MEMA'S CHRISTMAS COOKIES
Like any kid, the thing I looked forward to the most about Christmas was the presents. But my favorite gift was never found under the tree; rather, it was on the kitchen table. Growing up in a household where neither of my parents cooked, food was never the focus of our holidays—except for one thing: the Christmas cookies made by my grandmother, who we called Mema. These soft, tender, Italian-style vanilla cookies were doused in a glaze spiked with so much liquor that if you ate too many you risked getting a little tipsy, then showered in rainbow ball sprinkles. The result was so colorful and festive that it was hard to look at a platter without smiling. Some years the cookies were large, other years they were small, sometimes they were burnt slightly or undercooked; they were never technically perfect, but to me, they spoke of Christmas in a way nothing else could.
FOR THE COOKIES
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsp. milk
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. almond extract
- 2 1⁄2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1⁄8 tsp. kosher salt
FOR THE GLAZE
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tbsp. Pernod
- Rainbow nonpareils
Instructions
STEP 1Make the cookies: Heat oven to 350°. Cream the butter and sugar with hand mixer; add eggs one at a time. Add milk and extracts, then flour, baking powder, and salt. Roll into 1-tbsp. balls; bake 10 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Allow to cool before glazing.
STEP 2Make the glaze: Whisk confectioners’ sugar and Pernod together to form a smooth glaze; add water to thin as needed. Dip cookies in glaze and top with nonpareils.
