women of a certain age are like sunflowers; they know how to turn their faces to the sun.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Bakin Cookies


Cookie Monster: Me not *take* cookies, me *eat* the cookies.
Robert McNeill: What's the difference?
Cookie Monster: Eat begin with an E and take... Begin with a T.

I am baking cookies today so not a lot of time to post.

Just a couple housekeeping announcements:

The Spruce KAL is up on Ravelry here. Pattern will be emailed out on Monday to all subscribers. Those who have purchased GVC patterns separately may not get theirs until Tuesday as I will need to compile the orders.

I am wondering if a better prize for the contest would be all my 2011 patterns. That way anyone who had purchased patterns from me in 2010 won't get duplicates if they are the eventual winner next December.

Or would you guys rather have the contest earlier in the year - Christmas in July maybe?

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

AND/OR...

Tell me what YOUR favorite holiday cookie is and why. Is it an old family recipe? A new favorite? Is it special because of how it tastes? Or how it looks?

And now it's time for me to go ice my gingerbread snowflakes.

Catch ya' on the flip side...

Just to spread the joy around, I will be giving away a free pattern (of your choice - Spruce excluded) to one commenter a day through Christmas, randomly chosen by Mrs. Claus (just me - don't get too excited).

I'll announce the previous day's winner in each post this month, If you are the winner, email me your preference at susanpandorf@comcast.net and I'll email your pattern right out to you.

Doesn't that sound like a lot of fun?

Yesterday's winner is: Karen. Email me, girl...

Now aren't you glad you left a comment?

59 comments:

Rebecca in Tenness said...

Christmas in July sounds great! And......I like giant pretzel sticks dipped in Chocolate and then drizzled in white chocolate with sprinkles on top....no baking involved...instant gratification...Woo Hoo! Waitin' on Monday.

CinnabarsKnitter said...

my favorite holiday cookies are mint chocolate chip--they aren't specifically holiday, and we make them at other times of the year, but the holidays are prime baking season. (Even in Oklahoma it is usually cold by December, and baking is a great way to warm the house without turning up the heat.) They are chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and a healthy dose of peppermint extract--even my sister, who is not a mint enthusiast like the rest of the family, loves them!

Amy said...

How about if you offer the winner's choice of 2010 or 2011 patterns - that way if the winner has been in a financial pinch (as so many are), they could get those patterns they've been admiring from afar. On the other hand, if the winner has pinched her pennies and been able to buy all the patterns she wanted, then she could choose 2011 instead....

My favorite cookies have been around every year I can remember. The recipe is handwritten, but I have no idea if it's been handed down or merely copied out of a magazine. They are sort of sugar cookies but the dough has to be refrigerated and then rolled and cut. We decorate some with the colored sugars and various sprinkles, and some are frosted (and some have both)! Always evokes memories of my childhood.

RagdollDesigns said...

I like the contest now - as my knitting flies out of the house, it would be great to get the gift of one of your patterns.

Nautical Knitter said...

My favorite holiday cookie is my mother's chocolate chip cookies. She always had people asking for her to make her cookies, especially around the holidays. However, what always made her cookies special for me was the love she showed for me by making me a batch first with very few chocolate chips and without any pecans. She would make mine first then add more chips and nuts for everyone elses batches. That was just one of the ways she showed me how I was important to her and I will never forget it.

Chery said...

Molasses!! I love them at all times of the year. Don't bake them very often, but I love them.

A 30-something femme createrix said...

My favorite holiday cookies are actually bar cookies. They're layeres. The bottom layer is like a shortbread, then there's marshmallows sprinkled on and toasted till they're gooey, then the topping is put on. It has peanuts, rice crispies, peanut butter chips and other stuff in it, so it's all gooey and crispy. I always make two 9 X 13 pans of these cookies and then cut them up into 1-inch or so squares and give them to everyone :) This is the only time of the year I make them and oh my gosh, I LOVE them :) The official title is "Salted Peanut chews." Yum!

clarbineds said...

Just found your ravelry group, just found your website, just ordered the Garden Variety collection and I'm super excited about Spruce!
Our family's all-time favorite Christmas cookies are Kiss cookies...peanut butter rolled in sugar with a Hershey Kiss in the center. My mother made those when I was young and now my children bake them themselves.

