I know so many people for whom making cookies is one of their favorite Christmas memories. My Grammy used to make cookies with me and my mom every year, and my mom carried on the tradition after she died; but we really weren’t into the cookie baking frenzy the same way as many people are. We love baking the cookies simply because we love them. Sometimes we gave them away as gifts, but most of the time we use them as desserts for impromptu dinner‘s or a treat with a cup of tea in the afternoon in the middle of December.
I have to say, one of my most favorite cookie recipes of all time are called Starlight Sugar Crisps. My Grammy started the tradition, and my mom has faithfully carried it on for as long as I can remember. They are some of the best cookies I think I’ve ever had, mostly because they don’t really taste like cookies. They’re almost like super sweet bread baked just a little too long and a pool of browning sugar. I know I make them sound super unappetizing, but trust me, these are seriously the most wonderful cookies you’ll ever have in your mouth.
When I was little, my Grammy and my mom used to put red and green sugar sprinkles on top of these wonderful cookies. Honestly, since they really don’t need it I have a feeling they did it so that I would enjoy the cookie making process more as a kid. I think we’re programmed as kids to believe that Christmas cookies should be colorful, decorated, and covered in frosting. Now that I’m older, I realize that is so far from the truth. Most of the time anymore, I feel like the most beautiful cookies are the ones that don’t taste as good as they should. So put sprinkles on these or don’t, but they really don’t need it. Even their unusual twisty shape is reminiscent enough of a Christmas bow that the basic cookie itself is Christmas-y enough without the addition of Christmas colored sprinkles. Of course, if you have kids your cooking with, you may want to add the sprinkles to make the process just a little bit more fun.
If these cookies look harder to make then, say, Nestlé Toll House Cookies; it’s because they are. These cookies are reminiscent of the homemaker days where the holiday season was full of days where the hours of baking was the pastime or fun event everyone waited for. However, even with the extra work, I promised these cookies are worth it.
Happy cooking! And happiest of holidays to all.
- 1 Package Dry Yeast
- ¼ Cup Very Warm Water
- 3¾ Cup Sifted Flour
- 1½ teaspoons Salt
- 1 Cup Butter
- 2 Eggs Beaten
- ½ Cup Sour Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1½ Cups Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- Dissolve Yeast in Warm Water.
- Sift together Flour and Salt.
- Cut in Butter until size of small peas (I actually used my Kitchenaid Mixer and it worked stellarly)
- Blend in Eggs, Sour Cream, Vanilla and Yeast.
- Cover and Chill at least two hours.
- Mix Sugar and Vanilla.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spread approximately 3 Tablespoons Sugar mixture on roll out surface.
- Roll out dough to approximately 16X8" or until it's ¼" thick.
- Spread approximately 3 Tablespoons of the Sugar mixture onto the top of the dough.
- Fold the Sugar-covered dough into thirds and roll back out.
- Spread with Sugar and roll out and fold into thirds, three more times.
- Cut into 1X2.5" pieces with a pizza cutter.
- Twist each piece twice and put on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 Minutes or until bottom of cookies are browning.
Leave a Reply