AW Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange - Apricot Thumbprint Cookies

I won't be doing any cookie baking, since the holidays find me--as usual--alone. Yes, Lord Kenmore is as unlovable in real life as he is on the screen!

It's fun seeing others recipes, etc, though...

I remember cookies in the past, though. Some memories better than others. The worst memory was when my mother and I helped out my grandmother for Christmas. Her oven was terrible, and it was frustrating having to deal with the expectations people had. Everyone--Grandma included--thought Christmas should be 100% the way it had always been, and 100% perfect... In the midst of baking one year, we ran out of flour, and I went out to get some. My grandmother, of course, had One Accepted Brand. But I bought the store brand, instead. Part of that was the argument that the money was coming out of my wallet, and I saw no difference between Gold Medal and the store brand, given what we were doing. But there might also have a venting act, and a way of rebelling against "we must have this the way it was for the last 50 years down to the last sugar sprinkle!"

Happier memory: the last year we had Christmas in my childhood home (and in some ways the last "normal" Christmas I ever had-after that, for the rest of my mother's life, we spent Christmas with my grandmother, whose style was considerably different in a number of ways, and who had huge gatherings every year, not just 2-3 people), my mother got ambitious with baking cookies. I think it's possible we'd baked Christmas cookies before--I have a vague memory of rolled out sugar cookies, with some cheap cutters that had Christmas themes. But I can't say for sure. But we never did much, until that last year, when my mother got really ambitious. It was odd--because I don't think she had much interest in baking. She would bake cookies, but it was always fast cookies. I can't remember what she did that year, but there were some that weren't fast. There were more than two of us could eat--although I was young, and could pack cookies away easily--and I think we gave some away to neighbors. I don't know all who got them, but I do remember taking some over to a 80-some year old woman nearby. I suspect some went to work with my mother, too.


Forum Topics & Rules Manuals & Literature	New users Click-here to sign-up

Post# 910951 12/13/2016 at 12:58 (2,690 days old) by kevin313 (Detroit, Michigan)
Checkrate/Likes The buttery, nutty thumbprint cookies are part of our usual holiday line-up, and we made a batch yesterday using apricot preserves for the center. What holiday cookies do you make every year?? Please post your recipes/photos/videos and share!!

Post# 910952 , Reply# 1 12/13/2016 at 12:59 (2,690 days old) by kevin313 (Detroit, Michigan)
Checkrate/Likes Here's the recipe: View Full Size

Post# 910986 , Reply# 2 12/13/2016 at 15:17 (2,690 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)
Checkrate/Likes *MMM,* delicious! Thank's Kevin! Easier than the apricot bars I used to make. Basically chocolate chip cookie dough with ground almonds and a layer of cooked until soft dried apricots.

Post# 911010 , Reply# 3 12/13/2016 at 18:55 (2,690 days old) by moparwash (Pittsburgh,PA )
Checkrate/Likes *Cookies!* We are having our annual cookie bake this Saturday...Ill post pics and recipies...and with Ben coming it will also be a 2-person Wash-In!

Post# 911017 , Reply# 4 12/13/2016 at 19:28 (2,690 days old) by Jmm63 (Denville, NJ)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The cookie Gods must be smiling Kevin. I plan on baking cookies this weekend to get a package in the mail to my family in Detroit and I want to make thumbrints but my recipe last year didn't come out. I just started looking for a new recipe and low and behold, you post this great recipe!!!! I have it printed out and will make them this weekend Thanks Kevin!!

Post# 911019 , Reply# 5 12/13/2016 at 19:42 (2,690 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)
Checkrate/Likes *As Always...* Thank You Kevin. Your Vlogs are great and Love the Terrace Top. I hope you still have the other 1960 Westy Range. So thorough in the instructions.

Post# 911227 , Reply# 6 12/15/2016 at 10:35 (2,688 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)
Checkrate/Likes *Does A.W. org use* "cookies"? What are those Christmas cookies called that are white powdery balls that have ground nuts in them, just a touch of butter, flour, and powdered sugar, and melt in your mouth? I'm looking for the country of origin in the name.

Post# 911230 , Reply# 7 12/15/2016 at 10:45 (2,688 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Some call them Russian Teacakes and other call them Mexican Wedding Cakes, by either name they are delicous. Rolling the hot cookies in powdered sugar is a little tedious, and if you don't do it carefully some of them may break apart, but its worth the effort. Eddie

Post# 911234 , Reply# 8 12/15/2016 at 11:22 (2,688 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield, East Midlands, UK)
Checkrate/Likes *Mexican Wedding cakes* I am hesitant to post a video from another cook when we have our own dear Kevin as our resident chef, but here is a recipe from Joy Of Baking. This is one of Stephanie's earlier videos, she is a lot more relaxed in from of the camera now Al CLICK HERE TO GO TO vacbear58's LINK

Post# 911279 , Reply# 9 12/15/2016 at 17:23 (2,688 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )
Checkrate/Likes I'm trying to finish up on cookies tonight, I'm working on my favorite, and most tedious cookie, Apricot Kołaczki. I may whip out a batch of chocolate chip if I'm up to it. I've made Cheesecake Bites, Brownie Bites, Anise Pizzelles, and chocolate meltaways(Russian tea cake with chocolate chips), and jelly filled thumbprints

