Pear Cookies Recipe

So are you celebrating National Hot Cocoa Day? It's today, and whether you need child-friendly hot cocoa recipes or all grown-up hot cocoa recipes with alcohol, I have them for you, just click on the links above.

I'm listening to Christmas music and the traditional 12 Days of Christmas is playing, which is of course inspiring me to post another Christmas cookie recipe and this one is for pear cookies, (partridge not included).  ;-)

Partridge in a Pear Tree. Lydia Koby/Flickr

Now this recipe is from the days when families often had sour milk on hand.  All you need to do is let your 1/2 cup of milk sit on your counter for a while.  The exact amount of time will vary depending on the temperature in your house.  Anything bad will be killed off in that very hot 410 F. oven.  But if you are getting 21st. century heebie-jeebies, just substitute with store-bought buttermilk.  Speaking of hot oven, don't forget that most ovens need recalibrating, so watch those cookies and don't let them burn.


Pear Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour milk (or store-bought buttermilk)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried pears
1/2 cup shortening

Chop died pears, Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and milk. Sift flour, measure, and sift with baking powder, baking soda, salt and mace. Add pears. Mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto well-oiled baking sheet. Bake in hot oven (410 F.) 10-12 minutes. 20 servings.