This is the time of year when I remember my Danish roots. There was nothing more pleasurable than hanging out in my grandmother’s kitchen at Christmas time and baking cookies. Grandma would have on one of her big aprons, jabber away in Danish to my uncles and slap their hands when they came too close to carting away yet another cookie! How Danish was I?.. so Danish that by the time I went home after the holidays English was difficult to recapture. I loved to think of the whole family as great Danes, it made me smile.

This afternoon I’ve spent a wonderful time in the kitchen reminiscing as I baked Pebber Nodder (Danish Christmas Cookies)..these cookies are like little bites of Christmas with a cinnamon and cardamom flavor, little shortbread nuggets. I share this recipe with love…

DANISH CHRISTMAS COOKIES
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, stirring until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cardamom and cinnamon; stir into the sugar mixture just until blended.
Separate the dough into 6 balls, and roll each ball into a rope about as big around as your finger on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

copyright Es-tee Miller

I’m thankful for today’s little moments ..because they are tomorrow’s precious memories…