i had a date with my girly girl on saturday. she delighted in the secret of planning our surprise all week. you see, with all the busyness + obligations + celebrations during this December, our cookie baking got shifted into January. not forgotten, oh no - just postponed.
my girly girl, oh how she loves the kitchen. add to the mix that just mentioning daddy's name brings stars to her eyes and the plan for our date was simple : baking daddy's favorite Christmas cookies (his mother's recipe). there were many whispers shared all week long, and as soon as daddy + sissy left for their date to "work" at the plant a bit, she took full charge of the making + the baking. from measuring + mixing, kneading in droplets of red food coloring, cutting + rolling + twisting, and arranging everything just so on the cookie sheets. it was her show. i was just lucky enough to tune in.
later, when we sat down to a lovely tea party with cranberryschorle + cookies warm from the oven, she talked about how excited daddy would be with the cookies. i loved every moment, witness to her excitement and pride in what she had made.
and when they returned from having enjoyed a special date of their own, i thought she'd go running right to daddy, and sissy right for me - as per usual. but this time, the girls ran to each other. "i missed you so much!" they each said as they hugged. i wanted to dive into a time machine and press pause to let the spirit linger there, just a few moments more. but alas, somebody belched and giggled and we were snapped right back to now.
but that moment : i'm so glad i saw it, and that he saw it. and that we saw each other see it. pure unscripted magic. i think, perhaps, that may have been an even better gift than his surprise cookies.
nonnie's candy cane cookies
makes about 4 dozen : we split the recipe in half because the butter commitment was beyond justification after the first of the year, ahem.
cream together ::
1 cup butter (unsalted)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
blend in ::
2.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
divide dough in 1/2, adding what seems like way too much red food coloring to one half. knead until incorporated + chill both doughs for about 1/2 hour before rolling 4" coils and twisting white with red to form candy canes. bake at 375 for 9-10 minutes or until just starting to brown at the edges.
be sure to set one (or a few) aside for yourself, because otherwise you might not get any. xoxo
