Wow, how time flies! This pandemic has certainly changed my life – and the lives of so many.

My eldest son is back from NYC for good after living there for 4 years – and my youngest started his career in May and is now living in South Bend. While it feels so good to have my oldest home, it’s only right that my youngest spreads his wings and ventures out to explore the world in front of him.

Although life keeps changing, the traditions in this house stay the same, especially when it comes to Christmas. As I sat down to write, I was going to talk about how to make Kourambiethes and Melomacarona which are both popular Christmas cookies in the Greek culture. These are staples in many Greek households and recipes I can do in my sleep. But the other day, my oldest son said,

“Mom, what’s up? Are you not going to make your famous Christmas cookies?”

To be honest, I have been so busy that I was going to skip it this year. I really did not think they were going to care that I did not make them. But I got to thinking, isn’t this exactly why I created The Seasoned Greek? I wanted to talk about Greek food and the stories of my family. I wanted to share traditions, recipes, and love that have been thoughtfully created in our family. 

It was a simple question from my son – and the flooding back of all those memories my husband and I worked so hard to give them as they were growing up – that it wasn’t possible to say I didn’t have it in me this year.

Alas – here were are with the Famous (at last by my son) Koukios Christmas Cookie.

The recipe comes from a co-worker friend of mine from many, many years ago. I was so tired of making all the same Greek cookies, I wanted something different and easy.  She was writing about how simple but tasty this recipe is. A pro-tip? You’ll need a cookie press. Keep in mind, growing up as a 1st Generation Greek transplant, I had no idea what a cookie press was. But she told me I needed one, so to the store I went!

I have now been making these cookies for 30 years and what makes them addictive is the orange zest and the touch of cinnamon. To my beloved sons, they just say “Christmas.” 

So this one is for you Connor and Peter, I hope that you will carry on the tradition of this cookie with your kids one day.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter room temperature
• 3 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (I always add a bit more, because I LOVE cinnamon)
• 2 ½ cups sifted flour

Cream butter, cream cheese until white, then add butter, egg, vanilla, salt, orange zest, and cinnamon.  Once this has creamed together, add the sifted flour. Chill for an hour.

Using a cookie press, press out the cookies, add a little sprinkle of sugar for color, and bake at 350 for 15 min or less until lightly browned on the edges.

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And I must add another favorite of my husband’s and also to honor my mother-in-law.  Every time I make it for him during this time of year it just puts a smile on his face and it brings back all these memories and it reminds him of his mom.  Also, I am going to insert a pic of the recipe and I love that it is typed with a typewriter by my mother-in-law.  I love old school!

Merry Christmas,

Καλά Χριστούγεννα!!

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