Making cookies is a long-standing tradition in many households come holiday time. Whether you do it with your family or a group of friends, the outcome is the same: lots of merriment and plenty of memories to be made. We asked some of our extended magazine “family” to share a recipe that’s near and dear to their hearts in hopes that you’ll glean a new favorite from these pages. So get out your apron and turn on the oven—it’s time to get baking!
Saltine Toffee Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Dawn Crawford Dacut, reader
“I got this recipe from my fellow cookie exchange friend, Shae. These are my favorite. When I would get home from the cookie exchange, I would hide them from my family and save them just for me!”
INGREDIENTS
4 oz. saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line one 11”x17” rimmed baking sheet or two regular-sized sheets with parchment paper, then place the saltine crackers in a single layer.
In a saucepan, combine the butter and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.
Bake at 400 degrees for 5–6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces. Makes approximately 3 dozen.
Anisette Toast (Biscotti)
Recipe courtesy of Jennifer Burish, Editorial Advisory Board member and owner of Avanti Shoe Boutique
“This recipe was handed down to me from my grandma, which came from her mother in-law who came to the U.S. from Naples, Italy.”
INGREDIENTS
6 eggs
1 cup oil
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. anise extract
DIRECTIONS
Mix all of the above ingredients with an electric mixer. Spread mix into a shallow, un-greased 11x16 pan. Bake at 350 degrees until the top is golden brown or 30–45 minutes. When done, cut the baked sheet into slices. Reduce temperature to 325 and flip the slices on their side. Bake each side for 10 minutes; may need two pans for this part. Makes approximately 3 dozen.
Wreath Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Molly Kentala Broman, editor
“While these might not qualify as actual cookies, they’ve been my favorite since I was a child. I make them every year and they’re always the first to disappear from my tins. It’s a great recipe to make with your own children or grandchildren. If wreaths are too hard for them to form, you can have them make ‘bushes’ instead.”
INGREDIENTS
1 bag mini marshmallows
½ cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½–2 tsp. green food coloring
4–5 cups corn flakes
Red cinnamon candies or balls
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, melt marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food coloring over medium heat. Stir in corn flakes; mix until well coated.
Butter your fingertips well. Drop balls of corn flake mixture onto waxed paper and use your fingers to shape into a wreath. Decorate immediately with red candies.
Store between layers of waxed paper in refrigerator. Makes approximately 3 dozen.
Holiday Delights Bars
Recipe courtesy of Liz Peterson, contributing writer
“This recipe is from my grandma, Gloria Schultz. She makes this for the Christmas Stroll night in my hometown (Conrad, Montana), which is usually one Saturday in December. My parents own a drugstore in Conrad, and my mom and grandma do all the baking for the Stroll night. My mom says these bars are usually the first to go, and people often ask my grandma for the recipe.”
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ cup flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. soda
½ cup raisins
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup coconut
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" square pan. Combine flour and sugar, and cut in butter until it's the consistency of corn meal. Press into greased pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine beaten eggs, brown sugar and vanilla; beat well. Stir in soda, nuts, fruit and coconut. Spoon over hot crust; spread evenly. Bake an additional 20–25 minutes until top is set. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Tea Grandma's Cut-Out Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Christa Steiner, Editorial Advisory Board member
“This recipe comes from my Great Great Grandma Geiken in the 1880s, who grew up on a farm in rural Iroquois County, Illinois; a first generation American from Germany. We called her Tea Grandma as she always offered tea to visitors in her home. These cookies are our holiday favorite. Always a full evening affair, our family makes these cookies together with mom and dad on dough-making duty and my sister, Cara, and I on decorating duty. With various cookie cutouts, frosting and sprinkles to decorate with, our cookies always look colorful, eclectic and never alike! While many cookies are super sweet, these have a shortbread taste to them, so they pair wonderfully with hot cocoa in the evening or a cup of coffee in the morning.”
INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar
½ cup Crisco
½ cup oleo
½ cup thick sour milk or buttermilk (substitution: 10 Tbsp. milk + 2 Tbsp. vinegar; mix together and use ½ cup)
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
5 cups or more of flour
DIRECTIONS
Cream sugar with Crisco and oleo until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in ½ cup thick sour milk. Add dry ingredients. Put dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour prior to rolling out.
Spread flour on your work surface before rolling out dough. Roll to your desired thickness and use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. Bake at 400 degrees for 6–8 minutes on a greased cookie sheet. Cooking time depends on how thick you cut out the cookies; we usually cook until edges start to turn a light brown. Frost with your favorite frosting and decorate with sprinkles.”
