My friends are mostly downshifters or simply they have enough of everything, Sa and me we’re probably getting old and my family decided to have a DIY Christmas.

So this year I’ve completely skipped the anxiety given by presents/shops/money/packaging, this year I won’t be making any Christmas presents.

This year I’ll bake cookies for eveybody.

Yes! Also because what everybody here is saying is “Why should I want another candle holder, or christmas-y thingie that I’ll only use in december, or the Nth thingie that will simply clutter up my home? Just give me something to eat and be done with it, at least I’ll be fed!”

Eeeeexactly! This is why I wrote that maybe Sa & me we’re growing old, but that’s true, I’d rather like a basket of edibles, a jar of -home made or store bought it doesn’t matter- jam, something that I can use and won’t take up space, and that has a useful purpose (fill my belly and charge me in sugars, wich in turn will make me so grateful towards those who filled my belly and charged me in sugars!).

So, it’s going to be cookies for all. I have the recipe, I have the cookie cutters, and I have the will to bake them.

Why yes, making sweets is relaxing to me, I really enjoy it, and then I’ll be spending time at home, quietly, warm with the smell of cookies… there is definately no comparison to being out in the cold and squeezed in a crowd!

There is another thing I’d like to do, and is giving a gift to you readers.

That’s why I’ve decided that, and this is a goldie, I’ll be giving you the recipe of my short pastry cookies. The same recipe also goes for pie crust if you want.

Little tale: I am horribly proud of this recipe, and I immodestly think this is the best short pastry recipe out there, and this came to be simply because I didn’t like my mom’s or my granny’s recipe: too thick, too dry, overbaked, quite flavorless. That’s why I slowly learned and perfected mine. And here it comes for you! Early Christmas present!

Ingredients:

500gr white 00 flour

300gr margarine

200gr sugar

8gr vanilla baking powder

a pinch of salt

(then, if you like, you can add bitter cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, grated coconut, chocolate chips, sprinkles, almonds, nuts, etc)

Procedure:

Mix by hand all the base ingredients, knead untill soft and untill the mass makes very little holes.

If you like to personalize it divide the ball into smaller balls and add your ingredient (see above).

Roll out with a rolling pin, about 1cm thick, cut with cookie cutters, bake in preheated oven (200° C) for about 10 minutes.

Om nom nom.

Related posts: