Want to share what I’ve been up to during the pre-Christmas holiday. I love baking cookies to share with my friends, family, co-workers…and anyone who wants a cookie during the Holidays. The following recipes are mostly family traditions, but I’ve tried a couple new cookies this year, just so things don’t get stale. 
If you try any of them please let me know how you liked them. And do post you’re own heirloom cookie recipes. I’m going to bookmark this thread for reference in coming years.
M&M Cookies (traditional must have for my family)
1 cup shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 bag M&M’s (was 16 oz bag when this recipe was made, now a 14 oz bag)
Cream together sugars and shortening. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then gradually add to the sugar mixture, mixing well. Stir in 1/2 cup M&M’s. I pick out all the brown ones then add more to make 1/2 - 3/4 cup. I save all the colorful ones for the tops. Of course, use the Holiday M&M’s if you wish. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Arrange reserved M&M’s on top of unbaked cookies. I usually put 4 on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool for a couple minutes on cookie sheets then remove to wire rack.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (traditional)
1 1/4 cups softened butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins
3 cups old fashioned oats (uncooked)
Oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together till fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to the creamed sugar mixture gradually until incorporated. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool for a couple minutes on cookie sheet then remove to wire rack.
Nestle Toll House Cookies (From the bag)
in order to not violate any copyrights, buy your own bag
I made them with dark chocolate chips this year. Yummy!
Snowball Cookies (new recipe for me)
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
10 oz bag of white chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
Powdered sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until creamy. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. While the cookies are hot and still on the cookie sheets, sift powdered sugar over them. Cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (a new recipe for me)
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaseoon salt
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking sheets with shortening. Combine Shortening, sugar, egg, milk and vanilla in a large bowl, beating until well blended. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt and mix into creamed mixture just until well blended. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes, cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before moving to a wire rack.
I’m also going to make a Heath cookie this year, but haven’t given them a taste test yet. I’ll post the recipe if I deem them worthy.
Enjoy your Holidays everyone!