It’s so rewarding to have grandkids who enjoy spending a day with me baking Christmas cookies.
Over the years, Kayla’s become Chief Baker. I am her happy assistant. I do make the sugar cookie dough as it has to chill, and I get that done before the rest arrive.
Then Kayla takes over. Two batches of the crowd favorite—chocolate chip. Peanut Butter Kisses, Candy Cane Kisses, Snickerdoodles.
Then the finale—the Painted Sugar Cookies.
Colt came up to give us a hand, then Griffin arrived. And this year he dived right in. And stuck with it instead of playing with his monster trucks!
We also had our two additional helpers with our foundation staff, the terrific Morgan and Adonna.
A lot of hands in the kitchen, and a lot of fun.
Plus: YUM!! (Exactly what Griffin says after a bite of the first cookie.)
A bit of panic when I couldn’t immediately lay my hands on the paint brushes. Kat volunteers to make some. And no doubt Katgyver could have. But we find them when I’d moved them to a more logical place during last year’s January purge.
So I roll and cut the dough, and the gang paints.
This year, Griffin helps unwrap kisses as well as wielding a paint brush. In fact, when every cookie’s painted, he isn’t done. Kat makes him canvasses out of paper towels.
I love this holiday tradition. Love the fact I started it with my boys, and then when my grandkids were little started with them. Decades of cookies and memories that last a lot longer than the yum.
Wishing you all that joy this season.
Happy, happy holidays!
Nora
So much fun and tradition with memories for them may y’all have a wonderful holiday and many blessings
A lovely tradition and what a wonderful way to spend time with your grandkids and making cookies at the same time. I used to do gingerbread houses with my grandkids and we had such fun . Saturday my oldest granddaughter got married and I’m looking to the time when she has children that I can make gingerbread houses with. Enjoy your time with your family.
what a wonderful tradition!! looks like so much fun!! thx for sharing.
Grandkids are wonderful. Happy holidays! You’re my favorite author. ❤️ I moved to Spain and had to leave my entire JD Robb in death collection in the US. Now determined to collect them here.
We have the same tradition. Started with my Mom and me, then me and my girls. Then husband and significant others joined in, and now we have two out of three grandkids. It’s wonderful and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without it.
Happy holidays to Nora and the family. I love your special traditions you make with your grandkids and wow, what talented bunch y’all are. 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing the traditions and the joy, Nora. You have a beautiful family and lovely helpers. *They* are the yum. 😊 Merry Christmas!
Love the traditions that include the grandkids!! Love making memories and traditions with mine. Merry Christmas to you Nora and your beautiful family!!🎄🎄🎄❄️❄️❄️☃️☃️☃️
Perfect!!
Can I get the Snickerdodle recipe.? My son loves them and I have been cheating by buy the bag when I can find it. Still like to bake for the 39 year old.
I don’t know Nora’s recipe, obviously, but this is the one I’ve been using for years, and they’re so good! The whole article is them testing out different variations, but the actual recipe card is at the bottom.
https://iambaker.net/snickerdoodle-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-66813
Happy Holidays to All!
I met Nora Roberts years ago as a booksalers and fan in King of Prussia, PA. It is my pleasute to still be a fan after decades of reading her books and read about ger and her family. I love reading the Cookie Manía blog. It bring back memorias I cherish. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TOO ALL.
You have wonderful grandchildren! Happy holidays and blessed be!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Nora, and to your wonderful family.!
Thanks for sharing your cookie bake!
We do the Christmas cookie baking with the grandkids. So much fun. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
When our oldest was born we started baking cookies for Santa every Christmas Eve. It has remained a favourite tradition even though both my babes are now adults and have moved away from home.
Wishing you and yours a happy and merry holiday season. Thank you for all your hard work. I loved Inheritance very much!!
Stephanie (raising a glass of Cliquot to you!)
#professionalromancefan
Merry Christmas 🎄 We have an annual Cookie Day at our house! We love it!!
Sounds like great fun. I love family traditions like this. Happy Holidays and many more to come.
What great memories! One of my favorite cookies as a kid was called gingerbread cookies, but they were crispy and so easy to decorate. My younger sibs were very close in age and one year had a good time decorating each other before they got caught – lol. Good times. Wishing you and yours a very good holiday.
The Merriest Christmas and healthiest of New Year to you and yours. Thank you for sharing part of your family life with all of us. Looking forward to your next big adventure and reading your great books. Best Wishes to you!
What a wonderful Holiday tradition!
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
Happy Holidays to Nora and Laura and associated families – Plus all the happy readers and posters here. =D
How fun to have these traditions with the kids and grandkids! It is something they can look back on fondly for years. The cookies looked wonderful. Thanks for sharing. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
A great tradition with wonderful memories. So fun, enjoy the yum. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Love the photos of the cookie baking day. Reminds me of happy family times in earlier years.
I have done the same with my two sons and now my 6 grandchildren—such wonderful lovely times. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I enjoy making cookies with my grandchildren. We use icing for sugar cookies. What do you “paint” the cookies with?
Evaporated milk and food coloring. Really simple!
Do you paint them before or after baking?
Thanks! I’ve never tried that.
I have the same tradition with my granddaughters…started making candy with them when they were young and now they’re 17/19. I asked them this year if they still wanted to do this, knowing they were busy and growing up…would making candy still be fun? Both replied with a DUH grandma…we’ll never be too old to do candy! Gave me warm fuzzies 🥰
Happy Holidays to you & your family Ms. Roberts .
It looks like a joyful day making cookies
Did Griffin get a haircut. He looks so grown up 🥹
Thank you for sharing some of your family’s memories in this most glorious season of joy.
Christmas blessings to all.
I to engage my grandkids in decorating the sugar cookies . The recipe was shared with me from a life long neighbor when I was growing up and here, over the last 20 years I have used this recipe…probably the best if you an get them as thin as “Ms Sis” We just had our decorating nite with my 14 & 10 year old granddaughters….Thanks for sharing your family traditions. Merry Christmas & Happy healthy New Year to you and yours…
Thank you for sharing. ❤️ Merry Christmas 🎅
Thank you for sharing your family tradition. It’s wonderful making forever memories with your family and friends. Wishing you and your Family a very Happy New Year.
When will I get my 2024 magnetic list of nora & JDROBB books
Could you email me at LMReeth@gmail.com with your address so I can check the list? The magnets went out last week. -Laura
Hello Nora. My name is Yvonne and. I have just finished reading Inheritance. What a wonderful book I was intrigued …
I cannot wait to read your next book which I hope is Book Two of the lost bride trilogy
I do hope you receive these comments as I live in Australia and I am 90years old and you are so right this book is Unputdownable as I have read it in six days.
Thank you Nora