Christmas (Cookies) in July…

“Better late than never,” I always say, and in this case, it’s especially late. As if Christmastime wasn’t busy enough, I accepted a new job just after the holidays. After being a stay-at-home mom for the last nine years, there were a million and one things on my to-do list before I started work. Unfortunately, this post on my 2017 Christmas Cookies had to take the backseat. You’ve heard of Christmas in July events…well, I’m celebrating Christmas in July with cookies! Here is my post written—but never published—from back in December…

Sometimes—ok, a lot of the time—it’s hard to be a procrastinator. Despite how I leap into action at the 11th hour and shockingly get the job done, it feels as though I’m always playing catch-up. Every holiday season, I fall into the same routine: power shopping the week of Christmas, not taking enough time to enjoy the season, and planning our annual Christmas cookie platter so close to baking day that it leaves no time for experimenting with new recipes. How I manage my time matters not to my friends and family who eagerly await the carefully chosen selection of cookies on the Christmas dessert table: they’ve got only one thing on their minds. With my mind inundated with to-do lists and the rest of me running behind as usual, l had to speed-scan my go-to holiday cookie books and magazines for this year’s inspiration. I was pleasantly surprised to find all I needed from one magazine: Food Network Magazine’s December 2017 issue.

It’s always a risk to try out a new recipe for an event like Christmas. If a new cookie does not turn out well, it means a huge dent in my supply. Fortunately, we spend Christmas Eve with my in-laws. They are a picky bunch and are always the best sounding board to bounce new treats off of. If a particular cookie is a hit with them, I know my family and friends will love them, too–and I won’t have to be baking a back-up batch on Christmas Day. The usual suspects are expected: Oatmeal Scotchies and my Grandmother’s Snickerdoodles. The others thrown into the mix are a nice assortment of flavors and textures—which is great when you are feeding a lot of people: there is always something for everyone.

The 2017 finalists:
Oatmeal Scotchies
Snickerdoodles
Lemon Spritz
Chewy Coffee
Pecan Rye (with rye flour and a dose of rye whisky)
Rice Krispies Coal Treats

It’s a good thing I didn’t laminate the list–insert Friends reference. As I was prepping the ingredients for my final batch, my husband meandered through the kitchen, surveying and sampling the inventory, and then began looking around as if he had lost something. He lamented, “No ginger or molasses cookies this year?!” Annnnd…so much for the Pecan Rye recipe; a Spiced Molasses recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine’s December 2017 issue saved the day. It was sheer luck that I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.

These turned out to be mildly sweet and were the softest, most perfectly spiced molasses cookies we’ve ever had. A healthy shot of black pepper paired well with the ground ginger for an extra bite. Creamy molasses icing drizzled about was literally the icing on the cake, er, cookie, in this case. My in-laws polished off their allotment as well as most of my family’s portion. As an aside, my brother-in-law is one of the two people that demand Oatmeal Scotchies every year: he barely touched them as he could not pull himself away from the spiced molasses!

The 2017 laminated Christmas Cookie list:
Oatmeal Scotchies
Grandma Schuster’s Snickerdoodles
Lemon Spritz
Chewy Coffee
Spiced Molasses
Rice Krispies Coal Treats

All in all, this year’s platter was a smashing success. Despite the chaotic rush leading up to my baking day on Christmas Eve-Eve, I enjoyed the annual tradition of spending the day in the kitchen, baking batch after batch of cookies to share with the people I love. In honor of my oh, so particular brother-in-law, I’ll share his two favorite cookie recipes with you. Next year, I am hopeful to plan a little more in advance, enjoy every bit of the Christmas season, and remember to include the molasses cookies on the official list. Happy Holidays!

BON APPETIT’S SPICED MOLASSES COOKIES
Adapted from the Bon Appétit December 2017 issue, these cookies are the perfect combination of molasses and spice: the black pepper and ginger give them a pleasant kick. We like our cookies on the softer side, but bake a little longer if you like yours crispier.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (and an additional 2 teaspoons) mild-flavored (not blackstrap) molasses
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
Granulated sugar for sprinkling, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk first eight ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and beat to incorporate. Add the 1/3 cup molasses and mix to combine, scraping down sides of the bowl.

Reduce mixer to low and gradually add flour mixture until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm.

Place oven racks in upper and lower third position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Roll dough, one tablespoonful at a time, into a ball. Place balls two inches apart on baking sheets; one dozen should fit per sheet.

Bake cookies until just set around the edges: (about 9-10 minutes for a chewy cookie and 11-12 minutes for a crispier cookie); rotating pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway between baking. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on pan before transferring to wire rack to cool.

Make glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon molasses and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl until smooth. If you desire a more pronounced molasses flavor, add up to 2 teaspoons more molasses. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to thicken; it should still be pourable–if it is not, add a bit more milk. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Sprinkle granulated sugar and extra finely ground pepper over glaze, if you wish.

Makes about 4 dozen.

NESTLE TOLLHOUSE OATMEAL SCOTCHIES
These are a favorite commanded year after year in my family, and yep, this is the recipe printed on the bag of Nestle butterscotch morsels. 
Note: It is possible that your butterscotch chips may turn green after baking; this is due to the dyes in the chips. They are safe to eat if you don’t mind a festively green cookie.

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or the zest of one orange
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 package (11oz) Tollhouse butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Cream butter and sugars on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until combined. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

For drop cookies: Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies; 9-10 minutes for crisp cookies.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to rack to cool.

For bar cookies: Spread dough evenly onto greased jelly roll pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack.

Will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.