Cookie Day!

Yes, my fellow DIYeters, it is Cookie Day. Today was that day in December when my non-biologically-related sisters and I crash my dad’s house and make a zillion sweet treats for the Yuletide. This year, none of the kiddos could make it, so it was just Dad, Karen, Sammy, Jess, and me. I know it sounds like a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but it worked out perfectly. If you tend to have a smaller gathering for Christmas, I highly recommend the Cookie Swap model. We made 4 different treats and split the results. Everyone got a nice variety of cookies, nobody was stuck with more cookies than they could possibly consume.

We made classic shortbread, Dad’s favorite. Sammy found a recipe for Eggnog Cookies, which she had never made before. They are cakey, spicy cookie sandwiches with an eggnog-flavored cream in the middle. We will have to make a double batch next year, maybe a triple batch. Here is the recipe. You need this treat in your life.

Make the cookies:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup eggnog
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 egg yolks

Sift the first 5 ingredients together. In another bowl, cream the sugar and butter together, then add the eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks. Beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to form a soft dough.

Drop mounded teaspoons of the dough on cookie sheets. (For some reason the word “mound” was hilarious to us today.) Mix together:

  • 2 TBL coarse sugar
  • 2 tsp nutmeg

Sprinkle the sugar/nutmeg mixture over the dough mounds.

Bake at 300F for 15-20 minutes, until light brown. Let the cookies cool completely. While that happens, make the Eggnog Cream Filling.

  • 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 TBL eggnog

Beat the butter and powdered sugar together, then add the other ingredients and beat until smooth. Let chill for 20-30 minutes to let it firm up.

Make into cookie sandwiches with the completely cooled cookies.

We also made some super easy treats that Karen found a recipe for…which is barely even a recipe. We melted white chocolate chips and dipped buttery round crackers into it. The crackers wealthy, ritzy people like. You know what crackers I mean. Before the chocolate hardened we decorated them with sprinkles. These were so easy and really tasty! If you have some very young people helping you make treats for any occasion, they could certainly help with the process. Just buy sprinkles that match the occasion, and you can not go wrong.

And, yes, we made some new friends. If you are new to the Food It Yourself blog, we have a tradition of making Moravian Spice Cookies. When we make Moravian Spice Cookies, some of them are cut into gingerbread folk. The house rule is: if you decorate a gingerbread folk you have to give them a name and a back story. Who showed up this year? Well, just take a look! (NOTE: This gets PG 13. You have been warned.)

This is D’Neice. She is ready for NYE. She is heading to the club, waiting for the ball to drop. Sammy made sure D’Neice’s nails were on point.

One of mine: with his Stetson hat and rhinestoned duds, he is ready to hit the stage. Ladies and Gentlemen, strait from Nashville with a full set of new original songs, Buff Orpington!

Another of mine: this is Cade. Cade is The Quarterback at The University. Cade might have a concussion. The NCAA says Cade does not have a concussion.

This is Dad’s creation. (This is not a political blog.) This is Mr. Politician. As expected, Mr. Politician has his head up his @$$.

Also Dad’s creation- this guy voted for Mr. Politician. It seemed like a good idea on November 5th. Now, as you can see, he is full of existential dread. The Dread Only Grows.

Jess made this one. Her name is Maggie. By Maggie’s account, she is the most over-worked and under-paid employee. Around the office she is known as G-Spot, because nobody can find her. (PSSSST! Nobody likes Maggie.)

Karen decorated this one. Her name is Marlene. Marlene’s personal motto is “Blue hair, don’t care!” She is in charge of the office Holiday Party. She has gone all out. Because that’s Marlene. (PSSSSST! Everyone loves Marlene.)

Undt dis is Hans. Hans ist wearing his starry lederhosen, because he ist going to do de especial Northern Lights Dance. (This one is mine.)

There are so many midwinter festivals humans celebrate. Whenever cold and dark take over, we just reach out and grab on to the light, share treats, sing, dance, and shove that darkness back where it came from. That is just the human thing to do. (This is NOT a political blog.) What fun-giving, light-bringing, laughter-infused activities are you engaging in these days? If it is summer where you are, have you planned your mid-winter coping activities? Share in the comments!

Want the full story on Moravian Spice Cookies? Here are some links.

Please take a look at all the gingerbread friends we have made in the past few years. Please make time to create traditions for your family, weather family by biology, by legal definition, or by choice. Times are tough, but so are we. Love will get us through these interesting times. (This is not a political blog.)

Category : Cook it yourself, DIYet
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