oh nutmeg

Even though the holidays are over, I still have a large box of cookies left over that I can't seem to part with. Holiday cookies are one of my favorite things and I suppose it's something that I like to savor a little after the holiday madness is over. One of the more fun cookies to make is what my family calls nutmeg logs. It's kind of like playing with play dough, you get to roll the dough out into long strips and cut them into little logs. You then frost them with powdered sugar frosting and scrap it to look like wood. Check it out for yourself.

nutmeg logs

sift 3 cups flour and 1 tsp nutmeg. cream 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar. blend in 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla.  gradually add the ingredients and mix well. shape dough into long rolls about 1/2 '' diameter. cut into 3'' lengths and place on un-greased baking sheet. bake until light brown 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. cool and frost with powdered sugar frosting. mark frosting with fork to resemble bark. sprinkle with nutmeg. 

sprinkle wonderland

Yesterday you could've called me master cookie maker. Like I've said before, every year I dedicate one day to making all of my grandma's traditional Christmas cookies and let me tell you my house smelt amazing. One of my favorites that I make are spritz cookies. Half of the reason they are so fun is because I dye them red and green before really decorating them, so they already have some cookie character.

Grandma's Sprtiz Recipe

Mix 1 cup soft butter, 2 1/3 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla. Work with hands. Add gradually 2 1/2 cup sifted four. Chill dough and run through a cookie press onto ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with candies and sprinkles.

Bake until set but not brown. Temp 400 for 7- 10 minutes.

* If you want colored dough, before chilling dough, half the dough and drop a few drops of food coloring in each pile and mix until desired color.

Russian Tea Cakes

One of my most favorite traditions is baking my Grandma's cookies for the holidays. It was something that I looked forward to eating every year as a kid and once I got old enough, she taught me how to make them and I have been making them ever since. My favorite cookie by far out of the batch, is what we call Russian Tea Cakes or I've heard them be called Mexican wedding cookies too. I think I might have shared these in the past but they are that good! 

Russian Tea Cakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Blend well (working with your hands) ad 2 1/4 cup sifted flour, 1 tsp salt and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. Chill. Form into balls. Bake 14-17 minutes. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar.

holiday traditions

The holiday season definitely holds a special place in my heart because of traditions that I love and look forward to more than anything. One of those traditions is baking my Grandma's christmas cookies every year for Christmas time. Her cookies just taste like Christmas to me and I'm beyond anxious to make them. Next week I will start sharing a few of her recipes that you might be able to incorporate in your holiday tradition. In the mean time, here is my latest holiday cookie that is almost as good as Grandma's. These little dark chocolate stars are quite tasty and next time you head into your local Trader Joe's, you'd be silly to not pick up a box, or two! 

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homemade holidays {sweets}

It's been a tradition in my family to bake cookies every year for christmas. My grandma started it because her grandma did it and there hasn't been a christmas without these cookies. And they aren't your typical sugar cut out cookies, they are your pound of butter, old fashioned, lots of sugar, tons of sprinkles, if you eat too many you get a tummy ache, but they're oh sooo good cookies. There are about 5 types of cookies that my grandma used to bake and I carry her tradition on for my dad and the rest of the family. So I wanted to share my favorite recipe for russian tea cakes. Can you say MMMMMM....

Russian Tea Cakes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Blend well (working with your hands) ad 2 1/4 cup sifted flour, 1 tsp salt and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. Chill. Form into balls. Bake 14-17 minutes. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar.