Santa Claus eats over 300 million cookies on Christmas Eve. If Santa takes a couple bites at each of the 500 million houses he visits, he will eat over 336 million cookies.

FoodandWine.com May 2017

Attempting to keep in the spirit of Christmas, I am kicking off 5 days of Christmas cookies. Each day this week will feature a different cookie recipe – some favorites and some hoping to become favorites.

• Day 1: Peanut Butter Crinkles
• Day 2: Holiday Magic Bars
• Day 3: Grandmother’s Molasses Cookies
• Day 4: Cranberry Orange Butter Cookies
• Day 5: Chocolate-Peppermint Crackle Cookies

Day 1 – Peanut Butter Crinkles

These were requested by the husband, Bud (aka Dave), they are his favorite. So let’s get started.

The recipe comes out of my recipe file and goes back years and years which probably explains the use of margarine instead of butter. Mom never baked with butter. She also always recommended the store brand peanut butter for its added fat content. The added fat provides a crispier edge to the cookie.

Step 1: Mix the following six ingredients on medium until combined.

• 1 c. margarine
• 1 c. peanut butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Step 2: Add the last four ingredients and mix to combine.

• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt

Step 3: Shape, Roll, Bake

Shape into 1″ balls, roll in sugar. Place 2″ apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 mins. Immediately press nuts or candies into cookies or press with thumb and fill with jelly. Cool.

Makes 6 dozen 2″ cookies.

Enjoy!

I’d love to hear from you. What’s your favorite cookie? Do you have a Christmas baking tradition or recipe? Use the comments box below to share.