Warmed ovens. Chilled dough. Accoutrements galore. Stools pulled to counters. Books stacked in chairs for little buddies to participate fully. Patient, loving, hands guiding smaller ones from step to step; rolling out dough, cutting into fun shapes, decorating little master pieces. It was the traditional cookie day of my childhood. We would go to a family friends’ house, the Moss, to busy ourselves between sugary recipes galore. My mom needed the reinforcements to accomplish such a task and we are forever grateful to Mrs. Moss for allowing us to dirty up her kitchen every Christmas season.

Spritz cookies, the smell and process always better than the taste. Ginger bread fantastic in any form. Sugar cookie dough sticking on the counter tops as we tried our best to form trees, stars, and other creatures. Sprinkles escaping to all corners of the kitchen while small dogs happily licked baby hands stuck under the table to “wash” (yes, I did that. What can I say, it was the fastest way to be able to participate in the next recipe).

This tradition of controlled-chaotic-cookie-making has continued with my kids and we have their Grandma to thank (thanks Paulette for your adventurous, magical, and always energetic enthusiasm for such an endeavor). The day was a success! Little hands beating out dough. Fingers licking between sprinkled cookie tops. More sugar consumed that the average mother likes to admit (a bowl of cut oranges or other nibbles help balance the morning…Rory was cut off early).

We made reindeer gingerbread cookies. Decorated with pretzel antlers, hot candy noses, and chocolate eyes.

A fun new sugar cookie recipe and homemade icing (thanks Chris for whipping that up! So tasty!) brought the cutest melted (okay, some might say “ugly-cute”) snowmen the North Pole cookie baking crew has ever seen!

The hardest part was getting the kids to sit still for a picture that wasn’t out of focus! There was just that much decorating fun going on!

Cousin Eli was the focused and dedicated assembly line worker – Ford has nothing on this kid’s skills.

Ryder was the taste tester, swishing about chocolate morsels, hot candies, and sprinkles to ensure perfect ingredients used on each cookie.

Rory was the … okay, Rory did not discriminate as usual. Happily singing along between handfuls of this dough and that. A sprinkle here and an assortment of trimmings there. The magic was evident. The joy was felt. Memories were made and bellies were satisfied. Naps were held early…

A family recipe…okay, truly we aren’t sure where it came from, but I will give all credit to Grandma Bates. A favorite of her best pal, Grandpa Bates, and her efforts to satisfy his famous “Got a little something to go with my coffee?”, this amazing, delicious, addictive cookie was one of the main reasons I joined the family eight years ago. Okay, seriously… well it could have been! Its just that good. I PROMISE. I also realized while making them last week that they are technically gluten free. So without further ado, here is a recipe for your future enjoyment! But I’m warning you, 5lb to your holiday weight will be exclusively given by these babies. You can’t just eat one!

O’Harry Bars

3/4 c. butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. dark corn syrup
1 T. vanilla
4 c. quick oats
Second step after baking: 1 c. chocolate chips and 2/3 cup peanut butter, divided.

Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil and butter the foil (not kidding here, don’t forget to butter it). Cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in the oats. Pat into greased pan (about a half inch or bit less thick). Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. It will not look completely set. Cool slightly.

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together. Spread half over top of baked oat mixture. Chill (in freezer…about an hour). Lift foil out of pan and spread bottom side of cookie with the remaining chocolate mixture. Chill (about another hour). Cut into 1/2 inch x 3 inch strips. Eat until guilt sets in.

They freeze beautifully for weeks…if you can hide them that long.

Merry Christmas! Hope you have all your shopping done and are ready to relax and celebrate the birth of Jesus!