Happy National Cookie day! In honor of the day I thought I’d share some of my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes, along with a gift guide for cooks and bakers in your life! I have to be honest, I am not a baker. But I sure love Christmas cookies, and at Christmastime I love sitting at the dining room table decorating Christmas cookies. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, it’s just nice to listen to some Christmas music and focus on creativity for awhile!

You can see my Christmas cookie spread from last year down below! Though I am not a baking expert, my mom is! She is the one who has the tried and true recipes for cookies. Since these are her recipes, I called her up yesterday and made sure it was ok to share!

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Gramma Moulton’s Sugar Cookie Recipe

I love this Christmas cookie recipe because they’re soft rather than crunchy. You just have to take my word for it and try them!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup shortening
• ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
• ½ cup sour milk (add 1 Tbsp vinegar to sweet milk)
• 1-2 teaspoons Vanilla (extract of choice)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 heaping cups flour

Directions:

1. Cream sugar, egg and shortening.
2. Add milk and vanilla, and mix.
3. Fold in baking soda, baking powder and flour. Mix until smooth soft dough.
4. Can chill or roll out on well-floured area to ¼ inch.
5. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
6. Eat plain or decorated.

Makes 3 dozen.

Mom’s Gingerbread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 Tablespoons sweet butter softened (not melted)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup molasses
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and molasses.
2. Sift the flour, ginger, cloves and chili powder.
3. Using wooden spoon, gradually combine the ingredients to make a stiff dough.
4. Turn out onto lightly-floured work surface. Knead lightly until smooth.
5. Wrap with saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Roll out ¼ inch thick and cut out cookies. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
8. Ice with Royal Icing

 

Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers

So now, what should you get your favorite cook or baker for Christmas? I still stand by my recommendations for Cooks from last year. My immersion blender gets used all the time! I now think it’s a must-have for any kitchen. You’d be surprised how much you can use it! If I was picking one this year I would recommend this one because it has even more awesome attachments!

I would add these items to my gift guide for cooks and bakers:

 

1. A baking mat that rolls flat is a great gift for any baker. This jumbo one looks good too!
2. This pizza cutter is great for pizza, but also for cookie and baking creations!
3. A good-quality rolling pin that is easy to clean and put away is another important kitchen staple according to my mom. For the kitchen guru who has everything, maybe try this rolling pin! It’s got depth adjustment so you can roll to the perfect thickness! Plus, how pretty is this one!?
4. I am seriously obsessed with this handy tool in the kitchen. I got one for Christmas last year and now I want one in every room in my house! While I’m stirring pots I ask Alexa measuring conversions, to set a timer, to play a Pandora station, or to do the math for me to split a recipe in half! I can even make a call on it, drop in on another room with an echo dot (Honey, it’s time for dinner!) and turn the heat down! If you haven’t tried one, they are on sale so frequently during the holiday season that it would make a fun gift to try out!
5. Another gift I got last year was a Triple kitchen timer and it has been SO useful!
6. I think every kitchen needs a few of these. I keep these above my stove so I can just grab and use rather than digging through the cupboard to find the oils.
7. Metal Turners and Spatulas work well for lifting cookies of the cookie sheet. My mom loves metal ones with wood handles.
8. I have been hearing so much about these air fryers. I’d love to try one!

Another item my mom says she likes to have on hand is a set of shakers to add whatever you need: cocoa, powdered sugar, etc.

What do you have on your list for your favorite cook or baker? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Virginia

 

Linking up with: Glass of Glam | Sincerely Jenna Marie | More Pieces of Me | Pumps & Pushups