The 12 Days of Cookies

It was a crisp fall afternoon and I had just gotten home from another rough day of first grade. I sat down in my bedroom, unzipped my backpack, and pulled out my homework. Just as I was about to open up my math book, the smell of fresh baked goods vented into my room and drew me to the kitchen.

Unnoticed, I watched my Grandma from the hallway. She rolled cookie dough with her hands, filled up a cookie sheet with perfectly round circles, and paced around the oven listening to the oven timer click away. When the bell went off and she went to retrieve her batch, I slowly crept into the kitchen on my tiptoes. Very quietly, I slid under the table with the bowl of remaining cookie dough in my hands. Just as I was about to feast on dough, I looked up and could see my Grandma’s feet in front of me. She was standing over me. Just as I tried to creep away in the other direction, she reached down, grabbed the bowl from my hands, pulled me up, and told me that if I wanted a cookie, I had to bake one!

Living with my Grandma motivated me at an early age to cook, bake, and eat everything on my plate. Baking easily became a bond that we shared. Besides having fun in the kitchen, my Grandma was a great teacher, and if anything, she always had a recipe that would cure my killer sweet tooth!

Making holiday cookies became a favorite tradition of ours. After all, it was the only way she could stop me from eating half the dough! Everyone in my family had their favorite. From sugar to ginger to good old-fashioned chocolate chip, every cookie was promised and delivered on time for the holiday season. No one had to worry that their favorite wouldn’t be waiting for them on the famous cookie platter. Unfortunately, for the longest time I had a problem finding my favorite. I liked them all but I never loved or craved a single one. Until one day when my Grandma started having me mix my favorite flavors: chocolate and orange. We came up with a unique cookie that I can now call my favorite every holiday season.

I thank my Grandma for her patience with me in the kitchen. Without her, I’d still be eating dough! And…everyone else’s favorite cookie.

Cookie mix:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter softened
• '1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons grated orange peel''

Glaze':

• 6-oz pkg. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions:

Heat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.

Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and orange 'peel. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar to 1/8 to'1/4-inch thickness. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. In small saucepan over low heat, combine glaze ingredients, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat.

Pour glaze into glass measuring cup; set in pan of hot water.

Dip half of each cookie into glaze; shake off excess chocolate. Place dipped cookies on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Chill until glaze is set, about 10 minutes.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.