It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas...

I broke down and spent the day baking. I couldn't help myself. It just didn't feel like Christmas without a few cookies.

I set aside a half dozen of each kind I made, and then packed up the rest to give away. I know it's hard to give away cookies this time of year because everyone is baking, but I found a loop hole to that rule and decided to take advantage of it. Guess who doesn't have a ton of Christmas cookies this time of year? Single guys. Who work with my husband.

I made three kinds of cookies, plus chocolate covered pretzels. I'd been dying to try the Andes Mint Cookies I read about on the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies at The Girl Who Ate Everything so I made those first. The cookies taste like cake batter, and I appreciated the mint that bumped the cookie from everyday to holiday. They were good, and I'll probably keep them in the holiday cookie rotation, but I don't know if I'll make them every year. I'm sure they'd be awesome if I could bake.

My mother-in-law makes toffee bars every year and they are my husband's favorite, so I made a quick batch of those as well. I made them without nuts because my husband is allergic to them but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. After they cooled, I popped them in the freezer because that is how my husband prefers to eat them, and I have to admit, I agree with him. Frozen toffee bars are delicious.

The other cookie I made was an Oatmeal Craisin White Chocolate Chip Cookie that I slightly adapted from this Ocean Spray recipe. The "foodie" at my husband's office said it was one of the top two cookies he's ever eaten, and I'd have to agree. If I baked it and they're good, they are truly delicious cookies. You should bake them immediately.

Oatmeal Craisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Craisins Original Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Craisins Pomegranate Juice Infused Dried Cranberries
• 1/4 cup Craisins Blueberry Juice Infused Dried Cranberries
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well.
• Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.
• Stir in Craisins and white chocolate chips.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack.

I put on some Christmas music while I baked, and the house finally began to feel like Christmas. I realized that I can continue some of my Christmas traditions if I just tweak them a bit to fit my new life in Charlotte. While my family might not get to enjoy my sugar cookies this year, I know the single guys in my husband's office appreciated some Christmas cheer. And my husband has definitely enjoyed having a cookie or two (or six) for dessert.

I'm such a good Christmas housewife.