Brooke Rongey’s Christmas Cookie Recipe

 Heirloom Eats

heir·loom (noun): a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations

From furniture and faith to collectibles and character traits, there are a lot of things that get passed down over the course of a family’s history, and recipes are no exception. But a recipe nurtured by generations of love and care is so much more than the food it creates. It’s also a reminder of the laughter and light that can happen when a family comes together.

Photography by Rich Smith

“This recipe is from my husband’s fourth great-aunt on his mother’s side, and it was developed when all they had to use were wood-burning ovens. The original recipe also called for churning your own butter. His grandmother had to use trial and error for a long time to come up with how much flour to use, since they didn’t have that amount on the original recipe. They finally rested on 6 cups, and this dough will keep for up to a month in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s been such an honor to learn this recipe from the Samples family and help keep it alive!”

 

christmas cookies recipe

Christmas Cookies

Brooke Rongey
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 60 Cookies

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup softened butter
  • 1 ½ cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp lemon juice (optional)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3 tsp hot water
  • ½-1 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 6 cups plain flour

Instructions
 

  • Combine butter, sugar, and eggs with an electric mixer.
  • Once the mixture is well combined, add in vanilla and optional lemon juice.
  • In a separate bowl or cup, dissolve the baking soda in hot water and add that to existing mixture.
  • Add in nutmeg and milk, and mix until thoroughly combined.
  • Begin to incorporate flour one cup at a time, and it’s helpful to use a dough beater attachment at this stage if you have one.
  • Chill dough for at least 2 hours before rolling it out to a quarter inch on a floured surface and cutting out your desired cookie shapes.
  • Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and add icing if desired.
Keyword christmas, christmas recipe, cookie recipe, cookies, sugar cookies

Brooke Rongey with familyBrooke Rongey’s family

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