About 23 years ago I got a Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookie recipe book. For several years, beginning right after Thanksgiving I would start baking two or three different types of cookies every week. Some of them turned out to be favorites. Others we discarded. Along the way I made notes in the book such as; "Watch these carefully during baking", Daddy's favorite", "These are yucky!" etc. The result is a recipe book that contains little notes to whomever should acquire the book in the future. It has proved to be helpful in helping me to remember what worked and didn't work in making them from one year to the next. I also made notations as to what year we first tried the recipe.
The recipe below turned out to be Rachel, our oldest daughter's favorite Christmas cookie. (Or at least one of them!) We first tried them in 1990. My notes read: "These are good but must be rolled thin," and, "Rachel's favorite". The editor's notes read, "When a Test Kitchen Director discovered the wishing cookie tradition of her Swedish friends, she adapted the fun to one of her favorite cutout cookies."
Here is how you eat a "Wish Cookie". Place a cookie in the palm of your hand. Press in the center with one finger of your other hand. If the cookie breaks into three pieces and you can eat all three without saying a word, you get to make a wish. (Keeping quiet is the hard part!)
Do you have a family recipe or a favorite cookie that you like to make during the holiday season? I'd love it if you would share it with us! Just send me an e-mail with the recipe along with a picture, if possible to: simplyhome@satx.rr.com I'll post them on the blog for all to enjoy!
Wish Cookies
3-1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 C. butter or margarine
1-1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. molasses
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel
Lace Icing. (recipe below)
Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a large mixing bowl beat butter or margarine till softened. Add sugar and beat till fluffy. Add egg, molasses, water and peel and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating till well. mixed. Cover and chill about 2 hours or till easy to handle.
Roll dough 1/8" thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake un a 375 oven about 8 minutes or till done. Remove and cool. With a decorating bag and writing tip pipe on a design with Lace Icing. Makes about 100.
Lace Icing: Stir together 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and enough light cream or milk (about 2 Tbsp.) to make icing of piping consistency.
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