As the holidays near and families are planning their small celebrations, I wanted to share some of my grandmas best holiday cookie recipes. In my last post, I talked about some fun holiday activities to do this month, and baking cookies and listening to Christmas music was one of them.
Baking holiday cookies with my grandma and family always make great memories every year, and I would love to share the same yummy recipes with you. As you can see above, these cookie recipes are coming straight from my grandmas hand-written notes that she had written over the years, with much love❤️
Below are 3 perfect holiday cookie recipes to try this holiday season!
1. Sesame Cookies
Ingredients:
(Makes approx. 4-5 dozen)
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter
1 stick (1/2 cup) vegetable shortening
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups sesame seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Use a small scooper to make a ball of dough and shape into a finger and dip in bowl of sesame seeds, making sure the seeds cover the entire cookie. Place 1-inch apart on parchment-lined sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown, let cool, and enjoy!
2. Italian Honey Balls
Ingredients:
(Approx. 40 cups)
6 eggs
1cup sugar
1/2 cup oil or soft butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
4-5 cups flour (or as much needed to knead soft dough)
Rainbow nonpareils sprinkles
2 cups (or 16 oz.) honey
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. flour
Directions:
For the dough balls, in a large bowl, place eggs, sugar, and oil, and stir with a fork. Sift into that, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix by hand when you have enough flower to kneed together. Once it creates a dough mixture, make dough into skinny snakes about 12 inches long and cut with a knife into 1-inch squares. Fry one batch at a time until lightly golden brown. Use a large throw-away pan, lined with paper towels, to drain some of the oil on the fried balls. For the honey coating, cook honey, sugar, and flour in large pot until very hot. Watch honey closely or else it will boil over. Pour over small balls in large baking pan and quickly mix with wooden spoon until all coated, and add in rainbow nonpareils sprinkles. Evenly portion into cupcake papers and enjoy!
3. Holiday Roll and Cut Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
(Makes approx. 4-5 dozen)
1 cup butter softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla
3-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugar with mixer till fluffy. Blend in eggs and stir in vanilla. Combine in another bowl and sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Then, add to the butter mixture and mix well. Divide dough and make two disks. Place in plastic bags and refrigerate 1 hour, or more, for an easier rolling. On a floured surface, roll small amount at a time to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, leaving a little room in between, as cookies will expand in the baking process. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on sheet. Then, remove and let cookies cool on a rack. Lastly, decorate and enjoy!
*Note: If you want, you can frost cookies with a simple sugar and milk glaze & sprinkle with colored sugar.
OR: If you prefer, you can tint the dough for red and green cookies. Add 20 drops pf food coloring at the point you stir in the vanilla.
I hope you get to try out these recipes and enjoy them as much as me and my family do. I have so many more recipes to share from my grandma so please let me know if you would like to try more!
Happy Baking!
Xoxo,
Steph
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