This year, my friend Deb hosted a Christmas Cookie Exchange with a twist. The participants were asked to bring cookies made with wholesome ingredients. Here were her guidelines:
“Please refrain from using refined white sugar or white flour, pre-packaged mixes, high fructuse corn syrup or margarine. We welcome yummy nuts, fruit, dark chocolate, natural sweeteners, whole grain flours, real butter, nut butters, etc. etc. etc. etc. Certainly experiment and be creative! I’m sure this is new to many of us.”
When Deb announced this event on Facebook, she had a few people make remarks such as “I have a brand new recipe for spelt cardboard squares…”. Deb is classy and she laughed it off (me, not so much). But, I can assure you that none of the cookies resembled cardboard.
We had such a lovely evening. We were able to encourage each other as we strive to live healthy lives with nourishing food. Deb had put together a BEAUTIFUL gift basket as a prize and asked each of us to vote for their favorite cookie. And I won!!!!! What a treat, especially since I never win anything.
Here’s my recipe; let me know what you think:
Russian Tea Cookies
1 c. softened, cultured, organic butter
1 c. organic maple sugar (divided)
2 t. pure vanilla extract
2 c. sprouted, organic, whole wheat flour
1/4 t. sea salt
1 c. organic walnuts, soaked, dried and chopped small*
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, 1/2 c. maple sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour and salt until just blended. Mix in chopped walnuts. Roll into 1″ balls and place on cookie sheet an inch or so apart. Bake for 12 minutes. When cool, roll in remaining maple sugar.
*To soak and dry walnuts: Place 1 c. walnuts and 1 1/2 t. sea salt in a bowl and cover with room-temperature filtered water. Soak 8 hours. Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Drain nuts and spread in one layer on a baking pan. Dry nuts in oven for 12 – 24 hours stirring occasionally, until very dry and crisp. A dehydrator may be used instead of an oven. Cool, and chop for cookies. This makes the nuts more digestible and oh, so delicious.
Shared at Weekend Gourmet
It was a fabulous party and these cookies were great!
Didn’t it feel wonderful to be in a group of like minded women? ALL of the cookies were great; I had the hardest time voting.
How Fun! I make Mexican Wedding Cakes every year (also called Russian Tea Cookies) but with white flour, butter, granulated & powdered sugar. I have been looking for a new healthier Christmas cookie recipe – and thanks to this recipe & your helping Tom find us some PA maple syrup:, I will be trying these! Thanks, Susan! Sounds like a lovely evening!
Lois, they are my favorite Christmas cookies and I’ve always made them just like you do. When Deb gave us our guidelines, I just tried them with healthier ingredients and it really worked out. Be careful, though. I used maple sugar, not syrup.
Yikes! I read that recipe a little too fast! I wondered how you rolled them in maple syrup -lol. Wedding cakes are Liz/ favorite – I usually either wrap some up as a gift or set aside her own personal stash . I look forward to trying the recipe. Thanks for the heads up!
the exchange was WONDERFUL…i can hardly wait for everyones recipes! they’ll be baked and shared from our home this Christmas season! my problem is limiting myself to just a few at a time!
Groan. I have the same problem. I have been dipping into my stash almost daily. I can’t wait for our soup tasting and I’m grateful to Deb for initiating this.
Congrats on winning!!! Your cookies sound delicious!! Really great idea- i wish i was there to taste them all
Thanks, Joyful Le!!!!!
Well, I think it’s brilliant. If we don’t start changing our ways as a nation (Christmas cookie swaps included) let’s see what they say about the bills received in the mail for health care. This was such a good idea. And the idea of giving and receiving a bunch of gifts that no one wants anyway? But cookies! Everyone likes a cookie! Thanks for the Russian tea cookie recipe! Can’t wait to try it!! GREAT post!
Thanks, Jennifer! Hope you enjoy the recipe. It uses the sprouted wheat flour I mentioned to you previously. ~Susan
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