My Favorite Christmas Cookies – Recipe and Directions

The recipe for these variety cookies is meant to be split into three and cooked as Vanilla, Spice, and Chocolate. Long ago my mom decided that these aren’t worth eating unless they’re all chocolate. I will include the full recipe in case you want to divide and flavor, but honestly: make them all chocolate. Note: my sisters and i know these cookies as “the ones you suck the coldness out of” if you’re curious as to what the heck that’s supposed to mean, let me know and i’ll fill you in on the real secret on how to eat these cookies.

Variety Cookies

• 2 cups vegetable shortening (Please get the Spectrum veggie shortening, vs Crisco. You could probably sub lard)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 6 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tsp molasses
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves
• Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. cream shortening, gradually add the sugar and beat until light
3. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time beating thoroughly
4. beat until light and fluffy
5. Mix dry ingredients (not spices)  and add to creamed mixture, mixing well
6. Divide dough in 3 parts, leave one plain, add molasses and spices to one, and mix in melted chocolate into the other

To make the cookies:

Roll dough into a ball

Place balls on cookie sheet and smoosh with the bottom of a small glass. The best glass is one that has a concave bottom so that the cookies end up looking a bit like raviolis: humped centers with ruffled edges. Consider using a silpat or parchment paper. I like to smooch, add some sprinkles, lightly smoosh again. You may like to keep a dish of flour on hand to flour the glass you’re using between smooshings.

Bake 10 minutes.

Be careful not too have your racks to low as the bottom of the cookies can burn and it’s hard to tell when they’re done as they’re already dark brown, the chocolate ones at least.

They’ll come out soft and cakey, so take great care in lifting them off of the sheet onto paper towels to cool.

I usually halve this recipe and make only chocolate ones. Makes enough to give to some friends and have plenty of decadence stored in the freezer for us. Notes: just want to be sure i made it clear: if you’re making the chocolate or plain cookies do NOT add the dry spices or molasses. Still wondering about “sucking the coldness out?” It has to do with storing in the freezer…. you know you wanna know! Leave me a comment and ask me