Donna in the kitchenThe days are ticking (13 days until Christmas) until our family arrives and we celebrate this blessed holiday season. It’s been a lifetime tradition of having plenty of cookies around the inn and our home. It’s especially true during the holidays as we send a lot of cookies to friends and family and love having guests over for afternoon tea and cookies. Our kids also look forward to having certain cookies around during their visit.
Sweetheart Cookies and our house Molasses CookiesThis morning was our first day of not having guests at the inn and so I decided to sit down and decide exactly what I will be baking, cooking and freezing and sending this holiday season. My first thought was to try some new recipes. There are endless ideas on Pinterest, and I always listen when the kids are talking about what they like to eat. This year I heard Byron mention that a local bakery was serving Tart Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies- ummmmmmm- that sounds really good and so I will be making the following recipe that I found on Pinterest. Will let you know what we think. It reminded me of our Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie that we make frequently at the inn. Looking forward to trying something new.
Cranberry Oatmeal CookieAs many of our readers know- our favorite cookies at the inn include our House Molasses Cookie and our Sweetheart Butter Cookie. We have a bottomless cookie jar that is always filled with Molasses- unless our guests raid us when are sleeping:) A previous blog tells the story and also includes the recipe for these delicious Molasses Cookie. This recipe makes a huge batch, freezes well and is loved by all. We also love our Sweetheart Cookies with our homemade raspberry jam. This recipe comes with a sweet story from my younger years. I attended a private girls school back in the Berkshires called Foxhollow Prep School for Girls. It was a wonderful experience that really prepared me for college and my professional career. One year I was the president of our annual Holiday Fair and I was collecting cookie recipes to have everyone bake in the school’s kitchen. One of my dear classmates, Mary O’Melia gave me this recipe that her family called Sweetheart Cookies. It’s a basic shortbread cookie recipe but combined with your favorite jam-it is a mouthful of heaven. Thanks Mary for sharing something so special.
They are incredibly easy to make and we love this cookie so much that we serve it for our afternoon tea at least once a week. It makes for a perfect holiday cookie when you add raspberry jam.
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ cups All purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- seperate bowl sift the flour and salt together and add to the butter mixture. Mix well. Chill several hours. Preheat oven to 375. Roll into small balls. Bake for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and make a small depression with a wooden spoon in the center of each cookie. Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes or until tops are nicely browned. Cool and fill with your favorite jam. This recipe make about 30 cookies. We double the recipe and freeze after they are baked and before we add the jam.
Nanna’s Filled CookiesEvery year I always make our Filled Cookies. My mom use to make them every holiday and I enjoy carrying on that tradition. The recipe is from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. A previous blog tells you about this delicious cookie and the recipe.
Chocolate biscottiI love to make biscotti for the holidays too. They make for a pretty presentation and also ship well. Check out a previous blog for our biscotti favorites.
The last recipe I wanted to share is an old family favorite. It’s easy to make and always a pleaser-
Pecan Shortbread Logs-
- 16 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 4 Tablespoons very fine sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups unbleached flour, sifted
- 1¼ cups pecans, chopped
- ½ cup powdered sugar for rolling the baked cookie in
- Beat the butter until creamy in the stand of your electric mixer. Add the very fine sugar while beating. Add the salt, vanilla and 1 cup of the flour and blend well. Add remaining flour and blend well. Add the nuts and mix thoroughly. Chill at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 375. Form into sausage shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and roll in powdered sugar while still warm.
Happy holidays dear friends!
Ginger Bread House made with my favorite neighbor-Annie:)