Post# 911290 , Reply# 10 12/15/2016 at 18:53 (2,688 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *Im not baking much* This year, but I will post one of my Grandmothers Christmas standbys She made every Christmas from the late 20s until She died Dec 2 1988..This recipe came from her best friend from childhood, Mrs Exie Hayes, They are called Mud Hens. Mud Hens, As baked by my Grandmother in her big Majestic Wood Stove when my Mother was a child. 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar 1 tsp salt 4 eggs...save 2 whites 3 cups sifted flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla Mix butter and sugar, add eggs then dry ingredients, spread about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick on greased cookie sheet, building up a rim as for a pizza, spread 2 cups chopped pecans over this, mix the 2egg whites with 2 cups brown sugar, spread over the nuts...this is somewhat difficult, bake 325 for 25 minutes, cut into squares while warm, Grandmother sent this to the Charlotte Observer newspaper in 1940 and they published the recipe.

Post# 911323 , Reply# 12 12/15/2016 at 23:26 (2,688 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)
Checkrate/Likes *Xraytech...* I make a version of Kołaczki too. I make prune and apricot. The prune disappear, but the apricot not so much. I make my own prune, apricot and poppy fillings sine it's difficult to but quality stuff anymore. Will not allow that Solo crap in the house... I always do my baking, a fair amount, the day or two before christmas, I know a lot of folks get started early, but I prefer not to freeze stuff.

Post# 911343 , Reply# 13 12/16/2016 at 07:51 (2,687 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )
Checkrate/Likes MattL, I only make apricot because that is the only filling grandma made them in. I would enjoy the prune, but I'd be the only one. I also make my own fillings as I find store bought way too sweet, I like to stew apricots and then pur�e them with no sugar added View Full Size

Post# 911318 , Reply# 11 12/15/2016 at 22:55 (2,688 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *I will hunt up* A few more old family standbys and post them, but its off to work now...

Post# 911456 , Reply# 14 12/16/2016 at 22:55 (2,687 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)
Checkrate/Likes Looks good! Is that a Friendly Village plate? Got pretty much the whole collection. My mother collected it for years, and I added a few items to it several years ago. Use it everyday. I stew my apricots too, but add brown sugar to the pureed apricots to taste, not too much. My dad made them for many, many years - his nick name was Mac, and for many generations of my family they are called Uncle Mac's cookies. My recipe is dated from 1948, from my dad's sister, so no idea how long it has been around. Other than me, everyone in the family is prune only, kids included.

Post# 911472 , Reply# 15 12/17/2016 at 08:06 (2,686 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *Prunes....* SHUDDER, I put them right up there with sardines,greens and liver..LOL!

Post# 911474 , Reply# 16 12/17/2016 at 08:23 (2,686 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )
Checkrate/Likes Yes that is a Friendly Village plate, I bought a set last year after admiring them for a long time. It's a nice replacement for the vintage Corelle

Post# 911517 , Reply# 17 12/17/2016 at 13:46 (2,686 days old) by moparwash (Pittsburgh,PA )
Checkrate/Likes *Cookies in production* All ovens cranking...plus post cookie movie picked out! Photos... < > Photo 1 of 4 View Full Size

Post# 911527 , Reply# 18 12/17/2016 at 15:59 (2,686 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)
Checkrate/Likes I won't be doing any cookie baking, since the holidays find me--as usual--alone. Yes, Lord Kenmore is as unlovable in real life as he is on the screen! It's fun seeing others recipes, etc, though... I remember cookies in the past, though. Some memories better than others. The worst memory was when my mother and I helped out my grandmother for Christmas. Her oven was terrible, and it was frustrating having to deal with the expectations people had. Everyone--Grandma included--thought Christmas should be 100% the way it had always been, and 100% perfect... In the midst of baking one year, we ran out of flour, and I went out to get some. My grandmother, of course, had One Accepted Brand. But I bought the store brand, instead. Part of that was the argument that the money was coming out of my wallet, and I saw no difference between Gold Medal and the store brand, given what we were doing. But there might also have a venting act, and a way of rebelling against "we must have this the way it was for the last 50 years down to the last sugar sprinkle!" Happier memory: the last year we had Christmas in my childhood home (and in some ways the last "normal" Christmas I ever had-after that, for the rest of my mother's life, we spent Christmas with my grandmother, whose style was considerably different in a number of ways, and who had huge gatherings every year, not just 2-3 people), my mother got ambitious with baking cookies. I think it's possible we'd baked Christmas cookies before--I have a vague memory of rolled out sugar cookies, with some cheap cutters that had Christmas themes. But I can't say for sure. But we never did much, until that last year, when my mother got really ambitious. It was odd--because I don't think she had much interest in baking. She would bake cookies, but it was always fast cookies. I can't remember what she did that year, but there were some that weren't fast. There were more than two of us could eat--although I was young, and could pack cookies away easily--and I think we gave some away to neighbors. I don't know all who got them, but I do remember taking some over to a 80-some year old woman nearby. I suspect some went to work with my mother, too.