Christmas Wookies! wait, no, Christmas COOKIES!!

Today's Merry Monday post has probably caused me to gain about five more pounds of holiday weight, however, it was worrrth it. 

I'm never quite sure what possesses me to go into a cookie-baking frenzy, but it happens rarely, and usually after about the second batch of cookies I'm remembering why. I had taken a personal day from work on Friday so that I could have a long weekend to get myself together before the next few weeks of absolute mayhem. Thus, I decided to break the cookie-baking extravaganza into three days.


Day One: Making the doughs. I won't be posting recipes this time around, since everyone already seems to have their own favorites, and most of these cookies were made from a variation of a regular sugar cookie dough. Nothing fancy. 

That's right. SIX sticks of butter. Paula Deen would be so proud.

However, I did decide to try a new trick that I read about: measuring out the dry ingredients into gallon size ziplock bags so that you only have to measure once.

However, I learned a pretty valuable lesson. Always read your recipe first. In my little organizational high, I forgot that in almost all cookie recipes, you leave the sugar separate so that you can cream the butter.


...oops. A couple wasted cups of flour later, I pretty much got the idea. Also a handy note, make a mark on your recipes so that you remember which ingredients you've already added.


As a whole, unless you're intensely focused on the task at hand (and not dancing like a fool to Jingle Bell Rock), it's probably a wise idea to just suck it up and wash your measuring cups a few times. Or better yet, buy five different sets of of measuring cups.


Anyways, the doughs. By the end of the day, my refrigerator looked like this:

 I labeled and wrote the time on each dough, since each has to chill
a minimum length of time.

Oh wait, did I mention I made "dough" for chocolate truffles too?

...yup, exactly. I agree with you. Don't worry, it did survive to actually
turn into truffles.

So, on to Day Two: BAKING. (and baking, and baking...and BAKING)

My dough was a little...poofy. But I hadn't planned on including
the sugar cookies in any of my gifting, because I carry a
curse when it comes to Christmas Cookie-Cutter cookies. It's true.

 I won't bore you with the details of baking day, except here are a few tips that I'll share:

• Chilling your dough is CRUCIAL. I tend to always skip the dough-chilling step because I'm impatient, but when it comes to cut-out cookies or a dough that you slice...it's essential that you keep the dough chilled through the entire process.
• The dough is high maintenance. You have about a five-minute window of opportunity between when the dough is hard as a rock from the refrigerator and when you're about to throw the whole mess out the window because it's too soft and sticky. You have to work fast.
• One word: flour. And lots of it. Flour is your frrriiieeend.
• Oven mitts are also your friend. I managed not to burn myself this time. Woohoo!

And finally, the most exciting day of all:

Day Three: Decorating Day!!

Here are the photos of the final products, and my helpers with the process.

Blackberry Jam Thumbprint cookies! (Although these were done
on baking day, since the jelly is baked too.)

Lemon cookies. Don't be fooled. Each one is about the size of
a quarter.

Chocolate Truffles!

My handsome elves.

We have to make manly cookies, right?
This is Scott's man-cookie.

Full credit to for this cookie goes to my wonderful old college roommate Grace.
She's a fabulous and well-known baker and suggested I try out these
"Melting Snowmen" cookies. Basically just any sort of regular cookie bottom, sugar
cookie or Snickerdoodle dough, with a Marshmallow as the head. SO CUTE. Thanks Grace!

Sad snowman and happy snowman.

What is THAT, you say? Why...that's a wookie!

THE CHRISTMAS WOOKIE COOKIE!! Amazing art skills are credited to Scott's
best friend Christian. 

Are you sensing my sugar coma right about now? 

Holy moly. FINALLY DONE! Sugar cookies, lemon cookies,
Blackberry Thumbprint cookies, gingerbread men, and truffles.

And that, my friends, is the end of the baking marathon. If you want any of the recipes, I'd love to share. Well, all except the Classic Decorated Christmas Cookies. That's my "Mom" Elliott's recipe, and not mine to share. ;) But anything else you can have! So just ask. In the meantime, I'll be eating a pound of lettuce and raw carrots.

Merry Monday!