In The Cookie Zone

I’m in the cookie zone!  Butter cookies (sugary tickle on your tongue), Mexican Chocolate cookies (rich chocolate bliss), Chocolate Chip of course (I, along with every other baker on the planet, think I make the best chocolate chip cookies.), Peanut Butter Chunk (mini Reese’s PB Cups and cookie dough – really, how bad could it be?), and don’t forget Pizzelle (like sugary clouds in your mouth).

The criteria for cookie selection this year was simplicity.  The ingredients had to be things readily on hand.  No complicated preparation was allowed.  I didn’t even want to deal with refrigerating dough.  No rolling; no cutting; no decorations.  Mix up stuff in a bowl, slap it on a cookie sheet, and toss it in the oven.  Done!  Oh boy – these are some good cookies!!!

The butter cookies are the easiest thing in the world.  3 c. flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 c. butter, 1 1/2 c. sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp.vanilla – that’s it!  Mix the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla; add the flour and baking soda; roll the dough into little balls (bigger than a concord grape; smaller than a brussel sprout) then roll the balls in decorator sugar.  Put them in a 400 degree oven and you have cookies in 10 minutes!

The Pizzelle are the sentimental favorite and they are amazingly delicious.  My grandmother used to make them when we were kids.  They were so light, sweet and crispy.  I remember they fit perfectly in a coffee can.  Nana usually had one in the pantry closet full of the crispy treats.  Other families had cookie jars. We had an old Maxwell House coffee tin!  You could say my Nana “passed the torch” when she gave me her Pizzelle iron.  I have no idea how old it is (it does plug into an electrical outlet ;-) but it looks well-used.  In my eyes that means well-loved!

There was a near disaster this year.  I was all set to make Pizzelle – I had Christmas carols playing; I had all the ingredients and baking tools ready to go.  I took out the Pizzelle iron, plugged it in and…nothing happened.  So I unplugged it and plugged it into a different outlet.  That didn’t work either so I unplugged it and plugged it back into the original outlet.  I did this about 6 times, like all of a sudden it would just miraculously work.  Well, I needed a miracle!  I burst into tears (the iron has much sentimental value and it makes fabulous cookies), and called hubby, the mechanical genius.  Once again Gabe came to my rescue!  He took the iron apart and rewired the thing.  It’s as good as new.  My hero!

What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?