British children leave out sherry and mince pies, while Swedish kids leave porridge. In America, leaving a plate of cookies for Santa found its beginnings during the Great Depression, as parents taught their children the importance of giving to others during economic hardship. Today’s kids happily set out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk, waking in the morning to find a few crumbs on the plate and an empty glass, confirming that Santa had paid a visit. Keep a tin of these cookies for Christmas or any winter get-together.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until fully combined. Shape into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
