Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

08 December

Do you bake at Christmas time?

Sometimes it's nice to bake cookies and give them as gifts.

Today I'm sharing three cookie recipes in honor of my grandmas 😊

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas



Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

I have three grandmas... my maternal grandma, my paternal grandma, and my adoptive paternal grandma... meaning I was adopted by my step-dad (whom I only know as dad ðŸ˜Š) when I was 3 years old but still knew and spent time with my paternal grandma.

All three of them are gone now but I am honoring them with three cookie recipes that remind me of them. I'll explain why with each one.

Graham Cracker Sandwich Cookies


This recipe is in honor of my grandma Owens, my maternal grandma.

My cousin and I used to stay the night often at her house on the weekends and she always made us graham cracker sandwich cookies with pink powdered sugar frosting.


Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

This recipe has a little bit fancier frosting... buttercream... 😋 and she didn't roll the sides in sprinkles... because we were kids, we didn't need all that fancy stuff!!


Graham Cracker Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Ingredients
  • Graham Crackers
  • Buttercream Frosting (recipe below)
  • Sprinkles
Spread some of the buttercream frosting between two graham crackers to create a sandwich. Press down so the frosting squeezes out the sides a little, and roll the sides in sprinkles.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients
  • 3 3/4 C. Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 C. Butter, softened
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 3 tbsp. Milk
  • Food Coloring
Beat the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk for several minutes until a smooth, creamy frosting forms. Add food coloring to achieve the desired color.


Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Jam Thumbprint Cookies


This recipe is in honor of my grandma Wilson, my paternal grandma.

I didn't get to spend as much time with her because she lived out of town for most of my growing-up years. My cousins and I used to spend a few weeks every summer with her. She and my grandpa lived in the mountains on White Pass in Washington State so it was always fun to visit... we hiked a lot, played in the mountain streams, and on the neighbor's lawn which was made entirely of moss!

My grandma called these jam thumbprint cookies "chicken butthole cookies"... yes, you heard me right! She said they reminded her of a plucked chicken's butthole!! 😂😂

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas


Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients
  • 1 C. Salted Butter softened
  • 1/2 C Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 2 C. Flour
  • Fruit Preserves (I used strawberry, marmalade, and strawberry jalapeno jams)
Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugar on high until creamy and light (about 2-3 minutes). Add vanilla and salt and continue beating until mixed in. Switch to medium-low and add in flour just until combined. The dough should be a little sticky.

Form balls with the dough and place them on the baking sheet. Make indents in each ball. These are called thumbprint cookies because they were originally made by using your thumb to make the indentation. I used a teaspoon to make a bigger indentation, be careful not to make it too deep, you want a nice stable cookie once they are done!

Fill them generously with the fruit preserves (or jam).

Bake 20 - 25 minutes on the center oven rack until golden brown and puffy. Let cool 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a rack to completely cool.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Notes: 
  1. These really do not brown much since they are more of a shortbread cookie.
  2. Use jam or preserves rather than jelly as jelly tends to run when cooking.
  3. You can add slivered almonds around the jam centers before baking... this is the part that I think reminded my grandma of chicken buttholes 😂


Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas


Chocolate No-Bake Cookies


This recipe is in honor of my grandma Carroll, my adoptive paternal grandma.

I don't remember her baking a lot and I really didn't spend that much time with her, she and my grandpa traveled a lot when I was young. But I asked my dad if he remembered a cookie she used to make and he remembered chocolate no-bake cookies and these just happen to be one of my favorites!


Cookies in Honor of Grandmas


Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 C. Butter
2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Milk
4 tbsp. Cocoa
1/2 C. Peanut Butter
3 to 3 1/2 C. Quick Cooking Oats
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions

Add the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa to a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in the peanut butter, oats, and vanilla.

Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool until set.



Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

Cookies in Honor of Grandmas


Have you ever had or made any of these cookies?

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Cookies in Honor of Grandmas

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  1. Jennifer SparmoDecember 08, 2017

    I love this post in honor of your Grandmas and all the cookies choices. I can't pick a favorite because they all look so good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These ALL look so good. The graham crackers are such a good idea! I like how you could use different sprinkles, etc. and make these for other holidays too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Lauren! Yep, the graham cracker cookies could be green for St. Patrick's Day, pink works for Easter, Valentine's Day, etc. and the holiday themes sprinkles will really make them cute!!

    Tania

    ReplyDelete
  4. Haha, chicken butthole cookies....my chuckle for Saturday morning! All the cookies look good. I guess chicken butthole are my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Every time I see those jam thumbprint cookies I think of my grandma :o) She was hilarious!

    Tania

    ReplyDelete

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