Feast of Saint Nicholas and Christmas Cookies

Most people of faith realize that the modern Santa Claus is actually a fictional character who evolved from a real person, Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. He was born during the 4th century, of Greek decent, in a fishing village in what is now Turkey.

Nicholas was fortunate for two reasons, first he came from a family of means. It was this wealth that allowed him an education. Secondly, his parents were devout Christians, and had begun to raise their only son in the Catholic faith. While there is no proof, it is believed that an epidemic which swept through the land, took the lives of his parents while Nicholas was young. This left him wealthy, but alone and confused as to what he was to do with his life. Why had God taken his parents? What did God want of him?

The young man began reading the Bible. He felt as though Jesus spoke to him directly, through sacred scripture. It was then that Nicholas realized his calling. He dedicated his life to serving God, and was free to use the whole of his inheritance to aid the needy, the sick and the suffering. Nicholas was especially moved by the plight of children. He became known as a man who was not only generous with those in need, but a man who fought for the protection of children. It was this dedication that led him to the priesthood and soon after to become the Bishop of Myra, the youngest Bishop in Church history at the time.

The real life Saint Nicholas suffered greatly for his faith. He was even exiled for a time in prison, yet his calling to serve others and his compassion for his fellow man never wavered. Today Santa Claus is a symbol of giving, and often in the secular world, the spirit of the season. It is no wonder that Father Christmas draws so much inspiration from a real man filled with the spirit of compassion. Today is the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas. In many Catholic Churches (especially those connected to a school), children gather in anticipation of the arrival of Saint Nicholas, who often brings gifts. He’s not the jolly Old Saint Nick, but appears as a bishop, often dressed in white with a long red cape, with a miter atop his head and crozier in his hand. These are the tools of a bishop, symbolizing his office and responsibilities as the shepherd of his flock.

To me, Saint Nicholas embodies the spirit of Christ. For Jesus Christ came not only to ransom us from sin, but to teach us the true meaning of love, compassion and mercy. Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

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For the life of me, I’ve never been able to figure out why December 6 is National Cook for Christmas Day. I mean, what are you cooking that it takes this long to prepare? Maybe it should be Plan Your Christmas Menu or better still, Bake Cookies for Christmas Day. Yeah, baking cookies makes so much more sense. I’ve selected four recipes to share today. Three are very much in the Spirit of Christmas. The last recipe, my Dad’s Peanut Butter Cookies, are what he made every year at Christmas. The recipe comes from a very old cookbook. It’s about as old-fashion as they come, and for me filled with sentimental memories. Enjoy!

Christmas Cookies
Butter Cookie Christmas Cutouts with Royal Icing
Red and Green Sinckerdoodles
Christmas Ball Cookies
Dad’s Old Fashion Peanut Butter Cookies

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Butter Cookie Christmas Cutouts with Royal Icing
Butter Cookies
1 Lemon
2-1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Butter, softened
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg

Zest lemon, for 1 tablespoon of zest; set zest aside. Cut in half, juice lemon into a small cup for 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, set aside.

In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed. Reduce speed to low, beat in egg, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir in flour mixture until well blended.

Divide dough into 4 parts; flatten each part into 1/2-inch-thick round. Wrap each in waxed paper or plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Remove 1 round of dough at a time from refrigerator. Between sheets of floured waxed paper or plastic wrap, roll dough until 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters in various shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until edges are golden. Let cool on cookie sheets for about a minute; then transfer cookies to cooling rack. Let cookies cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Royal Icing
3 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons Meringue Powder
5 teaspoons Lemon Juice
4 to 5 tablespoons Water

In medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and meringue powder. Stir in 5 teaspoons lemon juice and enough water to make a thin icing. Transfer 1/2 cup of the icing into small bowl; set aside. Using a flexible pastry brush, paint cookies to the edges with icing. Place on cooling rack to dry completely, about 30 minutes.

Beat reserved icing with electric mixer on high speed 5 to 7 minutes or until peaks form. Place in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut a very small hole in the bottom of the bag with the plain white icing. Squeeze icing onto glazed cookies.

Decorations
Colored Sugars as desired
Candy Sprinkles as desired

Before icing dries, sprinkle with decorations, and tap off excess. Dry thoroughly on cooling rack.

Depending upon the size of the cut-outs, this recipe will yeild about 32 cookies.

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Red and Green Sinckerdoodles
2 tablespoon Red Decorating Sugar
1 tablespoon Cinnamon, divided
2 tablespoons Green Decorating Sugar
2-3/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1-1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Butter, softened
2 Eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In small bowl, mix red sanding sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon; set aside. In another small bowl, mix green sanding sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt together. Set dry ingredients aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat sugar, shortening, butter and eggs together on medium speed. Stir in flour mixture.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll half the balls in the red sugar-cinnamon mixture, the rest in the green. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

This recipe will yeild about 72 cookies, great for cookie exchange or as treats to give out to people.

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Christmas Ball Cookies
1-1/2 cups Powdered Sugar, divided
1-1/4 cups softened Butter, divided
Pinch Salt
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract, divided
2 cups Flour
Red Sanding Sugar as needed
Green Sanding Sugar as needed
White Sanding Sugar as needed
1 tablespoon Milk

Sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add a cup of butter and salt. Beat together on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until creamy. Beat in 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract. On low speed, beat in flour just until combined. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside. Place each color of sanding sugars into its own shallow bowl, set aside.

Shape dough into 48 (3/4-inch) balls. Roll 16 balls in red sanding sugar, 16 in green sanding sugar and the last 16 in white. Make sure the balls are coated completely. Place balls 1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes or until set and the bottoms are a light golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, sift remaining cup of powdered sugar. Beat in remaining quarter-cup butter, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and milk with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. For each sandwich cookie, spread about 1/2-teaspoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie, top with a second cookie, bottom side down, to form a ball.

This recipe yeilds 24 sandwich cookies.

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Dad’s Old Fashion Peanut Butter Cookies
1-1/4 cups Flour
3/4 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Peanut Butter, Creamy
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg, well beaten

Sift flour; measure; add baking soda, baking powder and salt; sift again. Set aside. Cream shortening and peanut butter; gradually add both sugars and cream together thoroughly. Beat the egg well, add to the creamed shortening.

Combine the dry ingredients and creamed mixture together. Chill well.

Form into balls 1-inch in diameter and place on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in flour, making a crisscross pattern.

Bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest on pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Depending upon the size of the balls, this recipe will yield between 36 and 48 cookies.

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I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life