Christmas Cookies

We have a Christmas cookie-making tradition in our family, and although only the two of us will be celebrating Christmas together this year, the tradition continues. Our five children (their spouses and our grandchildren) are rather scattered this year (Georgia, Florida, and California). I spent two days this week (Tuesday and Wednesday) making cookies and scones. Well over a thousand of them. I am quickly giving them away. I´ve lost 10 pounds in the last month and a half and certainly don´t want to get it back by eating cookies.

Here´s a sample of the varieties I made. The square ones are Scottish shortbeard with coconut and cinnamon. Below the shortbeards are oatmeal, two kinds, one with chocolate chips and the other with raisins. To the right of the oatmeal cookies are chocolate chip cookies with almond slivers, and to the left are peppermint flavored, spiraled sugar cookies. Below the chocolate chip cookies are peanut butter cookies (my husband´s favorite) and last but not least, at the bottom center of the plate, are ginger snaps (my favorite).

Here is a close up of the peppermint flavored spiraled sugar cookies. I was going to make candy cane cookies with the dough, but it was after 4 p.m. and I had been baking since 6 a.m., and I was tired. So I just rolled the doughs together into a log, chilled the log, sliced and baked them.

I also made scones and devonshire cream. The scones contain cranberries and almond slivers. I once tasted real devonshire cream. It was wonderful. Of course, here in Costa Rica there is no such thing, so I make my own with available ingredients. Really simple. It is just cream cheese and confectioner´s sugar. The amount of sugar depends on how sweet you want the spread. You can add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices if you like. It depends on what I put in the scones, what spices I add to the cream. Just refrigerate it and spread it on as needed.

Hope each of you have a wonderful Christmas.

Blessings from Costa Rica.