Christmas Countdown: Week 12

October seems too early to think about Christmas, but the first week of October means just 12 weeks until Christmas! This early awareness of Christmas must come from my granny. Growing up, she owned a toy shop (cleverly named "Toy Shop") and I spent many, many hours of my youth helping around the shop.

Christmas was a big time at the shop, which meant a lot of my Christmas season memories are related to the shop. There are things I love about Christmas--Christmas Cards, Christmas Lights, Christmas Cookies, gift wrap, ribbon, certain smells; and things I don't--home decorating (seems weird to drag all that stuff out, spreading it around, then pack it up again, I mean talk about wasted effort!), shopping (I find any kind of shopping overstimulating, let alone Christmas. That's the worst torture I can think of--too many, too much), and the overwhelmingness if it all.

So this year, I'm committed to doing the parts of Christmas that give me joy, and block out the rest. The first part of this plan is Christmas cookies. I love to make cookies. Cookies, cookies, cookies. I'm not sure what to do with them after they are made, I don't really like to eat them. But I love to make them. This year I have a plan, to make a different cookie each week and put them in the freezer until it's time. (Time for what? I'm not sure exactly.) If I do a cookie a week, we get lots of cookies, I don't get too stressed or burned out on the idea and the baking supplies will be absorbed in the regular grocery budget.

I started off this week with a double batch of "cookie shop chocolate chip cookies" from The Good Cookie: Over 250 Delicious Recipes from Simple to Sublime by Tish Boyle, my most favorite cookie cookbook ever.

Even if I give up on the whole cookie idea, a freezer full of chocolate chip cookies is a good thing. For these, I scoop the cookies and freeze them. When I'm ready to bake, I just pop them in the oven. So good!

Cookie Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

15 ounces (2 1/2 cups) semisweet chocolate morsels, divided

1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1. Position 2 racks near the center of the oven and preheat to 375°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the rolled oats and 3 ounces (1/2 cup) of the chocolate morsels and process until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Stir the oat mixture into the flour mixture and set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla extract at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the dry ingredients at low speed, mixing just until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the remaining 2 cups of chocolate morsels by hand.

4. Measure rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough out and, using wet hands, roll each portion into a ball. Arrange the balls, 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Using your palm (wet it first, to prevent sticking), flatten the balls into 1 3/4-inch discs.

5. Bake the cookies, 2 sheets at a time, for 11 to 13 minutes, just until golden brown (switch the position of the baking sheets halfway through baking for even browning). Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely. Storage: in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

What's your favorite Christmas Cookie?