Clay and his good friend David Horton share their favorite family cookie recipes in this week’s special Christmas edition of the LTA podcast. Their recipes are below. If you try them, let us know what you think — and please share your favorite cookie recipes with us, too!
David Horton’s Recipe:
Brandy Cherry Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup walnuts chopped
½ cup maraschino cherries drained, patted dry, and chopped into pieces
Brandy
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Blend together flour, baking soda and salt.
Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until fluffy.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract.
Add a tiny splash of brandy.
Stir in half of the flour mixture and combine well.
Add the milk and combine. Blend in the remaining flour mixture.
Mix in the walnuts and maraschino cherries.
Scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon of the dough and form into a ball.
Place on cookie sheet. Press dough down slightly with a fork.
Bake 350º F for 10-12 minutes.
Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Charles Jenkinson’s Favorite Christmas Cookie: Chocolate Meltways
From a recipe in Dad’s handwriting copied by CSJ on January 5, 2000.
Ingredients
1 cup soft butter
1 ¼ cup confectioner sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sifted flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
9 ¾ oz. melted milk chocolate bar
Directions
Cream butter.
Gradually stir in sugar, vanilla, salt.
Add dry ingredients.
Fold in nuts and chocolate.
Shape into balls of 1 tsp each (they spread).
Bake on ungreased sheets at 250º F for 40 minutes.