Christmas Cookies!

I’ve had some busy days since classes ended, which is why this post is late. The semester officially ended with Commencement on Saturday. Kate and I went to lunch afterwards and then to my house. Jane got there shortly after. We started in on the sugar cookies because they had to cool before frosting, and the frosting had to dry before packing.

We made little boys and girls, Christmas trees, stars, holly leaves, and candy canes from the plain sugar cookies.

Boys and girls

Holly leaves and stars

We made Christmas bison (which, with their stubby legs, thick necks, and big heads, are more structurally sound than reindeer or moose) and some giant penguins. The penguin cookie cutter is Kate’s, and the flippers are totally not structurally sound. Jane had to glue one of them back on with frosting.

Bison and candy canes

Penguins with fragile flippers

Even with the giant penguins, we ended up with lots of bison. While Kate photographed and Hilda watched the oven, Jane put on the chocolate frosting, and I did the wreath and bow around their necks.

Jane puts on chocolate frosting while I do the wreath and bow

The handoff

When the cookies were baked and frosted, we got the Mexican wedding cakes (not shown) done quickly, since that only involved rolling the dough into balls, baking, and rolling in powdered sugar.

Then it was on to the sour cream pockets. Jane made that dough. The recipe is three sticks butter, three cups flour, and ½ cup sour cream. Really, they should be called butter pockets. I did the rolling and cutting. Being the compulsive person I am, I used a ruler to make 2” squares.

Measuring and cutting

Jane and I filled each one with a tiny, tiny bit of apricot or raspberry pie filling.

Filling and pinching

And then we pinched up the corners, baked them, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. So much powdered sugar!

So much powdered sugar

I can’t remember when we got done, maybe 4:00 or so. Hilda and Jane went to get pizza and wings while Kate and I packed cookies, wiped down the table, and washed the dishes that didn’t go in the dishwasher. Dad and Terry joined us for dinner. It was a fun day, and at the end of it we had all those cookies to show for our work!