Countdown to Christmas - Photo Challenge - Day 8:COOKIES

The cookies made at Christmas time are not only a tradition, but a necessity!

Molasses (Not Ginger Snaps--NO SNAP in these soft cookies).  This was a recipe from my paternal grandmother.

Mom made molasses cookies several times a year, but she especially liked to make them at Christmas time, too.  They made a great addition to the variety of treats for the holiday plates that mom would take around to our neighbors.  I always thought the holiday plates were such a friendly gesture, that I made up holiday plates for my own neighbors the first year I was away from home.  Apparently, the giving and receiving of the holiday plates was not considered a friendly gesture in all neighborhoods.  I remember being looked at like I was from outer space as I stood smiling on the porch steps of my neighbors, outstretched plate in hand.  I don't know if they thought I was trying to poison them or seek a favor.  Years later, I tried the plates of cheer in a totally different neighborhood, and still got the same strange looks.  Not only that, but several of them thought they needed to reciprocate.  One neighbor reciprocated with some cheap, tacky store bought cookies--YUCK!  I would rather keep my own yummy cookies and not get the disgusting rejects and the dirty looks.  I know that's not a very nice attitude for this time of year, but you didn't see all the looks I got when trying to deliver my delicious holiday cheer.

Spritz - With Almond Flavoring

The Spritz cookie experiences are many!  From the type of cookie press used to the many recipes and the different ways each family traditionally makes them.  My mother-in-law, for instance, divides the dough in half and colors half the dough green and the other half red (pink).  She does not use sprinkles, and instead of the almond flavoring my mom's recipe calls for, she uses vanilla flavoring as she is not a fan of the almond.  I continue to make mine the way my mom did--no food coloring added, almond flavoring, and topped with red and green sprinkles.

I remember my mom's cookie press was aluminum with a twisting-type plunger.  I purchased a press from Pampered Chef one year (which I had to exchange when the trigger quit working).  As much as I enjoy the flavor and look of the Spritz, I admit that I dread making them every year.  After the first batch goes on the cookie sheet (with small amounts of difficulty), I have a terrible time trying to make the dough release from the press consistently after that.

I have tried several different techniques--parchment paper, chilling the dough, a cool cookie sheet, swearing.  Nothing works!  Last year, when my son's attempts to help me produced similar results, we decided to change the name to splatz cookies. Instead of pushing the dough through the press, we threw balls of dough at the cookie sheet making a splat sound! It was fun, and they still tasted good.

Flourless, Organic Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

My son has become quite a good cookie baker of another variety.  He made a midnight batch of his organic flour-less cookies last night which we ate warm right out of the oven until we gave ourselves tummy aches...it was worth it.