shortening, brown sugar, egg yolk and vanilla thoroughly.  Measure flour by dip-level-pour-method or by sifting.  Blend flour and salt; stir in.  Roll dough in small balls.  Dip in slightly beaten egg white.  Roll in nuts.  Place 1” apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Press thumb gently into centers.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool.  Fill holes with sparkling jelly or tinted confectioners sugar icing.  Makes about 3-dozen cookies. 

•  1 C. pecan halves                                                                                
• 36 light caramels
• ½ C. semi sweet chocolate bits 

Grease cookie sheet.  Place 4 pecans together and put 1 caramel on top. Bake at 325°for 8 to 10 minutes.  Flatten with spatula.  Place chocolate bits on top. 

•  2 C. peanut butter                                                                                               
• 2 sticks margarine
• 1 box powdered sugar                                                                                       

Blend together.  Roll in balls and refrigerate over night.  Melt in double boiler 3 packages of chocolate bits (butterscotch can be used also) and 1/3 bar wax.  Dip balls in mixture and place on waxed paper. 

•  1 ¾ C. butter                                                                                        
• 2 t. baking powder
• 4 C. flour                                                                                               
• ¼ t. salt
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten                                                                   
• ½ C. canned milk
• 1 t. lemon rind, grated 

Sift flour and dry ingredients in fats.  Add eggs, milk and rind.  Roll in balls the size of walnut.  Chill for at least 2 hours.  Roll in powdered sugar, add filling and close.  Bake in moderate oven 350°on greased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm. 

Filing:

• ½ lb. walnuts, chopped   
• ½ C. sugar
• 1 t. cinnamon     
• Juice of 1 lemon, milk or apricot preserves – enough to moisten  

•  1/3 C. light corn syrup                                                     
• ¼ C. butter (softened)
• 1 t. peppermint extract                                                   
•  4 C. sifted powdered sugar
• 2 drops red food coloring                                                
• 2 drips green food coloring 

In small mixing bowl, combine corn syrup, butter and peppermint extract, beat until well blended.  Gradually add 2 C. of powdered sugar, beating well.  Stir in as much of the remaining powdered sugar with a spoon.  Turn onto surface lightly coated with powdered sugar.  Knead in enough of the powdered sugar to make a stiff dough that is smooth.  Divide dough into thirds.  Using 1/3 of the dough, knead in red food coloring till evenly distributed.  Same with green.  Shape dough into ¾ inch balls.  Place 2” apart on waxed paper.  Press with tines of fork.   Let dry several hours. 

I hope that you will enjoy these recipes and have a very Merry Christmas!