Jump to Comments

When my daughter’s 3rd grade teacher asked me to come in and make holiday cookies with the kids, I immediately knew which recipes we would make.  But before we get started, I have to make a confession:  I am a lazy cookie maker.  Yes – I actually do make my own dough (most of the time).  But  I don’t have the patience for cookie recipes that make me refrigerate the dough for several hours before we can play with it again.  That’s why I fell in love with these cookies.  The dough acts just like play dough – we could make it and can then shape it right away!

These recipes for Cookie Sculpture were given to me by one of my oldest girlfriends.  They were recorded on some scraps of paper by her mother, who recently passed away.   My daughter’s favorite is the one below, for Honey Lemon cookies.  My son prefers the one for Gingerbread cookies.  Either way, you can’t go wrong – you will have fun in the kitchen and will create some sweet memories with your children.  I think that would have made my friend’s mom proud.

Honey Lemon Cookie Sculpture

5 ½ cup flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 ¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp grated lemon or orange zest
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
½ cup boiling water
1 egg, beaten

1. Combine flour and soda.  Set aside.
2. In large bowl mix sugar, honey, vanilla, zest, and salt.
3. Add butter, egg and water.
4. Beat until sugar dissolves.
5. Gradually stir in flour mixture.
6. Mix to form stiff dough.
7. If you aren’t sculpting the dough right away, cover it so that it doesn’t dry out.
8. You may refrigerate for up to two days or freeze.
9. Bring dough to room temperature before shaping.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes depending on thickness of cookies.

What are your favorite holiday cookies?  Do you like to make ones that are fancy? or colorful? or topped with gooey frosting?  I can’t wait to hear what goes on in your kitchen!