Eunice said...

Spruce is beautiful.
I love all the Christmas butter cookies. My Mom always made spritz and my MIL made a great almond butter cookie.

Mady said...

I just adore almond butter cookies. They are in most every country's repertoire in one form or another, and they are all wonderful :)

Melodie said...

My favorite holiday cookies are Ginger Krinkles, they are a molasses ginger cookie. NOt a handed down recipe but one that I found in a Jr. League cookbook and have made for years.

Donna Lee said...

Our family favorite is something called Polish Butter Horns (rogaliki). My husband's family is polish and I bought a cookbook when I was in college. It's become a MUST for the holiday.

Anonymous said...

I love Cherry Winks. I think mother got the recipe from a box of Special K cereal. It is yummers!

Arly said...

My favorite cookie recipe is Raisin Squares. So ease even a cavewoman can make them.

dianapierce21 said...

i just recieved a big bag of lace yarn and don't know what to with it! a good friend told me to check out your website. so, here i am inspired by your patterns and in love with the colours. Im also craving some christmas cookies!!

Unknown said...

I love your patterns! I am so glad I found your blog.

Happy Holidays!

Susan (aka paintermom)

ikkinlala said...

My favourite holiday cookie is Crescents. They're a shortbread cookie with chocolate chips and pecans, and they don't look spectacular but the taste and texture are great. My grandma has made them for as long as I can remember (although I make my own now), but they're not really an old family recipe - she found the recipe sometime between when my mom was a kid and when I was.

Nancy in VT said...

My favorite holiday cookie is my mom's pecan balls. She makes them as a combination of her mom's and her aunts recipes. rolled in powdered sugar, kept in the tin in the dining room. yum!

Miss Bea said...

My favorite holiday cookie is gingerbread. I love them best fresh from the oven, all soft and gooey. I also love the Scottish Shortbread my grandmother used to make. Excuse me, I have to do some baking now....

Andrea said...

I think a choice of either 2010 or 2011 would be great. My favorite cookies are the recipe for Swedish Spritz that I have from my mother.

Suz B said...

I agree 2010 or 2011. I would prefer the contest at Xmas. Glad to liked my idea!!

Suz

Suz B said...

.....that should have been "liked my idea" sorry, poor typing

Suz

Erin said...

I like the suggestion above that the winner could choose either the2010 or 2011 set as the prize. Christmas in July sounds great, but sometimes I have a hard time knitting in the summer heat (we spend a lot of time at the pool), so I think I'm going to be a killjoy and vote for the traditional December KAL.

My favorite cookies are spritz and pecan butter balls. Oh, and nutmeg logs, yum. And cinnamon pinwheels. And maple sugar cookies. And how could I forget gingersnaps? My mom used to bake and bake and bake for Christmas, and everything tasted fantastic!

Sarah {The Student Knitter} said...

It is all about the shortbread cookies in my house this time of year. There's basically two ingredients: butter and suger. LOL YUM!

Laura said...

I like the idea of choosing 2010 or 2011.

My favorite cookie memory is pinwheels, but they weren't cinnamon. Mom used to make them and I don't think I even have the recipe. Maybe I should get it when I head out there in a couple of weeks.

Lise said...

I like Amy's suggestion to let the winner choose either 2010 or 2011. I wish I were independently wealthy so that I could get all of your patterns. They are all so beautiful, and they don't all look the same.

I love holiday cookies - whipped shortbread, crescents, oatmeal chocolate chip. I think my favourite might be no-bake cookies that some people call haystacks. They are made with coconut, cocoa, sugar, butter ... - boil the sugar mixture, add in the coconut and drop by teaspoon on waxed paper - and eat. Hmmm - I think I'll go make some.

weavinfool said...

I didn't realize you could wait until the end of the year to buy your patterns as a group and get the seasonal pattern included. I purchased mine waaay earlier in the year. If I were to win I would like to get the following year's patterns.
If you can wait until the end of the year to buy the group plus the bonus pattern what is the incentive to purchase earlier in the year? If you wait, you know exactly what each pattern looks like and there is no element of surprise.

