A December Tradition Baked with Love
Every December, my 88-year-old grandmother fills her kitchen with the smell of butter, sugar, and memories. She bakes more than 30 kilograms of cookies by hand, batch after batch, without complaint and with endless patience.
Most of these cookies aren’t kept at home. She donates them to the Christmas market at a local home for people with disabilities, where they’re sold to support the residents and bring joy to the community.
These cookies aren’t just desserts. They’re kindness, tradition, and love—wrapped in sugar and shared generously. And this is what they look like. 🥰
Grandma’s Classic Christmas Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
- 250 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Optional additions:
- Lemon or orange zest
- Chopped nuts
- Chocolate chips
- Jam for filling
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:
- Cream the butter and sugar
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. - Add eggs and vanilla
Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. - Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. - Form the dough
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until a soft dough forms. - Chill
Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes for easier handling. - Shape the cookies
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes, or roll into small balls and flatten gently. - Bake
Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges. - Cool and decorate
Let the cookies cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar, dip in chocolate, or sandwich with jam if desired.
