Christmas seems to get more and more hectic each year when you have a family. Shopping, decorating, lists, baking, Christmas cards, wrapping, watching your budget, crafting, and all of the other little things we do to make the season special for our families.
While our kids and spouses get to sit back and enjoy the season, we rush and run around to create more magic, more, More..MORE!! ~laughs~ It gets a little harried, but I have one thing I do that I look forward to every year. Each year around this time, I start cookbook shopping. Not an ordinary book, but a big old thick cookbook with a nice hardback cover that I can really curl up with.
I really enjoy looking over my different options, reading reviews, pondering the pros of this one or that…and then I finally make my decision. I always order it by mail (Usually Amazon.com) so that it arrives sealed up in a box. Here is the important part: I do not open that box! I wrap it the day it comes in and place it beneath the tree with my name on it.
The remaining weeks are spent with me casting longing glances beneath the tree and looking forward to Christmas morning where I unwrap my prize and spend the better part of that day curled up in the recliner leisurely flipping through pages, enjoying my new toy as my kids enjoy theirs.
For two of the past few years, those books have been from King Arthur Flour. I love cookbooks, but it takes a lot for me to get really excited over one. There are four cookbooks in print right now that I trust completely. I own two King Arthur Flour cookbooks, so they hold two of those places!
You know how you see a new recipe, want to take it to an event, but feel you need to “try it out” first to make sure it tastes good? My favorite cookbooks are the ones which I trust completely, they require no trials or testing. You can choose a recipe and make it for the very first time to take to a grand event and know it will be perfect and loved by all. That’s how King Arthur recipes are.
The incredibly kind folks at King Arthur flour are going to give one of my reader’s their very own Cookie Companion!All you have to do to enter is post in the comments your favorite Holiday memory or activity. It can be a one line post or a few paragraphs, whichever you prefer! In one week, I will choose a number at random and the poster of the corresponding comment will win this fabulous cookbook in time for holiday baking!
This cookbook is the essential guide on cookies. Just for sugar cookies alone there are 15 recipes and at least as many for our beloved chocolate chip! Each recipe features an introduction which describes the cookie texture and flavor..allowing you to choose exactly the type you are looking for with ease and confidence.
I still haven’t chosen my cookbook for this year. I need to pay another visit to King Arthur Flour’s site…
Now on to these delicious cookies…
My son has always loved the sugar cookies they sell in the malls. He calls them “sprinkle cookies” because they are covered in colorful sprinkles. I made these for the first time a few years back and he was elated when he came home from school. He actually thought I had been to the mall just to buy him cookies! They taste so wonderful and really beg to be dunked into a glass of milk. These are classic Santa cookies! You won’t believe the texture. When you pick them up, they feel like a regular cookie, but biting in reveals a tender chewiness unlike any other.
You’ll need: unsalted butter, sugar, brown sugar, light corn syrup, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, all purpose flour, and decorating sugars for coating.
The original recipe also calls for 1/4 tsp nutmeg or 1/4 tsp lemon oil and states that it is optional. I don’t know why I’ve never liked nutmeg, but I’ve always left it out whenever it was called for or substituted cinnamon. In this case, I just left it out. I don’t have lemon oil so I left that out as well. I tend to not buy anything that I don’t normally have on hand anyway. I just don’t like to buy things for one use because….well mainly because I am cheap. But then again y’all already know that by all of the great value brand items you see in the pic!
I want to apologize for not using King Arthur Flour in this! I always use King Arthur when making yeast breads and it has been proven to be a superior flour than others. I love King Arthur, but don’t always get to the store that sells a good selection to buy it! Hey, I DID buy real butter for this recipe though! (Don’t tell on me, but I usually just use margarine…shh!)
Place butter in bowl.
Now folks, from here on out you will be seeing me make a DOUBLE version of this recipe. However, the recipe at the bottom is for a single version. Y’all know me..if three dozen is good, six dozen is GREAT!
Add in white and brown sugar as well as light corn syrup.
~insert tangent here~
We always use Karo brand corn syrup. My daughter’s name is Katy Rose and that has become her nickname as well. I do get strange looks when I’m out and talking to my Karo though…
Hey, Southerners are known for nicknaming everyone they love. I think I’ve mentioned my nickname ages ago but for those of you who missed it…
My entire family calls me “Poochie”, and I even answer to it. My friend, Michael, has always called me that as well. (Michael says I do not talk about him enough on here…Michael Romine – teaches Marketing to high school students – in high school he was like 6’4″ and weighed about eighty pounds soaking wet. I called him string bean then 🙂 Feeling the love now, Michael?)
Anyway, I got my nickname when my brother came to see me after I was born in the hospital. He took one look at me, spit on me, and said I was ugly and looked like a Poochie Dog. Only in the south would that moment offer up a nickname considered a term of endearment!
Add vanilla.
Add eggs…
Mix that up well.
Add in flour.
You should probably do this gradually but I have the patience of a gnat so I just dump it all in at once.
Mix that up well…until it looks like this!
