For me the Christmas baking is a critical part of Christmas. There are some cookies that go back at least 3 generations in our family that I have to make every year. They are still some of my mom’s favorites and I remember stories of Grandma making them. My recipe card was copied off of my mother’s card and that was copied out of a Swiss cookbook of my Grandma. For me those two cookies make it Christmas. The rest of the cookies are optional.
1. Cinnamon Stars
These are my absolute favorite. They are a meringue based cookie loaded with almonds and cinnamon. (Recipe)
2. Chocolate Stars
These are very similar to the cinnamon stars. They too are meringue based with almonds but they also have loads of chocolate and enough Kircsh to give them a slight cherry flavor. (Recipe)
3. Chocolate Crinkles
I discovered these in university although I don’t remember where I found the recipe. Somewhere in my travels I lost the recipe. I must have made them for my wife once early in our relationship because she remembered them when someone brought them into her work. Thus I got the recipe back. It is a different name than I remember but the same cookie. I love how they go from a white ball to that lovely crinkled look. (Recipe)
4. Gingerbread
My wife bakes these ones although she loves that I came in to the relationship with a big KitchenAid mixer. She used to make them by hand. This is such a family activity that it just has to be part of Christmas. The picture is from last year at Christmas time when we made an igloo.
5. Shortbread
There are a thousand and one recipes for shortbread and I didn’t discover that I liked them until my wife made some. A lot I still don’t like but her’s and a couple of others I quite like now.
6. Thimble Cookies
These are from my wife’s grandma and are also a tradition. Unfortunately the recipe was lost when she passed away. My wife has found something close enough on the internet. These are always filled with homemade raspberry jam.
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