In my day I have been know to go on many bakery hops. What is a bakery hop? Well, it’s pretty similar to a bar hop where people go out on the town and check out different bars. Except instead of bars I drag people around to try out different bakeries and have been known to hit 5 in a day! I love an amazing sweet treat so, when I hear about a great cookie, donut, etc I must go check it out. I have had drive to way too many out of the way towns, cities and sometime states for a sweet taste.

When I first started dating Jon a million years ago (aka 18 years ago) I was introduced to his Grandma’s famous Christmas Cookie. It’s his Grandma’s recipe that his mom and youngest sister Jenn typically make. I was hooked at first bite. Whenever they are added to a Christmas cookie platter I always make sure to get my fill of them before other guests get a chance!

For years now I have just enjoyed and devoured them, but had never made them. My sister in law gave me the recipe a couple of years and I never got around to making them. This year it was on! I had to try and make them!

I’m going to lie the dough is a little tough to deal with, but it’s total worth it in the end.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:
1 cup of salted butter at room temperature
3 cups of sifted flour
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
2 egg yolks

Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tbsp milk
Few drops of lemon juice – I love the lemon part of the icing so, I have a heavy hand with it.

Recipe
1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix
2. It’s going to be super crumbly. It’s suppose to be!

Ah! It is so crumbly! I almost threw it out because I thought I had made a mistake, but Jon tasted the dough and said it tasted like he remembered so, we forged on.

*Tips to deal with crumbly mixture:
-If needed add an additional yolk to get more liquid into your flour.
-Wet your hands when dealing with the dough.
-If you freeze your dough when you are going to use it place it in the microwave a little and the butter in the dough will melt a little and help you get a bit more liquid in your dough and make it easier to work with.

3. Divide crumbly mixture into 2 balls.

4. Roll out on floured surface and cut out your cookies with cookie cutters. Make sure your working space and rolling pin are floured.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees on un-greased cookie sheet for 8-10 mins.

6. Let cookies and mix your icing! To make icing simply mix all of the icing ingredients (powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice) from above with a hand mixer.

7. Decorate! Ice your cookies and then add sprinkles, etc! I think they always taste a bit better with a sprinkle or colored sugar crystals.

8. Let icing set. 30-60 mins is good, but if you don’t mind wet icing you can eat before hand.

{pink sweater, similar green skirt, earrings}

They are simply the best Christmas cookie and Santa approved! I would say they are a hybrid of a sugar cookie and shortbread cookie. The dough is a little salty, which I love and the lemon in the icing is just the perfect addition to it. I have everyone hooked on them.

Make them for your holiday get togethers, cookie exchanges or Santa’s cookie plate!

Enjoy! If you make them I would love to get your take on them. Let me know if you enjoy them as much as me!