photo courtesy www.thebrisbanekids.com.au
Welcome back to Countdown to Chirstmas-Italian Style Day 13 (tredici).
I'm excited about sharing today's treat with you, as it's a family tradition in my family we've been keeping since as long as I can remember. My mother always made Christmas cookies, starting around now, the middle of December. We always made the same cookies each year too. She'd make struffoli, a honey drenched little fritter sprinkled with powdered sugar or sprinkles. This is traditionally a holiday treat originating from Naples.
photo courtesy food network.com
Here's a link to Mario Batali's recipe for struffoli http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/honey-drenched-christmas-fritters-struffoli-recipe.html
Another traditional cookie made in my family is my grandmother's sugar cookies with cutouts. I loved using the same cutouts every year- the old Santa, the reindeer, the tree, and the angel cutout. Every year we'd leave a plate of these cookies out for Santa Claus on Christmas eve, along with a large glass of milk.
photo courtesy Betty Crocker.com
Here's a link to a sugar cookie recipe that is almost identical to the one my grandmother always used.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-holiday-cutouts/8d58ef9e-0426-43d5-8d36-df247a3bed8b
When I got married and had my own children, I kept up the tradition of making Christmas cookies every holiday season with my girls. We made my Grandmother's sugar cookie cutouts, thumbprint cookies filled with raspberry and apricot jam, oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I had a collection of favorite cutout shapes we kept for year.
Welcome back to Countdown to Chirstmas-Italian Style Day 13 (tredici).
I'm excited about sharing today's treat with you, as it's a family tradition in my family we've been keeping since as long as I can remember. My mother always made Christmas cookies, starting around now, the middle of December. We always made the same cookies each year too. She'd make struffoli, a honey drenched little fritter sprinkled with powdered sugar or sprinkles. This is traditionally a holiday treat originating from Naples.
photo courtesy food network.com
Here's a link to Mario Batali's recipe for struffoli http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/honey-drenched-christmas-fritters-struffoli-recipe.html
Another traditional cookie made in my family is my grandmother's sugar cookies with cutouts. I loved using the same cutouts every year- the old Santa, the reindeer, the tree, and the angel cutout. Every year we'd leave a plate of these cookies out for Santa Claus on Christmas eve, along with a large glass of milk.
photo courtesy Betty Crocker.com
Here's a link to a sugar cookie recipe that is almost identical to the one my grandmother always used.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-holiday-cutouts/8d58ef9e-0426-43d5-8d36-df247a3bed8b
When I got married and had my own children, I kept up the tradition of making Christmas cookies every holiday season with my girls. We made my Grandmother's sugar cookie cutouts, thumbprint cookies filled with raspberry and apricot jam, oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I had a collection of favorite cutout shapes we kept for year.
This is a photo of my daughter Shannon at about 3 years old, up to her elbows in cookie dough and flour, working hard making cutouts for Christmas that year.
Since I've moved to Italy, I still make holiday cookies. This year I'll be making my old standards- my grandmother's sugar cookies, thumbprint cookies with raspberry and apricot jam, chocolate chip cookies, and shortbread cookies. I've found a new Italian cookie recipe I'm going to add to my collection this year, too.
Anise Italian Christmas cookie , photo courtesy www.Tasty-italian-cooking.com
I'm including the recipe here (click on the link below) in case you want to give them a try yourself.
http://www.tasty-italian-cooking.com/italian-christmas-cookies.html
Do you have family cookie traditions too? What are some of your favorites? I'd love for you to share your favorite recipes too.
Buon Natale!
P.S. Thank you so much for all the positive comments and email messages in recent days. I'm so happy everyone is enjoying my Advent Calendar series. Keep reading, please. We have a few more days in our countdown before we reach December 25!
