L.A. Times’ Holiday Cookie Bake-Off: 2012 results
Beyond the colorful decorations and after the initial rush of sugar, holiday cookies are about memories and tradition. Be they humble or ornate, our baked goods are used to celebrate and give thanks — thanks for our childhoods, the blessings of family and friends and the magic that can be found only this time of year.
This fall, we asked L.A. Times readers to share their special cookie recipes with us for our third annual Holiday Cookie Bake-Off and then to help us narrow down their favorites to the top 50.
We received close to 200 submissions, and more than 2,500 votes were cast. We took the top vote-getters to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, where students spent one Saturday morning baking batches of cookies. L.A. Times Food Editor Russ Parsons, Test Kitchen manager Noelle Carter and features Web producer Jenn Harris joined Lachlan Sands, dean of the cooking school, and culinary student Donna Feoranzo to taste and test each cookie, narrowing it to our top 10.
- 1
My 98-year-old mother was a wonderful baker, and this was one of her specialties. — Laurel Gillis, Burbank PHOTOS: Holiday Cookie Bake-off winning cookies and bakers Almond sweeties Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 12 to 18 Note: Adapted from Laurel Gillis. 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 1 egg, separated 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups (8.5 ounces) flour 1 cup sliced almonds 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1.
- 2
When I was a little girl in Scotland, my mother used to make a very simple yet delicious snow cake, which was topped with white icing and shredded coconut.
- 3
I just moved to Los Angeles this past summer, leaving family, friends and a wonderful group of food bloggers in Minneapolis.
- 4
Many years ago, a co-worker from Finland shared her family recipe for these best-ever gingery spice cookies (which she calls suomalaisat piparkakut).
- 5
Santa’s coat buttons are so much fun to make with a group of children.
- 6
The real gift is, if you have anyone in your extended circle who wants or needs to be wheat- or gluten-free, you will be giving them a way to once again enjoy something that they thought would be permanently off-limits!
- 7
Oh, no, not another Mexican wedding cake!
- 8
I used dark cherry preserves and chopped green pistachios as the filling to offer a “red/green” look for Christmas colors and have a marriage of the holidays. — Samantha Ferraro (www.littleferrarokitchen.com), Seal Beach PHOTOS: Holiday Cookie Bake-off winning cookies and bakers Cherry pistachio rugelach Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling time for the dough Servings: Makes 32 cookies Note: Adapted from Samantha Ferraro.
- 9
My dad loved these cookies, and his eyes would light up every time I baked them.
- 10
I adapted my favorite shortbread recipe to honor one of my guests who wrote the children’s picture book “Under the Lemon Moon.”
