Kids in the Kitchen Holiday Treats!
Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or another holiday tradition, treats like cookies, squares and loaves are a delightful part of the season. But more than that, they bring families together in the kitchen, and are the source of many magical holiday memories.
In our family, Christmas cookies were a big deal. I always made at least a dozen different kinds and sometimes got quite fancy with icing and decorations. Of course, we always saved the prettiest ones for Santa, and left a carrot for each of his reindeer.
Now I try to recreate family favorites using healthy whole food ingredients – like the ones in the recipes that follow. You might be surprised to know that many centuries ago when the tradition of making cookies for holidays began, cookies were neither soft or tender nor sweet. How things have changed! Many of the first holiday cookies featured spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom. Gingerbread cookies have been around since the 1500s. It was not long after that cookie molds were created in various shapes, and then cookie cutters. In Germany, cookies were often used to decorate Christmas trees. I hope you enjoy trying the recipes below!
