December 11, 2023
Spokane, WA
The day after Thanksgiving, we make fudge. If we are on vacation for Thanksgiving then when we get home.... Guess what? That's right! We make fudge. You're a smart cookie--pun fully intended. I recall my Mom making a lot of things around the holidays, but fudge was a staple. The recipe we use was handed down from her and will be handed down for generations. It's creamy, rich, and everything fudge should be. Some would say it's timeless. It also just happens to be the Kraft Jet-Puffed Fantasy Fudge recipe. Soooo...there's that.
Growing up in a small town, we had many neighbors and friends that brought amazing cookies during the holidays! It seemed the platters of cookies were always slightly oversized and filled with colorful cookies of all kinds! Being from a large family, they never lasted long. I recall scouting out the prettiest looking cookies! That, or the ones with the most chocolate or frosting! My Mom, in return, would make cookies and take them to the neighbors as well. There was one year I recall her making gingerbread boys and girls. She painstakingly worked for hours in the evening after the younger siblings had gone to bed and older kids were out of the kitchen to make them look just so. I'm not sure she was ever fully satisfied with how they turned out, but I recall thinking they were pretty amazing!
Our Christmas cookie baking has traditionally consisted of fudge, sugar cookies, and an amazing chewy ginger cookie that I have affectionately named, "Bob's Ginger Cookies" as it came from a co-worker and guess what his name was?! Spoiler alert...it was Bob. After those three staples, we add in some randoms. A big hit is the peanut butter blossom cookies or a form of that with a chocolate cookie base and a peppermint kiss. Is there a name for those? Then, there are "fudgie wudgies". I couldn't tell you if that's their real name or another creative name as it's been at least 15 years since I made my first batch and as I recall, they have always been known in our home as fudgie wudgies.
It's hard to believe, but the kids are getting old enough to help and frosting sugar cookies has become slightly less of a production. My nine year old even helped make the first batch of fudge for the year! They are learning what recipes we use and are to the age where they have opinions about what cookies they need for Christmas! Below are two recipes we all enjoy--one for the fudge and one for the sugar cookie recipe we use that is from Cake By Courtney who also has a frosting recipe you'll want to have as well!
Make these two cookies this holiday season and your family and friends will thank you! What cookies does your family traditionally bake? Do you deliver cookies to neighbors? or Friends?
Happy cookie baking (and eating) season!
~M
For any questions or comments, please feel free to add those below!
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