My great-aunt Anne Foland was a baking legend, and a much anticipated treat every holiday season were her famous Christmas cookies.  

Anyone lucky to be gifted a tin of her Christmas cookies would discover an overwhelming variety of styles, shapes, flavors, and decorations, each guaranteed to be absolutely delicious.  

She made wedding cakes, too - for almost all of my aunts’ and second cousins’ weddings.  Her universal confectionary secret? Tons of butter and sugar, of course. 

I have her recipes of Almond Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Cherry Bars, you name it. She was kind enough to write these recipes down before she passed. 

The irony that my great aunt was a phenomenal baker and I cannot bake is not lost on me. I clearly did not inherit those genes. 

This cookie recipe I am about to give you is great in all different shapes and colors, and would be great in a cookie press added with sprinkles. 

You will need:

1 ½ cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

¼ cup cream

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixer, then add both eggs (unbeaten), cream, and vanilla. 

Finally, add in the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Shape the dough into whatever inspires you, and arrange evenly on a baking tray.  Be sure to make the cookies thick enough and spaced far enough apart to avoid misshapen cookies.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. This high heat makes them slightly crispy on the edges, while staying soft and chewy on the inside.  They are melt-in-your-mouth good!

claire Stabbert is an accomplished cook who loves to try new recipes. While she does enjoy eating at restaurants, she also loves to whip up a good meal at home. Claire gets some of her cooking inspiration from her grandfather and grandmother, Fred and Shirley Stabbert as well as Great Grandma Nellie.