I make Ischl tarts that I saw in a magazine 30+ years ago. They have a ground almond shortbready dough, are a sandwich cookie, and have jam in them. Yum!

KathyL said...

We make Moon Cookies, they are Pecan Sandies shaped like crescent moons. The only time of the year we have them is at Christmas, my mom started making them when my brother and I were kids, I remember helping shape them and then roll them in powdered sugar - oh what a mess we made, which is surprising because my mom is a neat freak and wasn't ever tolerant of messes anywhere, and avoided baking.

Julie said...

Sugar cookies are my favorite holiday cookies to make with my family. I do the baking and everyone gets in on the decorating. I have some very "creative" decorators so it makes for tons of fun.

When the kids were in elementary school, when home baked goods were allowed, I would bake sugar cookies for their classmates to decorate at their holiday parties. It was fun to watch them use decorating tools and how they improved each year.

Renee said...

Love your website and your patterns. I don't know how you do it! Thanks for adding me on Facebook.
Renee

Cozy Knitting said...

Even though I don't make holiday cookies any more, I made a batch of just plain ole chocolate chip cookies Friday. My son and girlfriend came for a visit, and they took the bag of cookies with them when they left the next day. I guess they thought they were special enough for their trip home.

Kristen said...

My favorite holiday cookies are spritz cookies. But not just ANY spritz. My FAVORITE are the green trees (maybe they are spruce?!). Even though I know it's just a matter of what shape is on the cookie press, I still think the trees taste the best! :)

Rabbitknitz said...

My favorite cookies are my aunt's haystacks. Butterscotch chips, chow mein noodles and peanuts. So easy and so good! She always had a plateful of cookies at Christmastime and these were always on it. Yum!

Susan Pandorf said...

Lindsey: GVC subscribers up front got a price break - $28 instead of $32. That's the advantage.

Nancy N (n2n on Rav) said...

My favorite christmas cookie is Turkish Hats - the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey's kiss. I was always a fan, and then found out that they were my grandmother's favorite too, and she wrote me out her recipe, so a little extra love (and love handles) every Christmas for me.

RachelAnderson said...

Ooh, gingerbread snowflakes sound so yummy. So far, we've had peanutbutter chocolate ship, spritz, pecan butter, brown sugar ginger, brown butter sugar for christmas, and sugar cookies for hanukkah. Most of the ones we baked this year were experimental, but the ginger crisps (from Gourmet or Food and Wine, don't remember which anymore) are the ones that made it into the hand written, family recipe book we use from year to year! Nonetheless, I'm drooling over the gingerbread snowflakes, since I just havn't found a gingerbread I really love to make, and I do love gingerbread.

Ruby Louise said...

It's baking weekend at my house too. Just pulled banana bread out. Next up mint chocolate chip cookies. My personal favorite holiday cookie is the Russian Teacake or Mexican Wedding Cookie (the powdered sugar covered balls). It looks gorgeous and tastes divine, yet is super simple to make.

My Little Room In The Corner said...

Any contest is fun! And, the way it is now is fine.
My favorite holiday cookies are peppermint biscotti. Not really a cookie is it? Just great dunked in an espresso or hot cocoa! Happy Holidays!

Unknown said...

I haven't had time to bake yet, I am trying to finish my MA thesis before Christmas so there isn't much time for anything else. But I am looking forward to being able to decorate the house once I've finished the thesis. Yay :-)

Karen M said...

My favorite cookie anytime of year is oatmeal chocolate chip, I think because it reminds me of being a kid.

T said...

As Cookie Monster once said; "Me have no favorite cookie. Me love them all." Just like your patterns, I don't just wnat one....I WANT THEM ALL!!!!!!

sheep#100 said...

I don't know that I have a particular favorite Christmas cookie, but I did bake some gingerbread cookies yesterday morning with my Neatnik and it was a wonderful time and the cookies are delicious!

Lori said...

I think Christmas in July would be a great idea. December seems such a loooong time away. I also think someone's previous comment about choice of years of free patterns is quite smart.

I actually bought some awesome butter cookies, decorated for Christmas but shaped like bones, from a Humane Society fundraiser. Helping the animals makes them the best ever!

