My holiday baking has officially begun in earnest. Last week I baked up some sweets for my holiday care package for Operation Baking Gals. There was Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread baked in in jars and homemade plain and chocolate graham crackers that I dipped in dark and white chocolate respectively.
And this weekend I added to the list Cream Wafers, which I made for a cookie swap. Not many recipes get repeated on this blog, and in my kitchen in general, but this one is worth it and with good reason. My mom used to make these cookies when I was growing up and they were, and still are, my favorite. They are unbelievably simple. You make a simple dough of butter, flour, and cream and chill it before rolling it out and cutting out small rounds. 
When these cookies bake the steam created from the butter makes them exceptionally flaky and airy. Once cooled they are filled with tinted butter cream to become little sandwiches. By the time I had finished baking these my skin was perfumed with butter and the whole kitchen smelled warm and homey. Neither the cookies nor the frosting taste that great individually, but when married together pretty heavenly. They received lots of compliments at the cookie exchange and while I wish I could take 100% of the credit, I’m sure the recipe originally came from a Betty Crocker Cookbook somewhere. You can find the full recipe with instructions posted on my site here.
The only hiccup with this recipe was that I tried a new brand of food coloring, INDIA TREE Decorating Colors. Usually when I need to tint frosting or batter I use Wilton Icing Colors. I love the true colors and richness I get. Sadly, the INDIA TREE Decorating Colors were the exact opposite. The red was more like fuchsia and no matter how many different times I tried blending the yellow and blue together for green icing, the color was always a little too vegetal (borderline pukey once dry) for my tastes. I know I should cut this product some slack because they are made from ‘concentrated vegetable colorants’ rather than artificial ingredients making them preferable to people seeking to avoid some of the negative side effects loosely linked with artificial colors or for vegans who might be unsure if the red food coloring comes from insects. I would gladly use these decorating colors when making vegan cookies or treats for people with allergies to artificial food colorings. However, I otherwise would not use them when I’m looking for a very specific, true color, like Christmas red and green. The biggest bummer is that these decorating colors set me back $16.00! Looking at my receipt I thought it was an error but the price was confirmed when I went back to the shelf. In fact, it was on sale from the original price of $18.99! Seriously!?! I usually don’t balk at paying more for premium ingredients, but that seemed quite high.
Food coloring issues aside, I’m so happy that my holiday baking has commenced and cannot wait to fly back to Minnesota this week so that can bake other family favorites with my mother and my aunt like Cream Cheese Lemon Bars and Cherry Blossoms.
What holiday cookies are a tradition in your family?
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
These cookies are such cuties! I haven’t made anything with food coloring in ages because I hate the artificial stuff in them. It’s so disappointing that the natural stuff produced such results, especially given the price!! In any case, I’d still eat those cookies
I bet these cookies are great! I also use Wilton food coloring and have had weird experiences with some others. Traditions for my family are pb blossoms, thumbprints, orange cookies, and buckeyes!
Wow, those little “sandwich” cookies look fantastic! I wish I could eat one through the screen. LOL!
My mom always makes frosted cut-out sugar cookies, and chocolate bittersweets, which are a shortbread-type bottom, coconut mixture middle, and drizzled chocolate over the top. Pure bliss!
The cream wafers are such an interesting recipe. Never even heard of anything like it. Nice!
Wow sounds yummy, allll of it. I love your mixer.
Oooh they’re adorable! And I can imagine they’re delicious too
Wow, I’m convinced that Wilton is the way to go after reading this. Yikes! Beautiful cookies, though. I wish I was holiday baking with you.
These sound like such a simple ingredient list(which is good)–and look like they blend together to make a delicious cookie!(which is even better)
Hope you have a safe trip to MN—baking with the fam is the best!
Those cream wafers sound yummy and look so cute!
those cookies are adorable! I just posted some of my family’s favorite xmas cookies — candy cane cookies and Italian Anise — you should check ‘em out!
Those cookies look so good, even the ones with the weird green filling.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I will try them this weekend. And, thank you for being a team leader with OBG. It was fun baking “with” you. 
Aww, what a bummer on the food coloring, especially when it was so expensive. I love these little sandwiches! They look so tasty and I can see why they were a big hit at the cookie exchange
Our big tradition is making gingerbread houses!
Anything called “Cream Wafers” has got to be extra dreamy good.
Kelly, what wonderful cookies! I especially like the Cream Wafers. I could just gobble those up all by myself. LOL Wishing you and yours and lovely Holiday Season my friend.
Those cookies look and sound delicious! My holiday cookie that I have been making for ages is a basic sugar cookie with sprinkles or nonpareils…I love them!