Christmas hats, mittens, stars
Christmas and cookies are a match made in heaven. There are so many possibilities...and so little time once the season begins. Every year I want to make every cookie cutter shape I have, from angels to zebras, and decorate them for the happiest time of the year. Although I like to use the traditional color scheme of red and green, other color combinations make for sweet treats, too. Like aqua and orange, pure white with eye-catching accents, even pink and blue! And the plate of cookies for Santa has to be extra special and delicious. After all, there’s a lot of competition for his attention given all the houses he visits on Christmas Eve!
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale
Winter clothing always makes for colorful cutout cookies. Mittens and stocking caps bring the Christmas activities to mind...dressing in extra layers to keep warm and building snowmen. Stars and snowflakes complete the cookie tray, especially when served with a cup of hot chocolate to warm up those cold hands and noses. And don’t forget those “ugly sweater” contests.
Cookie specifics
For these winter clothing cookies, I turned to my Classic Sugar Cookies and buttery Shortbread recipes. They are my favorite recipes for this time of the year.
Shortbread. The combination of European butter and vanilla bean makes this shortbread cookie one of the yummiest cookies I make. It’s buttery, crumbly and light. For the lemon lovers in my family, I make a lemon variation, full of subtle lemon flavor, and topped with a bright and tangy lemon glaze.
Classic Sugar Cookie. This classic sugar cookie brings back memories of the Christmas cookies my mother made during the holidays...with a bold vanilla flavor and slightly soft texture, they make me smile every time I eat one.
Cookie Cutters
Clothing: mittens, socks, hats, sweaters
Christmas: trees, stars, snowflakes, packages, moose ... wait! What? Yes, a moose! Why not?
Sizes
These cookies range from 2½ inches to 4 inches (the moose, of course). 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
Old (and New) Family Recipes
Classic Sugar Cookie. A recipe based on one from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed.
This Shortbread recipe was developed over several months in my quest to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Cookies
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, granulated sugar, egg, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, salt
Shortbread: flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, food coloring
Glaze: sugar, water, corn syrup, food coloring (optional), various extracts for flavoring (vanilla, almond, lemon, raspberry, etc.)
Sprinkles: All shapes, sizes, colors...from stars to hearts to mini eyeballs. Also lots of big-crystal sugars in various colors.
Plate, Box or Bag?
Large Platter. To tansport these cookies to our Christmas party I arranged them on a light-weight silver platter, covered with a dainty paper doily. They fit right in with all the other desserts brought to the potluck.
Box. I gifted a dozen of these to my mechanic and his team of auto mechanics. I tucked them into a cardboard bakery box with a clear window on top that made the contents visible to anyone who wanted to peek. They were welcomed with open arms...and mouths!
Bags. I wrapped several of the cookies in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This packaging was perfect for giving individual cookies to my special people.
Mailing. I mailed dozens of the winter clothing cookies to my family and friends throughout the U.S. I always send them Priority Mail through the U.S. Post Office and use the boxes provided by the Post Office with lots of bubble wrap! Merry Christmas to all!
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in a small batch of two dozen. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
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