Holiday Baking

I didn't come from a house where baking was really part of the holidays. Mom is a fantastic cook - but the fresh Christmas baking in the house came from others most of the time. And while I have my own sugar and gingerbread cookies that I make every year - there is one type of cookie from my past that I have brought back.

Mrs. Connel's Cookies. Mrs Connel lived across the street from us. The Connel's were family friends with my parents, and eventhough they moved probably close to 20 years ago from Ruth Cres, the house is still always referred to as the Connel's house.

Anyhow - during the Christmas Sing a Long (trust me, there is a story coming for that, I'm just trying to find some photos) - all the neighbours would bring food. Mrs Connel would bring these amazing cookies. Round balls with some icing on top, and sometimes that hard silver candy too. Mmmmm. I always remember sneaking some early, even though I knew they were supposed to be for later (those and the after 8s, which rarely made it after 6!)

So today, instead of shopping in a zoo like mall, I decided a to do a last minute baking session. The sugar cookie dough is chilling (gingerbread needs ahead of time groceries), but I thought I would make some of Mrs. Connel's cookies too. The kids joined in (well, Braydon apparently got bored and left part way through).

I've just pulled them out of the oven and the icing will be added in a bit. It's cookies like theses that make me think of my childhood Christmas'. Now off to write Santa some letters!!