A BLONDE VINTAGE

This year, I’m extra excited about the upcoming holidays because not only will we be celebrating in our new home, but I’ll be hosting a holiday Christmas cookie and cocktail party! For as long as I can remember, my family’s Christmas season officially started with cookies. Before I could even reach the countertop, my mom would pull over a kitchen stool so I could “help”. She would get out the baking sheets, the ingredients, and special recipes that were reserved especially for the holiday season. We’d bake batch after batch after batch.. me eating more cookie dough than actual cookies. This year to kick things off, I headed to our local Walmart to grab everything I needed to put together a brand new cocktail and my mama’s delicious Gingersnap cookie recipe (which you’ll find below!). I love how Walmart has everything you’ll need from cookie platters, home decor and fresh ingredients to create every mouth-watering moment and throw the perfect cookie and cocktail party!

Now, let’s chat cocktails. Throwing a cocktail party gets people in the mood for the holidays like no other. Below you’ll find a holiday inspired cocktail with fresh cranberries, sprigs of rosemary, and a crushed graham cracker rim… I mean, what could be more festive?

Happy Holidays!

Hosting a Holiday Christmas Cookie and Cocktail Party

CRANBERRY MARGARITA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

Recipe makes one cocktail.

– 2 fl oz (1 shot and a half) Hornitos Tequila

– .75 fl oz (1/2 shot) Grand Marnier

– 1 fl ounce fresh lime juice (about one lime)

– .75 fl oz (1/2 shot) simple syrup

– 1 tbs of fresh cranberry relish

– fresh cranberry

– Sugar to rim your glass

– Crushed graham crackers

Optional: You could also use this Island Oasis Maragrita Mix in replacement of the fresh lime juice and simple syrup.

DIRECTIONS

First, run a wedge of lime around the edge of your glass and dip into sugar to rim your glass and fill it with ice. Set side. Next, place the Hornitos Tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh cranberry relish and a wedge of squeezed lime in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously eight times and pour into your prepped glass.

For a fun twist, use crushed graham crackers to rim your glass, add a sprig of rosemary and float a few fresh cranberries.

p.s. Here is a direct link to my Godmother’s Fresh Cranberry Relish!

GINGERSNAP COOKIE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

– 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (this is my all time favorite flour for baking!)

– 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

– 2 teaspoons baking soda

– 1/2 teaspoon cloves

– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 3/4 cup butter (room temperature, and this is my favorite for baking!)

– 1 cup organic sugar

– 1  free range brown eggs

– 1/4 cup dark molasses (this is the only kind I use!)

– 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar mixture (1 rounded tsp cinnamon to 1 cup sugar ratio)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl or the mixing bowl of your KitchenAid. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and then sift a second time into another bowl. This is the most important step to achieving the “crackled” tops once cookies are baked.

Place the butter or shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar and then mix in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and stir to thoroughly blend. Next sift in the remaining flour mixture, and gently mix together till a soft dough forms. Take note to not over mix!

Once you have your dough, pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls. Next, roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place a few inches apart on a baking sheet (love these non-toxic baking sheets!) lined with parchment paper. Occasionally, for a more decorative look I will make fork lines across the top.

Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack before serving! Enjoy!

*Thanks to Walmart for sponsoring this post!

Thanks to Walmart for sponsoring this post! I earn from qualifying purchases as well as other affiliate links found in this post. Please see my Disclosure for more information.

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