HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Every year my family can’t wait for the famous Christmas Cookie Exchange. My sons and family bake dozens of thumbprint cookies and give them away, Well, that is after all the tweedles munch on the first batch, and dine on part of the second. I may have one or two cookies, I say rolling my eyes. Not only does my waistline expand this time of year, my clothes shrink.

Look at those lights!

Baking these cookies is a must. My neighbors will graciously accept our donations. Nothing like a cookie to make folks smile.

Family favorite Thumbprint Cookies (Recipe below)

Cookie tray Thumbprint cookies & Meringue cookies

Thumbprint Cookies: Gail Ingis’s recipe

½ pound butter (2 sticks) or 1 cup Crisco

2 egg yolks

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1teaspoon vanilla

1 bag of walnut meal (at Trader Joe’s) or ground walnuts

Mix ingredients (EXCEPT THE EGG WHITE)

Roll into approximately ½” balls then roll into the walnut meal, place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 2 minutes, depress center with thumb, then finish baking approximately 12 minutes for larger cookie or 5-8 minutes for smaller cookie. If you like crispy, bake until edges are slightly browned. When cool, fill depressed center with the icing mixture: a combination of slightly warm water, vegetable food coloring and confectioners sugar to an almost pasty consistency. (Color for holidays if desired).

Enjoy! And Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Cooking! Eating!

Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter, and interior designer.

My current books to be edited and have cover updates.