In my eyes, Grandma Velma was the Christmas cookie queen. Cookies like Peanut Butter Blossoms, Tea Time Tassies, Nut Puffs, & Lady Locks were would be stuffed into Tupperware containers & cardboard shirt boxes that filled the extra fridge she had in her garage. Then there were “Grandma Cookies”.

On the surface, Grandma Cookies were pretty simple & mild in flavor compared to their counterparts. The round vanilla cookie was pillowy soft in the middle, topped with sprinkles, & not cloyingly sweet. You could eat a bunch without really thinking about it, especially with a cup of coffee.

A Christmas Cookie Recipe Lost

For years after my grandma passed away, no one could find the recipe. I scoured the internet trying to find something, but the closest I ever got was a ricotta cookie, which grandma’s daughters swore up & down was not it… so I gave up. But recently, digging around in some old photos & docs, I found it! Well, sort of. The recipe was half-baked, with no instructions & a short list of vague ingredients like “two teaspoons of baking powder for every cup of flour”.

So, I got to work doing some recipe testing, and I’m happy to report that after some trial, error, and more than a dozen eggs, I figured out the right ingredient ratios and steps! I even came up with another variation of the cookie that I enjoyed, though it still doesn’t beat the original. In the coming weeks, I have a personal goal to share a few of my favorite holiday cookie recipes with you, and I’m starting with these Grandma Cookies. They’re very easy to make, & could be a fun cookie to have kids help decorate, too!

Grandma Cookies Recipe

By Bake Gia Bake
A simple vanilla cookie with a pillowy soft center. The original is dipped in glaze & topped with sprinkles, but you can mix it up by rolling in granulated sugar prior to baking instead. Enjoy them this holiday season on their own or paired with a cup of coffee.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 13 minutes | Total time: 28 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies

Cookie Ingredients

6 large eggs
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (95 grams) soft/room temperature shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
4 cups (480 grams) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

Glaze Ingredients

3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use clear extract if you want to keep your glaze bright white)
Sprinkles (I used Trader Joe's Christmas Sprinkle)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchement or silicone baking mats.
With the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the eggs & sugar together on high until thoroughly combined.
Add in the shortening and vanilla, and continue to beat on high until thoroughly combined.
Turn the mixer speed to low and add in flour and baking powder until dough just comes together and no streaks of flour remain.
Scoop and roll into 1/2 inch balls, then place on parchment. You can either use a cookie scoop if you want to be precise or just eyeball it with your hands
Bake in the oven for 13 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown & lift easily off the parchment/mat. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.
In the meantime, whisk together heavy cream, powdered sugar, & vanilla extract to create the glaze.
Once cookies are cool, dip each one into the glaze & top with sprinkles.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. In my opinion, they taste even better after refrigerated.

Varation: Skip the glaze & sprinkles if that's not your vibe. Roll your dough balls in granulated sugar before putting them into the oven!