Mom’s Christmas Cookies

My mom passed away just over a year ago. We went through Christmas without her last year for the first time, but there is still a different feel this year.

One of the ways both my sister and I remember mom is through her baking. There were several classic cookies, and similar treats, she made every year. Neither of us makes the whole collection, but we both have settled into a couple favorites.

For me they have become something I take around to share with friends. Which had led to lots of requests to share recipes. Since mom shared the recipes freely I figured I’d do the same for the ones I make all the time.

Fudge Nut Bars (without nuts)

These are really a year round favorite, but at Christmas usually our households will go through several trays.

Ingredients

Bars:

• 1 Cup Butter
• 2 Cups Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tsp Vanilla
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups rolled oats

To make bars GF:

• Replace flour with 2 ½ cups all-purpose GF flour.
• Add 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• Make sure to use GF oats.

Topping:

• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tbl butter, melted
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Topping:

Mix chocolate pieces, condensed milk, butter, and salt in double boiler (or heat in microwave using 30 second bursts). Stir until smooth. Add in vanilla when done heating.

Bars:

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients.
4. Spread two-thirds of mixture on bottom of 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan, pressing into all the corners.
5. Cover with topping.
6. Drop remaining oatmeal mix on top and swirl over topping.
7. Bake at 350° 25-30 minutes.

Christmas Tree Almond Press Cookies

These require a cookie press, and can actually be made in many colors and shapes – but in our family the almond ones were nearly always Christmas tree shaped. See picture at the start of the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 cups flour
• Green food coloring (Wilton Kelly Green was Mom’s clear preference)
• Decorations if desired.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°

1. Cream butter until very soft.
2. Work in sugar, then egg, then vanilla, then almond
3. Sift together dry ingredients and add gradually.
4. Color as desired. Don’t fear over mixing, make sure the color is what you want and evenly distributed.
5. Form cookies with press on an ungreased baking sheet. Decorate if desired.
6. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes.
7. Cool for a minute on the tray, and then transfer carefully to a wire rack until cool.