So, do you guys think it is too early for Christmas cookies??? Maybe??

Nah.

I have to say, it is never too early for cookies around here. I’ve already started diving into my notes from last year and digging around in my cookbooks to plan the great Christmas cookie barrage for 2012.  Since I the first thing I did was collect my favorite recipes from last year and add them to my list, I thought I would share them with all of you so that you could add them to your list as well. The fact that I ran all these recipes last year in December made it extra easy to start my planning this year. I hope that these help you out with your cookie planning as well!

1. Lena’s Christmas Cookies

These cookies are amazing. This recipe was originally given to me my fellow NPR writer Sara in AZ, and I am so thankful she sent it in! They are very soft and fluffy and are SO tasty when frosted. I literally had to watch Tom like a hawk after these were done. He would snag one every time he walked past the cookie table!

Lena’s Christmas Sugar Cookies

1 3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Shortening (1/2 Butter and 1/2 Crisco)

3 Eggs

1 Cup Sour Cream

4 Cups Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp. Salt

Vanilla (no amount was given, so I guess just a dash?)

Blend together Sugar, Shortening, Eggs, Sour Cream, and vanilla

Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and then mix into Sugar mixture

Roll out and cut the cookies. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8-12 mins. at 350.

*Note: Sara even included this amazing picture of her Grandma Lena on her wedding day!

Thanks, Sara!

2. Elevator Lady Spice Cookie

This recipe was originally sent in by Reader Barbara, and I am so glad she sent it! It is a great, classic spice cookie from the hilarious Peg Bracken from her I Hate To Cook Book. This is a great cookie for Christmas or anytime!

The book’s intro to recipe:
“Once, in an elevator en route to my office, I was eating some spice cookies which I had made from a recipe in my big fat cookbook.
I gave one to the Elevator Lady, and she tasted it.
‘My,’ she said reflectively, ‘I can sure make a better spice cooky than that.’ So she brought me her recipe, and she was quite right. This is a short, rich, ginger-snap sort of a cooky, and the recipe makes plenty.”

Elevator Lady Spice Cookies
From Peg Bracken’s I Hate to Cook Book

Mix together:
¾ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg, unbeaten
¼ cup molasses

Then sift together and stir in:
2 cups flour
2 tsp soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp powdered cloves
¾ tsp powdered ginger

Now mix it all together, and form it into walnut-sized balls.
Put them two inches apart on a greased cooky sheet
and bake at 375 degrees for ten to twelve minutes.

3. Jim Dandies

This is a GREAT cookie. It is from Pillsbury’s 10th Recipe Contest, and Tom and I have made these for a couple years now. The cookie is a nice, soft cookie and tastes great with the fudgy frosting. Yum!

This cookie was a total winner. In fact, I am making it again this year!

4. Coconut Top Hats

It’s not Christmas at my parent’s house unless my mom makes a batch of Coconut Top Hats. Seriously. The base is a crisp butter cookie and is topped with a chewy coconut macaroon-type topping that is amazing with the melted chocolate and the cherry. I LOVE these!

Coconut Top Hats

Cookie Dough

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter, add sugar gradually and then beat in yolk and vanilla. Blend in flour and salt. Shape dough in 1o inch roll and wrap in wax paper. Chill overnight.

Coconut Topping

2 cups chopped coconut

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 egg white

1 Tablespoon water

Combine above ingredients. Chill.

Cut chilled cookie dough into 1/8 inch slices. Shape 1 tsp coconut mixture to fit cookie. Baked 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool.

1 cup chocolate chips, melted

Marachino cherries, cut in half

Remove cookies from pan. Place 1 tsp melted chocolate on top of cooled cookie. Decorate with cherry half.

5. East End Bars (or Nanaimo bars)

I literally CANNOT make these bars more than a couple of times a year. Tom goes crazy for them, and can eat an entire 9×9 pan in one sitting. While these may not be a great cookie tray item, since they need to be stored in the fridge, they are a GREAT Holiday treat for your family!

*Note: This is NOT the greatest picture. Since this pictured batch I have taken to doubling the “Part 3” chocolate topping. AND make sure that the second layer is chilled before adding the chocolate layer. They turn out MUCH better looking and cut easier as well.

Tom LOVES these!!!!

Do you have any classic cookie recipes that you make every year? Feel free to share!