Cookie + cocktail Christmas partying the best we can, as Covid drones on.
story
As with many things in 2020, our cookie party was a virtual one. While we were no strangers to bagging up our favorite cookies to gift to neighborhood businesses and delivery people, it was a first to run around the neighborhood delivering to friends as a replacement for our beloved annual merry-making party!
Come cookie time 2021, we were so pumped to host in our new home, but Omicron was at the doorstep. We cookie-partied, pared down enough minimize the risks of virus spread. While it was not exactly as we had imagined in our new home, it was fun all the same.
recipe
The Full Menu
Here is the list of what my elves and I whipped up. They are in order based on how many years they have been a standard (longest, first). Linked recipes are found in portraits already published on the site, and the remaining make their debut on this portrait.
- Garam Masala Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Cardamom- Scented Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
- Red Hot-hearted Gingerbread Teddies – kicked up old favorite
- Candy Cane Kulfi
- Pralines
- Arav’s Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
- Almond-y Christmas Trees
- Ashriya’s Gingersnaps
- Pirjo’s Finnish Glög
I must also mention some amazing cookies that Dorota brought from Jubilat Provisions in Park Slope. Everyone who tasted them couldn’t stop talking about them. I ran by Jubilat a few times and they didn’t have any more. Check back there early December 2022!
music
Christmas Cookies + Cocktails Playlist
This has been growing every year. Last year’s favorite addition was Daveed Digg’s “Puppy for Hanukkah,” and we were singing it long past Hanukkah.
This year we came across two brilliant albums by the Geeta Brothers. We only found it the morning of the party, which was perfect timing to add some amazing laughs as we shaped and baked hundreds of cookies. Did you see the short clip of this year’s cookie factory in the section above? Their version of “Frosty the Snowman” was on the speakers.
recipe
Pirjo’s Finnish Glög
Let’s start with the favorite new addition because to enjoy it, it needs advance prep: infusing the vodka. The full portrait about Pirjo’s Finish Glög can be found here, along with a Finnish Christmas playlist to accompany it, thank’s to Pirjo’s son Oskari.
recipe
Ashriya’s Gingersnaps
Ashirya’s Gingersnaps
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup butter, softened 138g
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 lg egg
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice
Coating
- 1/4 c decorating sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C), and line baking sheet w/ parchment paper (or grease it)
- Beat butter, sugar, salt and baking soda on medium until creamy. Add the egg and beat on high until a tad fluffy. Add molasses and beat on low to combine.
- Add flour and spices, beating on medium to a smooth, cohesive dough. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the coating. For best results, chill the dough for at last 30 minutes
- Taking small bits of dough, roll into even 1/2 inch balls and drop into coating. Roll a bit to coat, and then put them on the prepared baking sheet with a bit of space in between as they will spread into a round cookie shape.
- Baking time will depend on ovens and preference for chewiness. We like making them bite-sized (3/4 inch balls), with a thin crisp outer later and a nice chewy center, which in our annoying Paris oven is a surprising 10 minutes. Ovens vary so much, so keep an eye on them starting at four minutes. As a reference point. the top will crack when it is somewhere between soft and crispy.Cool on pan or wire rack and watch them disappear before you have time to plate or store them!
recipe
Ashriya’s Candy Cane Cookie
Ashriya has developed two versions of a peppermint cookie but only one made the cookie party this year, and Arav made them. Her recipe uses the basics from the “Cookie Formerly known as Christmas Twist,” swaps out almond extract for peppermint extract, and adds crushed candy canes on the top for crunch (note that the recipe differs in other ways as well so see below for details).
The other peppermint cookie that Ashriya invented was the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream cookie, developed the summer of 2020. We may have to incorporate that in the 2022 Cookie Party!
Candy Cane Cookies
Equipment
- Mini Candy Cane Cookie Cutter
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened salted full-fat butter like Kerrygold
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- red food coloring optional
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- crushed candy cane
Instructions
- Crush candy canes: unwrap them and place them in a ziplock bag. Place the bag on cutting board (or similar) to protect your counter/table. Use a meat tenderizer or flat side of a wooden spook to crack them into very small pieces. Keep aside.
- Carefully soften butter in microwave if not very soft, careful not to let it melt. Mix butter and sugar on high until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and peppermint extract and beat on high until fluffy.
- If using, add a few drops of food coloring to desired color (mindful that you may want to make it a bit darker than desired because the flour will lighten the color some).
- While mixing at medium speed, add baking powder and the flour in 1/2 cup increments, just to combine. Do not over mix.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour. This will help the dough and also make it easier to handle. Dough keeps in the fridge for a few days, or roll into 1.5 inch diameter logs and freeze, for slice and bake!
- When beginning to roll cookies, preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (or leave ungreased if not using paper).
- Roll out with a bit of flour to about 1/3 inch thick and cut with mini cookie cutter. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheets leaving a bit of gap between them because they will expand a bit. When the tray is full, sprinkle a bit of candy cane across the cookies.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until they just begin to crack slightly on the top. That will keep them nice and soft.
- Cool on the pan for a minute, then transfer directly to a wire rack to cool completely.
recipe
Almondy Christmas Trees
After a happy accident lead to us adding sounf to our famous banana muffins, we started putting it lots of other places, too. Here it adds a nice crunch and surprise flavor (not to mention festive, christmas-light-looking decor) to Almondy Christmas Tree cookies.
Almondy Christmas Trees w/ Saunf
Equipment
- Mini Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened, salted full-fat butter 225g
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (powder works, too)
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- green food coloring optional
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour T65 in France
- saunf (candied fennel) optional
Instructions
- Carefully soften butter in microwave if not very soft, careful not to let it melt. Mix butter and sugar on high until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extract and beat on high until fluffy.
- If using, add a few drops of food coloring to desired color (mindful that you may want to make it a bit darker than desired because the flour will lighten the color some).
- While mixing at medium speed, add baking powder and the flour in 1/2 cup increments, just to combine. Do not over mix.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour. This will help the dough and also make it easier to handle. Dough keeps in the fridge for a few days, or roll into 1.5 inch diameter logs and freeze, for slice and bake!
- When beginning to roll cookies, preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (or leave ungreased if not using paper).
- Roll out with a bit of flour to about 1/3 inch thick and cut with mini Christmas tree cookie cutter. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheets leaving a bit of gap between them because they will expand a bit. When the tray is full, add a few pieces of saunf on each tree.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes or until they just begin to crack slightly on the top. That will keep them nice and soft.
- Cool on the pan for a minute, then transfer directly to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
December 2022 you will be here before we know it! Covid, we hope you will be a (mostly) distant memory when that time rolls around.
In the meantime, let’s eat more cookies!
