Christmas cookies are the Superbowl of the cookie world. There are so many shapes and colors and themes, from Santas and snowmen, to mittens and ugly sweaters, to trees and stars...my favorite time of the year.
I love to make these shortbread angel cookies at Christmas time and give them to “my special people.” This year I made all kinds of shapes and sizes of angels, and it seemed so fitting because my “angels” come in all different shapes and sizes, too! You know who you are...you have an angel cookie to remind you that I treasure your friendship.
Throughout the year I love a dash of red here and there to add color to my cookies. But at Christmas time, red isn’t just an accent, it’s often the main attraction. These Brown Butter Red Christmas Ornament Cookies are the epitome of the Christmas holiday cookie...they’re red, they’re beautiful, and they’re yummy. The white and gold sugar crystal accents make each cookie look like a jewel. It’s impossible to ignore them.
Snowy trees are one of nature’s most beautiful sights. Although that beauty can never be entirely captured in a cookie, it most definitely inspires the effort. An added bonus is that if you don’t quite match Mother Nature’s artistry, you can always eat your attempts and share them with a friend..or two or three.
This Christmas I made a lot of different cutout cookies...angels, snowy trees, ornaments, animals, clothing. But the shape that kept calling to me was the snowflake. So-o-o I made a lot of snowflakes: big, tiny, with holes, without holes, elegant, simple, even some dipped in chocolate! I just couldn't seem to get enough.
These delicate and crumbly cookies are light and buttery. They are similar to Mexican Wedding Cakes, but these have their roots in Minnesota. When I was a child, Mom made these every Christmas. I thought they looked like little snowballs and tasted like heaven. I still like to add them to my Christmas cookie list because they bring back memories of happy Christmases past. Their unique shape is a beautiful addition to any plate of holiday cookies.
Many of my neighbors put up their Christmas lights and trees the day after Thanksgiving. I admire their enthusiasm and love seeing the holiday lights glowing up and down the street. Unfortunately, I’ve never been that organized. Usually my tree doesn’t go up until well into December and one year it didn’t make an appearance at all. I’ll never live that one down.
As a child, I was never very fond of gingerbread and when I started making Christmas cookies all those years ago, I didn’t give a thought to making gingerbread men — or women for that matter. Everything changed when I found out that my great nephew loved gingerbread! Who knew? So I set about finding the best recipe I could. Not having much experience with how they should taste, I just decided to experiment until I found one that I liked. And what do you know...I ended up liking gingerbread!
My mother loved angels and had many of them around the house. She treasured an alabaster pin of an angel carrying a child that her mother had given to her. One of her favorite Christmas songs was “Guardian Angels” sung by Mario Lanza and I must admit that when I’m missing her I listen to that song and feel warm and cozy. So it’s no wonder that when holiday baking starts, one of the first cutout cookies I make are angels in one form or another. Along with Santa and Christmas trees, these heavenly messengers speak clearly of the miracle of the season.
Santa has always been a very special part of Christmas for me. My mother was a Santa “collector” and his cheery face was everywhere in our home during the holidays. My sister is partial to snowmen in all shapes and sizes. So making and decorating cookies that depict these two symbols of the holiday season is something I just can’t resist. I love the joy they embody and the smiles they bring to everyone’s face. From the goofy mustaches and full beards to the knit hats and sparkling sugar, Santa and Snowmen are on my list of must-have Christmas cookies.
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.
