Caring with Cookies

Cookies are a universal symbol of sweetness and family customs at Christmas. Whether your tradition is sugar cut-out cookies, gingerbread men, spice cookies, or chocolate chip, cookies are always popular at a holiday gathering or on a cold winter afternoon. Sharing cookies with others is a way to show that you care.  Recently our church circle put together cookie plates (with fruit) to take to shut-ins. The warmth and love of those cookie plates is the meaning of Christmas. 


Ginger Spice Cookies are a good winter cookie, similar to Snickerdoodles (which I think are a summer cookie, good with lemonade and Independence Day parades). These Ginger Spice cookies are tasty with a cup of hot tea. Use Saigon or Vietnam cinnamon, it is sweeter with a slight spicy tang, but not bitter. 
I discovered this recipe a couple of years ago while doing a program on spices. It is a good sample of holiday tastes. 
The recipe calls for both all-purpose and whole wheat flours. I keep my flour canister filled with a blend of half all-purpose/half  whole wheat, so that's what I used - (2 cups plus about 3 Tbs.)


Ginger Spice Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup softened margarine or butter
1/4 cup mild-flavored molasses
1 egg
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar with margarine or butter, molasses and egg until light and fluffy. Add flours, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix well. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; dip one side in sugar. Place sugar side up two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes, until cookies are set and begin to crack. Cool one minutes; remove from cookie sheets. 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
This is the other all-time-forever favorite at our house, one I make a couple of times a month. Again, I use the all-purpose flour/whole wheat blend. 
1 cup butter, softened (I use 1 stick butter and 1 stick margarine)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 3/4 cups flour
1 package (3/4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix (for a variety of flavors, use other favors of pudding mix. Chocolate is especially yummy!)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips


In a large mixing bowl, cream butter/margarine and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. 
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minute or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. 

Pour yourself a cup of tea, or better yet, have a friend in to share tea and cookies with you. Or (as my family hopes) send a couple dozen to family members in another state to share the warmth and love of the holiday season.