Our annual Christmas cookie baking extravaganza is about to go into high gear, and since I can't possibly share with everyone here I thought I'd at least share some of my favorite recipes. I'd love to see your favorite Christmas cookie recipes too, and maybe add some new ones to our family repertoire. ;) Here's one of my favorites:

Speculaas
aka Speculaturs, Speculataas

Traditional Danish Christmas cookie

Cream until well blended:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Beat together, then add:

2 Tbl. sour cream
1/2 cup broken nutmeats (pecans, almonds, walnuts as desired)

Form into rolls and refrigerate for 12 hours. Cut into thin slices. Bake on greased, floured tin at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until done.

A couple of notes: make sure you have fresh spices for this one, not old containers that have been sitting around for years, because stale or dull spices will really ruin these. And if you slice them really thin as the recipe calls for, keep an eye on them in the oven because they'll burn FAST. Actually I think a baking time of around 8 minutes is more accurate, but that could just be my oven.

7 layer cookies, very simple and easy

1 cup gram crackers
3 tbs. of butter
[mix and pat down for crust on bottom of pan 9x 13

that the first 2 layers now just add the others in layers
1 16 oz bag of chocolate chips
1 16 oz bag of butterscotch chips
1 small can of coconut flakes
1 cup of nuts [peacan or any kind you prefer - I leave this out for my kids]
then pour one can of sweeten condensed milk over mixture and bake at 350 unitl coconut is slightly toasted, allow to cool then cut into squares

very rich, and no real mixing.