If you don’t take a pinch of this to taste you aren’t living, this dough is heavenly!
Have one of your kids dump the entire bottle of red sprinkles into a bowl.
They’ll think this is cool. They think they don’t get to dump things out enough.
Add the green as well and stir. Or have them stir..I’m using my son for this because Karo is taking a nap.
Brady said to be sure and show y’all this and to tell you that it is a smiley face, just in case you couldn’t tell. 🙂
Preheat your oven to 375 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Roll dough into one inch balls…or one inch-ish.
and then let your kidders roll them in the sugars.
like this. 🙂
Place about two inches or so apart on a cookie sheet.
Like this.
Bake for ten minutes and then remove.
Let cool on cookie sheet for five minutes and then remove to cooling racks (or platters) to continue cooling.
My grandmother’s best friend, Miss Millie, called my mother to tell her I had gotten my nails done and they looked “so pretty”! ~laughs~ Thanks, Millie! I decided to treat myself. Miss Millie is my second grandmother and she reads Southern Plate every day!
Y’all say “Hi” to Miss Millie in your comments!
Chewy Sugar Cookies
These are classic Santa cookies! You won't believe the texture. When you pick them up, they feel like a regular cookie, but biting in reveals a tender chewiness unlike any other.
1/4tspnutmeg or 1/4 tsp lemon oiloptional, your choice - I left both of these out
1 1/2tspbaking powder
1/2tspbaking soda
1/2tspsalt
1large egg
2 1/2cupsunbleachedall purpose flour
1/4cupcoarse or granulated sugarfor decorating
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, granulated and brown sugars, corn syurup, vanilla, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and egg. Stir in flour.
Place coarse sugar in shallow dish. Drop dough by tablespoonfull (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here) into sugar, rolling the balls to coat them. Place on prepared baking sheets. (We just dig out hands in the dough, grab a bit, and roll it up in a ball - I've never owned a cookie scoop!)
Bake cookies for ten minutes until the edges are just barely beginning to brown, they'll look soft. If you bake these cookies too long, they'll be crunch rather than chewy. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
My most memorable time of the holiday’s were going to my Grandmother’s in Theodore, Ala. (sadly she has been gone for some time now) for Christmas dinner. I since have moved away but my brother bought and lives in her house now. She was the best cook I have ever known. How she could take the vegetables from her garden, a turkey, a chicken or two from her chicken coupe and prepare the whole meal for all of us, there were atleast 40 relatives sometimes even more, I have no idea. It was always more than enough food and sooo very delicious. I miss those times and miss her more than her awesome cooking. I have tried to keep her tradition alive, although I’ll never be the cook she was. I am very fortunate to have found your site. Everyday I look at the new recipes and try them out as soon as I have the opportunity.
Every year up until my nanny passed away we would gather at her house for Christmas dinner. The whole family would come and she cooked ALL the food. I wish I had known then what I know now about how much work that is! She made it look effortless and each and every dish was fabulous. Spending the holidays at her house are by far my favorite memory. We’ve started a new tradition in that my mother in law and her honey come to our house and I cook. My first year was…interesting! I’ve gotten it down pat now though and look SO forward to making all the food. I know nanny is with me when I cook.
I use mostly King Arthur and LOVE it. I’ve started incorporating whole wheat flour into my recipes and theirs is awesome. The white whole wheat is excellent too! Thanks for such a cool give away just in time for the holidays. 🙂
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone of you for posting here. I have had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit (not that I don’t LOVE Christmas, it just doesn’t feel like Christmas is coming yet to me) and reading all of these is just really turning things around for me.
These are all so heartwarming, thank you so very much for sharing. I hope you’ll all take time to read through them, they are truly special. Gratefully, Christy
My favorite memory will be this year. My sister was 14 when I was born. She gave birth to her son Jeff when I was 4. Jen, my niece was born 4 years later. My mom babysat everyday so I grew up along with them. They were more siblings than nephew and niece.
We lost Jeff and his 16 month old baby several years ago in a carbon monoxide accident from an old space heater. In February Jen and her 10 year old daughter were in a horrible car accident. We almost lost Jen twice. We were summoned to the hospital to say goodbye. If any of you have lost someone to an accident.. you know it can happen again at anytime. Good news is, Jen and her daughter made it. Jen spent 6 full months in the hospital, She wasn’t supposed to walk for a year but she made it 6 months because she is very impatient.
God heard the prayers of thousands of people across the world. I am thankful to God beyond belief for getting her through. I am more grateful for everyday I wake up and I count my blessings and thank him for them.
