Chai Spritz Cookies

Those of us of a certain age and upbringing spent many a December cranking out cookies through a cookie press, creating pile after pile of somewhat misshapen pine trees, snowflakes, and snowmen. Even after the charm of making cookies each Christmas fell away from my family, every time I bit into a butter spritz cookie at a friend’s house, I was flooded with the memory, however faint, of happy decorating cookies with my mother.

It had been a long time since I’ve made spritz cookies. Every year I’d see the set in the store, pick it up, and remember. Then I’d put it down and move on, somehow not allowing myself to hold on to those memories. To convince myself I had to let go.

I was telling a friend the other day that after my parents moved away from my childhood home, I wasn’t left with many mementos of growing up. Given my decluttering habit, I declared this a good thing, but then I realized why I had been wrong about putting back the cookie press. For the most part, all I have of my childhood is memories, and I should be cultivating them, tending to them like a wild garden.

It might just be cookies to some people, but for those of us with loss, no matter the level, we need to hold on to what we can.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and OXO is hosting their annual program to benefit Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit that was founded by two OXO employees after their son was diagnosed with pediatric cancer.  For every OXO item with the green “Cookies for Kids’ Cancer” sticker sold in September, OXO will donate 25 cents in support of pediatric cancer research as part of its $100,000* pledge to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.

I was thrilled to participate in the campaign this year, and it was great to get back to making cookies with a press. I’ve loved seeing what my fellow bloggers have come up with for their cookies. Visit the #OXOGoodCookies Pinterest board for cookie inspiration.

Now – these cookies are reminiscent of my childhood spritz cookies, but I pumped them full of chai spices to bring them into fall, creating a bite that is perfect alongside afternoon tea. You can lessen the spice if you want, but because spritz cookies are so rich, it’s easy for the spice to get overwhelmed.

I played with adding an orange glaze to these, but really, they are perfect as is and don’t need the extra sugar. Plus, the bonus with spritz cookies is that it makes a lot, so you’ll have plenty on hand to nibble.