Suzanne said...

My mother uses her mother's recipe for chocolate (cocoa) cookies. We tend to talk her into making them a few times more during the year but they are always made during the holidays.

Ash said...

I think July would be a great time for the contest.
Also, logistically speaking, it might be easier to give away a specific number of patterns. I don't know what a good number would be, but sales might dip if everyone is waiting and hoping to get every pattern they want for free (as opposed to the thought, "I'd love to win 6 free patterns but I'll buy this one while I wait.")

Lastly, the best cookies are cream cheese drops. They're very rich so I make them tiny.

Linda said...

My favorite Christmas cookies are called Cathedral Windows, My grandmother would always make them for me. They are made with multicolored small marshmallows and a no-bake chocolate mixture that holds the marshmallows together. This is made into a log and rolled in coconut and chilled for a couple of hours than sliced into cookies....makes my mouth water just to think of them. I was always fascinated by the pretty colors as a child, and loved the flavor of chocolate, marshmallow and coconut.
As to the contest...I've purchased a quite a few from last year....but not all, so I could probably [big grin] find one I don't have and want.....
Merry Christmas.

Linda in Kalamazoo

jody said...

My favorite Holiday cookie is a Soft Sugar Cutout cookie, the dough is made with sour cream as the special ingredient.

madonnaearth said...

My favorite Christmas cookies are decorated Christmas cookies, followed by the almond cookies rolled in confectionary sugar.

Jenntly Juniper said...

I just made a huge batch of sugar cookies, baked with decorative sugar. Easy to make, tasty and also pretty - a great combination of attributes.

I think it might be nice to leave it up to the winner if they'd rather have 2010 or 2011 patterns.

Happy baking to you.

Linda said...

Earlier this week, you had mentioned putting one of your patterns in p/hop. I have donated and knitted patterns from that site and really am a fan of Doctors without Borders. It would be nice if more American designers would add a pattern to get more involvement from American knitters. The last time I was at the site the Brit's were so far ahead in donations...it made me sad. Anyway, just thought I would add my two cents in support of p/hop. I really love the Cranford Mitts, and have really enjoyed knitting them.

Linda in Kalamazoo

Anonymous said...

My favorite holiday cookie is from my childhood. My Aunt made jello cookies only at Christmas and they were awsome. She never shared the recipe with anyone before she died. I miss them both.
Lois

Anonymous said...

Well, I have no opinion at all on the contest question, as all versions sound exciting and scrumptious to me! I just bought Byzantine and cannot for the life of me find that same colorway of Silk Garden lite, so I'm on a sort of grail quest.

But as for cookies--oh! I love all of them and seem to have a new favorite every time I taste a friend's new batch. Currently, I'm totally loving this buttery shortbread stamped with old fashioned cookie stamp designs. The only ingredients are flour, butter, and powdered sugar, and oh the joy!

Natalie K.

Monika said...

My favorites are simple sugar cookies, without decoration, but the recipe is a very old one, from my great, great grandmother. They taste nothing like the usual sugar cookies you can buy. And I like to cut out star, moon, and heart shapes.

Connie said...

I LOVE all sorts of cookies and at any given time I have a favorite that will change the next time I think of cookies, but today I guess it would be my Mom's recipe for "Hermits". She would make them often (not just at Christmas) and would always make some without nuts for my sister.

StephCat said...

chocolate covered cherry cookies!

Beth in Maryland said...

My favorite is a date/spice cookie known as "Grandma's Cookies." My grandmother sent these to us every Christmas, flimsily wrapped in brown paper and string. By the time they arrived after a 1200-mile journey via US Mail, you could smell them through the dents in the box. My mother always said Grandma probably got the recipe off a Crisco can in the 1930s. Whatever, they are very tasty and they age well! Thanks, Grandma.

Karen M said...

We used to make some kind of sugar cookie, to roll out, cut out, bake then decorate when I was a kid but since I'm working and so busy we don't do that so much anymore.

adrienne said...

use to make these raspberry jam shortbread cookies...yummy but lots of work.

Anonymous said...

So where do I get this pattern? I don't see it listed. Also how much?
Lois
poohknits