Well I know there must be women who take the time to bake and decorate cut out hundreds of sugar and gingerbread cookies. Just look at what Martha Stewart can do with a cookie cutter—she’s got us all convinced we have to decorate more, bake more and be better homemakers than any generation before us. On the other hand, there are those of us crazy enough to want the cookies without the work.
That’s where my mother comes in. She was one of the original working mothers and she had it all figured out. Not only did she have a really easy signature cookie recipe, she belonged to a cookie exchange club.
In honor of all you working mothers who already have enough going on, I’ve found several different cookie recipes developed by working moms to relieve the Christmas cookie crazies.
Mint Chocolate Meringues (My mom’s specialty)
5 egg whites
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 ½ cup sugar
12 oz. Semisweet chocolate chips
Beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and extract together until soft peaks form. Very gradually add the sugar while the mixer is still beating. Continue beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or a paper grocery bag cut to fit the sheet. Bake in a slow oven (275-300oF) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they’re set. Remove the cookies while still slightly warm carefully with a wide spatula.
We can’t sell you girl scout cookies online so sharing our favorite recipes is our attempt at a virtual bake sale. Your donation will help us go to Maine to volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with life threatening diseases and their families, this summer.
