Cookies are important in the American Christmas. They're important normally, but at Christmas time, they really elevate the art. Popular cookies that I can think of include: snickerdoodles, gingerbread, butter cookies, Hershey kisses and choc chips (I think choc chips are important, not sure if everyone would agree). Whole books are devoted to the art of the cookie, and if readers at home are unsure, they could check out the dedication evident on the King Arthur Flour blog Flourish, where there are whole posts dedicated to developing your cookie skills - along with the sentiment that good cooks can read and cook a recipe, but really good cooks can tweak to suit...
Shortbread also makes an appearance, although not using biscuit cutters, but cooked as a round, often in a lovely sort of pie tin with Christmassy designs on the bottom and divisions that help you divide the finished product into pieces like pie pieces.
One type of cookies that I have discovered this Christmas is the stamped cookie - where you buy a stamp, and stamp a design onto the top of the cookie (you also need the right sized round cookie cutter). Very intriguing. If I didn't have a three month old, and a divot to fill on the couch, I would consider exploring this one.
In honour of this tradition, or perhaps because of it, the boys and I have spent a fair chunk of December cooking cookies so we can give cookies to friends (and the work crews down the street).
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