highs and moderate lows v2

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holiday baking edition


The four cookies of this Christmas! Not only did we make cookie tins for close friends, but I also dared not to make a centerpiece dessert for Christmas day, and instead went all in on these four cookies - which we’ve gone on to enjoy all vacation week*!

high. #2 (top right) for the underdog surprise of this Christmas for us! Lil’ Momma asked me to find a Norwegian cookie to make to honor her and Brian’s heritage. I found this recipe for a Sandnøtter Christmas Cookies with Lemon, which was perfect as my girl loves lemon. However, I paused when it came time to bake them on Christmas Eve; they seemed too simple and the only lemon flavor came from zest; would that be enough? I went for it, though, and these are absolutely amazing - all 3 of us loved them! The outside is crisp and the inside is as light as clouds; they dissolve in your mouth. Even better, they have a ton of lemon flavor! I will make these forever, and with all different types of citrus.

moderate low. #1 (top left) are Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies adapted from this recipe. Now, my guy does not like chocolate (Lil’ Momma finds this unbelievable), but these cookies scream Christmas to me and I always like having a dedicated chocolate option, even if they aren’t the most beautiful to look at**. I don’t bother finding mint chocolate chips, I just chop up a bunch of Andes candies and do half of one on top. These are a low because they get chocolate all over my hands and I may have forgotten to top a couple which downgraded them in Lil’ Momma’s eyes.

high. This one’s a tie! First, we have our family’s signature Chocolate & Potato Chip mash up of Alton Brown’s The Chewy chocolate chip cookie (I don’t bother with bread flour) and The Pioneer Woman’s potato chip chocolate chip cookie (basically, we crush 2 cups of Ruffles - always Ruffles - and add them to The Chewy). Chocolate chip cookies are one of my love languages and these are up there for me because they balance salty-sweet so well. Second, we have the Ginger Molasses Cookies we made with a recipe from my girl’s The Week Jr. magazine. In 2021, Brian found his grandmother’s molasses cookie recipe, a favorite of his from childhood. Then, somehow, we lost the piece of paper (I’m afraid I recycled it with mail, sigh) and we couldn’t remember it enough to write it down. He was bummed, but I was devastated (typical, haha!). I’m so glad Lil’ Momma saw this recipe and wanted us to try it because it reconciled some disappointment I had in losing that memory for him. 

Here’s hoping you all have the best end to 2022! Thank you for the kind comments as I start this blog adventure!

*tea and cookies in the afternoon have kept me going as primary parent while Brian works 

** a number of years ago, I won a casual cookie contest at a holiday party using this recipe. Highlight of my baking life haha!

Comments

  1. Nicole MacPhersonDecember 30, 2022 at 5:04 AM

    Well, those look delicious! I looked up that Norwegian cookie and...potato starch? Hmm! I have never used that before. I'm curious so I just might give it a try, when all the treats are eaten!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LindsayDecember 31, 2022 at 4:03 PM

      I paused at that, too, but I think that’s why they were so light? Worth a try for sure!

      Delete
  2. Life of a Doctor's WifeDecember 30, 2022 at 5:17 AM

    oh no, I would have been devastated to lose that recipe too -- how wonderful that you found a good alternative! And the lemon cookies sound so yummy! I love lemon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LindsayDecember 31, 2022 at 4:08 PM

      Lemon is a favorite here! Both in cooking and baking!

      Delete
  3. LindsayDecember 31, 2022 at 4:06 PM

    Oh, pretzels seem like they’d be super interesting! I use them to make chicken nuggets (but haven’t tried in baking - yet). Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LindsayDecember 31, 2022 at 4:07 PM

    There’s still time! I just remade a pie failure from Thanksgiving / my birthday for New Year’s…

    ReplyDelete

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