While looking for recipes the other day, I came across the "cookie jar christmas cookies" in one of my favorite cookbooks, Southern Plate by Christy Jordan, and after reading through it I realized that these were the same cookies I used to eat all the time around Christmas with my family! The way Christy describes them, their taste and look, is exactly as I remember. Those cookies bring back such good childhood memories and with Christmas just around corner I'd love to make these again. The following is an excerpt from that recipe page.
Cookie Jar Christmas
"Throughout my childhood, these were our must-have cookies for Christmas. Mama would make a huge batch so we all had plenty to decorate. She cut them in the shapes fo trees, stars, and reindeer, and each of us got our own sprinkles to go on top. They will be 'wet' right after icing and decorating; wait an hour or so and they will be dry enough to be stacked in a cookie jar. This cookie isn't very sweet on its own, which makes it altogether perfect once you add the icing. Mama always made three batches of icing for these cookies so she could have three different colors. She prefers to use squirt margarine in place of butter for easier blending."
Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
4 teaspoons milk
2 cups White Lily All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon softened butter or margarine
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla Extract
A few drops of food coloring
