I haven’t baked Christmas Cookies in 7 years.  I’m a little ashamed that this is a vague memory for my youngest child.  Once upon a time my extended family called me “Rhontha Stewart”, but that was a VERY long time ago, before we moved to the land of perpetual summer.  It’s just too hot during the Christmas season to crank up the oven.  This year, I have been very aware that my oldest has only 18 months left in my home and I better start making a few extra memories.  Let the Christmas baking begin!

Mocha Cookies were a favorite of ours way back when, and the smell of these cookies baking triggered all kinds of memories for the older kids.  At least there’s THAT!  This year, I tried the recipe using Starbucks Via packets, and the cookies turned out great.  My youngest got in on the baking, and I think we added a few files to the memory box.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Starbucks Via Mocha Cookies

• 4 packets of Starbucks Via Coffee (the darker the better) or 1/8 C Instant Coffee
• 2 tsp. Water
• 1 C Butter (Salted)
• 1 C Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 C Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 ¼ C White Bread Flour
• ¼ C Cocoa Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• ½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg

Mix the Starbucks Via and water together in a small bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar well, then add egg and vanilla and mix until fluffy.  Add the coffee mixture and blend, then add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Press or roll out cookies.  Bake at 350º for 12-14 minutes.  Frost.

Place the dough in a cookie pastry press, and create some cookies.  If you don’t have a press, you could make dough balls and then flatten them on your cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.

Once the cookies have cooled, drizzle with frosting.

2/3 C powdered sugar

2 tsp water

red food coloring.

Reality check:  My son had a lot of fun making tree shaped cookies, but in the end, this is the kind of cookie an 11 year old boy finds most entertaining.  I try to create magical moments, and he creates THIS from the leftover dough.  Life with my boy – never dull.

Cookie photo credit goes to Morgan Marie Crochet.