My Favorite (Christmas) Cookie

This is my favorite Christmas cookie.  My mom used her mother’s recipe and that’s how it came to be known as Grandma O’Neill Cookies.  You might know them as Brown Sugar Drop cookies.

 

Grandma O’Neill Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening (I used butter)

1½ cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in ¼ cup hot water

1 tsp. cinnamon

2½ cups flour

½ tsp. salt

½ cup raisins

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°

Combine dry ingredients, set aside

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla.

Add dry ingredients alternating with water with soda

Make 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper (or greased cookie sheets)

Bake 10-15 minutes (my oven took 12 minutes)

Place cookies on wire rack to cool.

When cooled, frost with almond icing (powdered sugar mixed with milk and almond extract to your taste and consistency preference).  * I use ¼ tsp. extract

Sprinkle with red or green sugar (optional)

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