The Night Before Christmas Cookies

For almost 30 years now, I have been the Christmas Cookie Queen.  As a young mother, I wanted an inexpensive way to celebrate family and friends at the holidays. 

I discovered that people began to look forward to my christmas goodie bags.  Folks often commented they were special because 'people just don't take the time anymore'.

We  usually get together on Christmas Eve, so everyone had goodies to nibble while assembling trikes with missing parts, trying to get the 4 yr old back in bed one more time, or something festive with the first cup of coffeeChristmas morning.

My food allergies now keep me from holiday baking, even for others.  So, this year, my gift to you will be all the well loved and dog-eared recipes of Christmases past.  You don't need to make all of these to create a well loved goodie bag, choose your favorites and rotate them year by year.

Merry Christmas to all!


Drinks:  Fill canning jars with drink mix and tie with a ribbon.

Christmas Capuccino
Spicy Winter Tea
A bottle of non-alcoholic apple cider is a great addition too, especially for families/kids.

Breads:  Using small loaf pans or muffin tins make perfect snack sized quick breads.

Pumpkin Bread
Other quick breads like Banana and Zucchini go over well too!

Candy: The holy trinity of Christmas in our family has long been fudge, caramel corn and brittle.

See's Fudge (really from See's!)
Microwave Caramel Corn
Microwave Peanut Brittle
Magic Wands

Cookies: Take the time to ice and decorate your cutouts.  It doesn't have to be fancy! 

Date Pinwheels (Date Nut Bars)
Gingerbread People
Natchez Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Shortbread Cutouts
Spritz

Snacks: By the handful.

Snack Mix
Puppy Chow

Spreads:  Can in smaller jars to spread the love as far as possible.  Any deep stockpot will work fine for boiling water canning.

Apple Jelly
Pumpkin Butter

Bringing Christmas dessert?  Try Jen's Pumpkin Pie.

Vegetables Even Kids Will Eat?  It's just not Christmas without Trees 'n Cheese.

Fruit juice jelly

I always loved apple jelly, but any 100% fruit juice/blend works.

4 C unsweetened apple juice
1/4 C lemon juice
1 1 3/4oz pkg powdered fruit pectin
4 1/2 C sugar

Pour juices into heavy pot.  Sprinkle with pectin and let stand for 1-2 minutes, stir to dissolve.  Bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.  Stir in sugar and return to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently.  Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle into half pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Process in boiling water for 5 minutes, remove jars and let cool until set.

Spritz cookies

You don't have to have a cookie press to make these buttery cookies.  Just drop dough by spoonfuls and flatten slightly with a spoon.  It's important to use butter, not spreads, and to keep the dough at room temperature if you are using a press.  If the dough seems too soft for a cookie dough, it's just right.  (Trust me, broken many a press forcing dough on a cold day!)

1 1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 t baking powder
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3 1/2 C flour

Beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and baking powder, beat until combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can, stir in the rest.

Force dough through cookie press onyo ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 about 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown.  Cool on wire rack.  Dip tops in icing, sprinkle with colored sugar while icing is still wet.


Powdered Sugar Icing

1 C powdered sugar
1/4 t vanilla
1 T milk, juice or water (I like lemon juice on spritz!)