Santa's Favorite Cookies
How do I know? I asked Santa!
Have you ever debated what sort of cookies Santa might like? Considering that he has a lot of cookies to eat that night - and no doubt faces indigestion the next day - something simple and not too sweet is probably smart.
So we asked Santa. And this is what he said:
"Chewy, but not too sweet" as he cocked his head.
"Almond flavored," as he rubbed his chin.
"And maybe a little coconut. It's good for my brains," he said with twinkling eyes.
After hitching up his pants by his belt, he lifted his finger to make the final point.
"And make sure it looks like me, or else I won't be certain which cookies to eat at your house. No problem with indigestion - I have a cast iron stomach! Ho ho ho!" And off he went.
These cookies are just what Santa ordered. If you want to please him, try leaving him out a plate on Christmas Eve. There won't be one left by morning!
All photos are copyright Elyn MacInnis
These are the cookies Santa ordered... irresistibly delicious, not overly sweet, almond flavored with a chewy coconut beard. And they look like Santa - so there will be no mistake which cookies he should eat!
Cook Time
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: at least one (Santa)
Ingredients
- First cream the butter and sugar part of the cookie mix:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar minus 2 tablespoons
- Then add the rest of the ingredients slowly to the creamed mixture:
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- Then add the flour:
- 2 and 1/2 cps sifted all-purpose flour
- More milk - 2 Tablespoons - if needed - to make a dough that holds together
Instructions
- I like to have my directions included in with the ingredients... but here are the directions with a little elaboration.
- Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the rest of the ingredients except for the flour. When you add the flour, you may find that the dough doesn't stick together at all and is just a powdery pile in the bowl. This was true for me. I add approximately 2 more Tablespoons of milk, until you just have a dough that just sticks together. Be careful not to add too much milk. You need the dough to be solid.
- Once the dough has become one ball, cut it into two pieces and put them on their own piece of waxed paper. Form a log about 8 inches long, about 2 inches wide, and roll in the waxed paper. Put the two logs into the refrigerator overnight so it will become quite hard and you can cut thin slices.
- Cut thin (1/4 inch) slices and lay them out on the cookie sheet. One by one, take the slices and put them into a bowl of coconut. You will have to squish the coconut into the beard part of the cookie - they look better if you make a pointed beard, but it isn't necessary. Santa doesn't care really.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes or until the "coconut beard" is golden. They are good warm, but even better when they have cooled, according to Santa.
You have to watch them carefully when they cook
It would be easy to burn Sant's beard if you don't keep an eye on these. The sugar in the flaked coconut cooks more rapidly than the cookie, so it will brown first.
Ssssh - Santa might eat them all...
Do you have a favorite cookie to leave for Santa? - Is it homemade or bought in the store?
Maybe you think Santa prefers homemade... or perhaps suspect that he actually prefers Oreos? What is your best guess about Santa's preferences?
Uh oh! - Who ate all those cookies???
