Cookies For Santa

The most magical time of year is now upon us. This is a season of miracles where anything can happen as long as you believe. Nothing is too farfetched for the Christmas Season which makes it the perfect occasion for dreams and wishes. And if any night was tailor-made for wishes, it’d be Christmas Eve. December has only just begun, so Christmas Eve is still a long ways off, but wishes are worth waiting for. And this is the home stretch for those who’ve been waiting a whole year to ask Santa for a special wish. (I hope you’ve been REALLY good.) We all know he’s gearing up for his annual gift-giving visit to the children and animals of the world. Yep, kids aren’t the only ones who get a gift from Santa. It’s supposed to be a secret, but every year, Santa brings animals their own Christmas Voices. I’ve been trying to get one of my pets to let the cat out of the bag, but they’ve all been tight-lipped for years. Still, I remain a firm believer in the legend, thanks to a certain little movie titled Annabelle’s Wish.

You know, memories have a way of being good and bad, even simple ones about watching Christmas movies. I’ve seen Annabelle’s Wish countless times and it doesn’t feel right going a December without it, but I can’t forget the emotional scars it left on me. (Yes, I cried over a cartoon cow. I was sensitive. Leave me alone.) I’m okay now since many Christmases have come and gone since my first time seeing it, but we do still refer to Annabelle’s Wish as, “The Unspeakable.” I’m always so moved by this movie because it’s as pretty as a present. Everything from the visuals, to the acting, to the music works together beautifully, and at its core, Annabelle’s Wish is such a pure story of dreams, friendship, and selflessness that my heart can’t help taking flight alongside Annabelle. Well, I can’t think of a better way to honor a movie I love than to make food from it. Throughout Annabelle’s Wish, Santa gives such wonderful gifts to the farm animals, Billy, and Annabelle, so the least I can do is give back a little to Santa by making a batch of cookies just like the ones Billy leaves out.

Recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 ¾ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden, 9-11 minutes.

Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for a couple minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Now they’re ready for Santa (Or yourself!)

Sure, Santa sees a lot of cookies during his night out delivering gifts, but there’s just something about a plate of delicious looking cookies and a tall glass of milk that’s too good to pass up. The cookies even tempt Ears and he’d have eaten them if he had the reach. (Then Santa would’ve lost both his lunch and his cookies to the Baker animals.) All of this writing about Santa and talking animals may seem pretty silly to some, but that’s what Christmas Eve is all about. It’s a night made for wishes and believers of all ages. (But right now, my only wish is that it’d get here sooner!)

Tune in next week for more Cartoon Cravings!