After a long night flying through the air and dropping off presents, Santa may be a little hungry.
Taylor Roberts, 7, said he makes cookies for Santa because he wants Santa to get caught in the chimney and then he can catch a glimpse of him. But every year, his plot fails. When he wakes up, there is no Santa nor any cookies.
"Every time I wake up, the cookies are gone and no one else is awake," he said.
Nigel Santiago, 22, a UVSC freshman majoring in business management from Erie, Pa., also thought the eaten cookies were a sure way of knowing Santa came.
The cookies were always gone, he recalls.
But other students feel that the their baked delights were not eaten by Santa, but by their parents.
Rachel Dull, 22, a senior from Lake Carles, La., majoring in diabetics, said her family always made molasses cookies for Santa because her mom said it was Santa's favorite.
"But now that I think about it, maybe my mom conned me into it because those were also her favorite cookies," Dull said. "But we always got a note that Santa loved the cookies."
The origin of leaving cookies is unknown, but an article for the Alibene Reproter-News (Texas), wrote the tradition may be similar to other European holiday customs like how Dutch children fill wooden shoes with hay for Santa's horses.
ClassBrain.com said the tradition might have started in the 1930's as a way for naughty children to bribe Santa to give them presents instead of a lump of coal. But the nice children would leave cookies to thank Santa for all his hard work.
Whether or not Santa really eats cookies, here are some great cookie recipes for every one to enjoy: (source: marthastewart.com)
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes 2 dozen cookies
You can substitute bittersweet chocolate for half of the semisweet chocolate chips.
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 twelve-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 375°. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Combine butter and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Add egg, and continue beating until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing scoops 3 inches apart. Bake until just brown around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans between the oven shelves halfway through baking. Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly before removing cookies from the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
SUGAR COOKIES
Makes about 16 large cookies or thirty 2 1/2-inch cookies
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup fine sanding sugar, for decorating (optional)
1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.
3. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla or lemon juice and zest. Wrap dough in plastic; chill for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 325°. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and decorate with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until edges just start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. May be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
BASIC GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Makes about 16 large cookies
6 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture; combine on low speed. Divide dough in thirds; wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 350°. On a floured work surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks, then decorate as desired.
Copyright Brigham Young University 13 Dec 2002
