Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

Molasses cookies—love this recipe, and I’m not usually a spice cookie fan! Photography: Rachel Cuthbert Photography

Molasses cookies—love this recipe, and I’m not usually a spice cookie fan! Photography: Rachel Cuthbert Photography

It’s December 22, and I’m finally ready to begin baking. I like to save my Christmas baking until I’ve finished all of my holiday shopping, and I’m ready to hang out in the kitchen, listen to Christmas music or play a well loved holiday movie in the background. These are some of my favorite moments right before the flurry of relatives & friends descend for Christmas. And I do have a very specific repertoire that is in my rotation: Italian knot cookies from this cookbook, lemon drop cookies, pizzelles, chocolate and vanilla biscotti, thumbprint cookies with raspberry filling & Russian teacakes are a few of my favorites!

The following molasses cookie has become a new holiday favorite. And honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of gingerbread or spice cookies, but this molasses cookie is delicious. It’s from one of my favorite baking cookbooks, “A Collection of Mrs. R’s Old Fashioned Recipes.” Mrs. R Old Fashioned Bakery was located in Pentwater, MI, and when Mrs. R. closed shop, in 2014, she compiled some of her favorites in a spiral bound book that is unfortunately no longer in print. I did, however, get permission to publish the following recipe:

Molasses Cookies

(reprinted with permission)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, combine:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 1/3 cups canola oil

  • 1/2 cup molasses (recipe suggests using a brand with a mild taste, but of course this is a preference. Adjust accordingly)

  • 2 eggs

  • 4 tsp. baking soda

  • 1 tsp. ground cloves

  • 1 tsp. ground ginger

  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp. salt (scant)

Mix above ingredients well in your mixer. While mixer is still turning, add:

  • 4 cups flour (one cup at a time)

When thoroughly mixed, form into balls (about the size of ping-pong balls) and roll in a small bowl of granulated sugar before placing on a greased or parchment papered cookie sheet. Leave the cookies in a ball. Do not flatten.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies begin to crack. Cool for about 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet onto a cooling rack. If cookies are too thick, take away a couple of tablespoons. Don’t be afraid to “tweak” your cookies to fit your preference.

Makes about 30 cookies that are 4 inches in diameter.

If you’ve followed along for any time, you know that my Italian heritage deeply influences my cooking & baking. For the holidays, I favor more traditional Italian confections. The following are a handful of links to recipes, cookbooks, & cookie inspiration:

From left to right: Lemon Drop cookies, Chocolate Almond Biscotti, Cranberry Nut Biscotti, Grandma’s Pizzelles, Italian Knot Cookies Photography: Rachel Cuthbert Photography

From left to right: Lemon Drop cookies, Chocolate Almond Biscotti, Cranberry Nut Biscotti, Grandma’s Pizzelles, Italian Knot Cookies Photography: Rachel Cuthbert Photography

What are some of your favorite holiday cookies? Please share! Wishing you a wonderful holiday as you enjoy time with your friends and fami!y. Buon Natale! Jen

Pizzelle Cookie Recipe

Pizzelle Cookie Recipe

I’m feeling particularly nostalgic this Mother’s Day. April would have marked my grandmother’s 91 st birthday—she passed way in October. I’m incredibly grateful for the 40+ years that I had with her, and when Tree Classics asked me to share an heirloom recipe I knew this was the perfect opportunity to explore her recipe box. It didn’t take me long to settle on making her pizzelle cookies. I can’t remember a holiday without them, and hers were my absolute favorite.

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