for the love of nums
These are those Christmas cookies that you physically cannot stop yourself from eating. If I have a tin of these in my grasp, you will probably have to hit me with a few thousand volts before attempting to pry it from my clutches. And even then, good luck, my friend. I hope you’re wearing steel-mesh gloves.
I first tried these highly addictive cookies the very first Christmas I spent with John at my future in-laws’ home. His mom makes them every year and stores them wrapped in wax paper inside holiday tins. We’d only been dating three or four months at the time, but I’m pretty sure those cookies factored in when I accepted his proposal a few months later.
My procurement of this recipe was basically the foodie equivalent of hitting the jackpot. Passed down through the generations, it has brought Christmas joy into the hearts of many an Allan spawn for more than half a century, and I finally convinced my mother-in-law to hand it over. It only took me 9 years and 3 grandchildren.
Deceptively simple, these are buttery, crisp and just slightly sweet (um, and I may have mentioned before, addictive – seriously, don’t say I didn’t warn you), they are the perfect base for a little Christmas-cookie decorating or accompaniment for a steamy little cup of hot cocoa. These puppies are our Santa cookies every single year. Which works out nicely for me.
One thing I cannot stress enough for a simple recipe like this where butter is the shining star: USE. QUALITY. BUTTER. For me, that will always be Vital Farms pasture-raised butter because it’s made from the milk of happy, field-frolicking cows; it’s 85% butterfat, which means that, like that Euro-style butter you always hear fancy bakers braggin’ on, it turns out really tender, flavorful baked goods (only Vital’s doin’ it right here in the USA); and perhaps most importantly, it just tastes better. Like way better. No kidding. I’ve done taste tests. Yes, butter taste tests. Plus, while I haven’t yet been to one of the small family farms where the cows live, I have had the opportunity to tour several of their egg farms, so I know how well they treat their “girls,” as they so affectionately refer to their animals.
These are super quick to whip up, and you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen as you read this. The best part: my boys looooove to get in on this action, so this is something you can do with your kids each Christmas that they’ll always look forward to. I love that we’re carrying on this long-standing family holiday tradition. And if keeping with tradition means I also have to eat a few cookies in the process, that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for my children.
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dozen (ish)
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Ingredients
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