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Christmas Sweets: a Christmas Cookie Recipe

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Christmas is just around the corner! Can you believe it?! And you know what it snowed here last night so I’m really in the spirit now! One of the first things that I do to get myself in the spirit is start baking! It just warms my heart, truly Christmas scents! 
When I was little my mom never did much baking and it was only during the holidays that my grandmother aka mama did. She would make buñelos and she’d make Mexican wedding cookies aka hojarascas. I’m very excited to share the recipe for the hojarascas and I’ve thrown in a bit of a healthy twist to it. I’ve taken her recipe and made it my own. That’s what happens with each generation right? Ok maybe not, but I changed these up for the better! You will be impressed!
Christmas Cookie Recipe

My grandmother’s hojarascas are so delicious. Those little cookies bring back a lot of memories. I can remember sneaking them while everyone participated in the rosary during the posadas. Mama loved having a big posada every Christmas. I can remember a few years she actually had the Matachines dance in the front yard. The Matachines dance in honor of our Lady of Guadalupe, (patron saint and mother of the Mexican people) where I’m from in east Texas. We celebrate her day on Dec 12th. The Matachines have a beautiful history that I’m still learning about to this day. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a group perform, I know they are active dancing groups in New Mexico. I hope the boys get to experience the dances of the (las danzas de los), Matachines one day.

Holiday cookie Ingredients
Once I decided I wanted to bake some hojarascas I knew the recipe would need to be updated. I wanted to use ingredients that I knew would be better and cleaner than the products mama recommended. Before you start, pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees. Once you do that you can get started.

Here’s what you will need:

  • 1.5 cups of Flour
  • 1/5 cup of coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 ts of baking soda
  • 1/4 ts of PB powder or you can use ground nuts (pecans, walnuts or peanuts)

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. If you find your recipe is too wet add some flour to it. That will also help cut the stickiness to it. *Note this is not the type of cookie that goes in the cookie press. I learned the hard way. Trial and error is what it’s all about! I really hoped it would work, but oh well.

PB Powder

Once I realized I didn’t have enough pecans, I decided to reach for my PB powder. I decided to add 1/4 ts. It was a fantastic choice! It provided just enough nuttiness to the recipe, without going full on peanut butter cookie. If you notice the batter does resemble a peanut butter cookie. Just remember the flour comment above.

Holiday Cookie DoughSince we can’t use a cookie press, it’s time to roll it out and use those cute little cookie cutters. Dust your board and rolling pin with a little flour and put some elbow grease in there. After you roll it out get your cookie cutters ready.  I decided to go with the gingerbread man cutter. It’s not a gingerbread recipe, but aren’t they cute anyways?! This also made it render so many more cookies as well! I was able to pull 1 dozen from this roll. Total from the recipe you could possibly get 3.5 – 4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter. I’ve got some refrigerated for later!holiday cookie men Bake the men on an ungreased baking sheet. I decided to bake on my stone. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them that they don’t burn. After you take them out put them directly into the sugar and cinnamon mix. That way it sticks to the cookie. Dust off the excess and enjoy!

holiday cookie sugar bathFor Sugar Bath

  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp white sugar (optional but adds nice color) or you can use red and/or green sprinkles

These cookies make great gifts and great snacks too!

Holiday hojarascas

 

 I can’t wait to hear how your cookies turnout! I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. I plan on making the healthier version for my family when we go for the holidays!

Question:

What is your go-to holiday cookie?

Holiday cheers!

Candy

 

About Candy

On a fun adventure with her two sons and her husband. Learn about our military family life, our travels, entertainment, food and all of the fun we are having!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  9. Chrissy says

    Cookies and candles sound perfect for the holidays. If I can’t have some good smells coming from the oven, a candle will certainly do the job.

  10. Krystal says

    I really love sugar cookies for the holidays. There’s just something about a sugar cookie that screams, “holidays!” to me.

  11. Pam says

    Glade has such great holiday scents. I always keep a candle burning around Christmas to make the house smell festive.

  14. Theresa says

    I love having my home smell like fresh baked cookies throughout the holidays! The candles sound great and the cookies look yummy!

  15. Pauline C. says

    Your post is very delighting, I want to make that ginger bread cookie now. This would not be a good treat for the holidays but can be a gift too.

  26. Chrysa says

    Our go to holiday cookie is anything chocolate. We also love cut out cookies to be decorated! Thanks for sharing and love holiday candles!

  27. April at Two Chics Blog says

    The cookies look great. We always make lots of cookies around Christmas. These will be a sure thing in my kitchen!

  29. Rosey says

    Little cute cookie man. 🙂 The PB powder in place of the nuts worked out well it sounds like. Hurrah for cool substitutions. 🙂

  30. christina aliperti says

    I like trying new cookie recipes each year but I always go back to the classics. Sugar cookies with smooth glossy icing are still my favorite.

  35. linda Trinklein says

    Thank you for sharing this recipe. The cookies are sooo cute & look yummy, I think my family will enjoy making and eating them!

  38. athena graeme says

    Coconut sugar? Never heard of it, but it sounds delicious! I must go find this!!! Thank you!

  39. Twinkle Gupta says

    omg I love cookie recipies! Love this time of the year because I can bake as much as I want! Thanks for the recipe, ill let you know how it goes!

  40. Tracy Murray says

    I cannot wait to try this recipe! Every year I do the same 2 cookies at Christmas time. My late mother in laws famous cut outside and haystacks! Just love those darn things.. but I’m trying this recipe for sure..I need something new! Thanks!!

  43. Kathy Lane says

    Yummy! This recipe looks and sounds so good. I didn’t get a chance to make homemade cookies for Christmas this time but will save your recipe for next Christmas. Probably will try a batch soon anyways and I believe they would be good with my morning coffee.

  45. Dorothy Boucher says

    I would have loved to have tried this cookie recipe out during the Christmas season but I might just make them anyway, sounds yummy!! and I love that its an easy recipe.

  46. Tray01 says

    These sound delicious! Also seems like the perfect cookie to make throughout the year with the kids. .

  49. Brandon Sparks says

    OMG! These really do sound amazing. I can’t wait to make them for my family. Thanks so much..