First off, King Arthur flour ROCKS, I am looking at my catalog now. LOL. now my favorite Christmas memory would have to be when we lived in Alaska, Mom and me and my sister would make cookies and some of our side dishes for the next day on Christmas eve. Well as soon as all our baking adventures would end, we would sit down to watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and all of a sudden they would break in from the show and tell how the Airforce had spotted a (UFO) and they were scrambling the jets to see exactly what was going on. During this process, they would tell how they saw multiple blips on the radar and finally they would come back and say they got a visual, and it was Santa Clause starting his desention to start delivering gifts. Well my parents put us off to bed as fast as our feet would take us, and I would put out cookies and milk for him and carrots for the reindeer, and off to sleep we would go. Then my mom and dad would come and wake us up, saying they heard him in the house and waited till he left to come get us… then we would run to the tree and see our goodies…. Amazing how our local Air Force would give us such a memory.. i can still hear the jets in my head to this day…
My favorite Christmas memory was Christmas morning at my mom and dads house. My 2 sisters and I were married and out of the home. At this point my parents had 6 grand kids (they now have 9)my mom had gone so overboard on the kids that we spent all morning watching them open gifts and then there was no floor space so we had to stop take out all the trash and put gifts in cars and start all over. At that point ALL the kids said they were tired and didn’t want to open any more. Have you ever heard from kids they didn’t want anymore presents? That was a great morning.
and the The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The Essential Cookie Cookbook
. Ready for the exciting news? 
My most memorable time of the holiday’s were going to my Grandmother’s in Theodore, Ala. (sadly she has been gone for some time now) for Christmas dinner. I since have moved away but my brother bought and lives in her house now. She was the best cook I have ever known. How she could take the vegetables from her garden, a turkey, a chicken or two from her chicken coupe and prepare the whole meal for all of us, there were atleast 40 relatives sometimes even more, I have no idea. It was always more than enough food and sooo very delicious. I miss those times and miss her more than her awesome cooking. I have tried to keep her tradition alive, although I’ll never be the cook she was. I am very fortunate to have found your site. Everyday I look at the new recipes and try them out as soon as I have the opportunity.
Every year up until my nanny passed away we would gather at her house for Christmas dinner. The whole family would come and she cooked ALL the food. I wish I had known then what I know now about how much work that is! She made it look effortless and each and every dish was fabulous. Spending the holidays at her house are by far my favorite memory. We’ve started a new tradition in that my mother in law and her honey come to our house and I cook. My first year was…interesting! I’ve gotten it down pat now though and look SO forward to making all the food. I know nanny is with me when I cook.
I use mostly King Arthur and LOVE it. I’ve started incorporating whole wheat flour into my recipes and theirs is awesome. The white whole wheat is excellent too! Thanks for such a cool give away just in time for the holidays. 🙂
Hi Miss Millie!!!
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone of you for posting here. I have had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit (not that I don’t LOVE Christmas, it just doesn’t feel like Christmas is coming yet to me) and reading all of these is just really turning things around for me.
These are all so heartwarming, thank you so very much for sharing. I hope you’ll all take time to read through them, they are truly special.
Gratefully,
Christy
My favorite memory will be this year. My sister was 14 when I was born. She gave birth to her son Jeff when I was 4. Jen, my niece was born 4 years later. My mom babysat everyday so I grew up along with them. They were more siblings than nephew and niece.
We lost Jeff and his 16 month old baby several years ago in a carbon monoxide accident from an old space heater. In February Jen and her 10 year old daughter were in a horrible car accident. We almost lost Jen twice. We were summoned to the hospital to say goodbye. If any of you have lost someone to an accident.. you know it can happen again at anytime.
Good news is, Jen and her daughter made it. Jen spent 6 full months in the hospital, She wasn’t supposed to walk for a year but she made it 6 months because she is very impatient.
God heard the prayers of thousands of people across the world. I am thankful to God beyond belief for getting her through. I am more grateful for everyday I wake up and I count my blessings and thank him for them.
This Christmas will be my favorite.
First off, King Arthur flour ROCKS, I am looking at my catalog now. LOL. now my favorite Christmas memory would have to be when we lived in Alaska, Mom and me and my sister would make cookies and some of our side dishes for the next day on Christmas eve. Well as soon as all our baking adventures would end, we would sit down to watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and all of a sudden they would break in from the show and tell how the Airforce had spotted a (UFO) and they were scrambling the jets to see exactly what was going on. During this process, they would tell how they saw multiple blips on the radar and finally they would come back and say they got a visual, and it was Santa Clause starting his desention to start delivering gifts. Well my parents put us off to bed as fast as our feet would take us, and I would put out cookies and milk for him and carrots for the reindeer, and off to sleep we would go. Then my mom and dad would come and wake us up, saying they heard him in the house and waited till he left to come get us… then we would run to the tree and see our goodies…. Amazing how our local Air Force would give us such a memory.. i can still hear the jets in my head to this day…
My favorite Christmas memory was Christmas morning at my mom and dads house. My 2 sisters and I were married and out of the home. At this point my parents had 6 grand kids (they now have 9)my mom had gone so overboard on the kids that we spent all morning watching them open gifts and then there was no floor space so we had to stop take out all the trash and put gifts in cars and start all over. At that point ALL the kids said they were tired and didn’t want to open any more. Have you ever heard from kids they didn’t want anymore presents? That was a great morning.
These cookies look delicious. Some of my favorite Christmas memories include eating (gorging myself really) all the wonderful food my family cooks!