Easy Good Recipe - Christmas Cookies from our neighbor Mrs. Tanner
By Peggy W
This Christmas Cookie Recipe came from our next door neighbor, Mrs. Tanner, many years ago and has been utilized through the years with great success.
My Dad was a Realtor and also a home builder in McAllen, Texas.
He had a full-time partner ( my mother ) who not only helped him in his Real Estate office, but she also assisted my Dad in his home building business.
She was the one he could count upon to choose all the colors from the brick on the outside of the houses to the tiles, carpeting, wallpapers and any and all color choices inside the spec homes that he would have constructed and put on the market for sale.
They were a great pair...both as parents to me and my younger brothers...and also as partners in business.
Assorted Homemade Christmas Cookies
Photos of my parents while living in McAllen, Texas
Often during their first and only marriage that lasted until my Dad's death they moved frequently in McAllen.
Why?
If a home built on speculation sat there for a while unsold, my mother was willing to put the homestead in which they lived on the market for sale. They would then move into the one that had not sold as quickly as they had hoped.
My father generally built three or more homes at a time all while operating his Realty company.
Naturally the houses in which they resided showed well due to the window treatments, landscaping and the like.
Also some people can better envision what a dwelling looks like with furniture in it verses looking at empty rooms.
The end result was very frequent in-town moves and my parents and us ( while we kids still lived at home ) as well as some of their helpful friends became experts at moving.
"Anything to get out of Spring Cleaning!" was one joke regarding the frequent moves. Another one was referring to not having to empty the ashtrays. ( Both of my parents smoked cigarettes at the time and both later gave it up. )
We obviously liked some of the floor-plans of the houses better than others but one thing was certain. If it was built by my Dad...it was built to last!
Daddy always put much more into the guts of the habitation...the things not readily seen by home buyers...and therefore did not make near the percentage of profit as many of the others who skimped on things...but he was proud of each and every residence and his reputation grew as time passed. Anyone purchasing one of his domiciles knew that they were getting something special.
He grew up in a lodging that his Dad had built and my father was also incidentally born in that abode. My grandmother lived there until her later years when she decided to scale back and not have to maintain a two story house with basement on the lake. She still lived on a lake...just a different one in her condo that she purchased. My Rocks in my head, oops!, I mean Bed hub addresses some of that history.
Location of McAllen, Texas
McAllen, Texas - Christmas cookies
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Mexican artists
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So what does this have to do with Mrs. Tanner?
We were next door neighbors for a time.
When my maternal grandmother died my Dad had a home specially constructed to house not only us, but my grandfather as well. We lived together for several years that way until many of his friends were settling into a retirement area limited to seniors and he decided that he would like to join them.
While living in that home ( I was a teenager at the time ) Mr. and Mrs. Tanner and we became friends. They had worked in Mexico for some of his career and had retired in McAllen.
While in Mexico they had collected some prized paintings which graced the walls in their home.
One particular artist specialized in painting children with big soulful eyes and an occasional tear or two springing from their eyes.
When I painted the face of a Mexican girl wearing a sombrero, Mrs. Tanner admired it and I offered it to her. I was very proud when she hung it in their house.
After gifting her with that painting she invited my mother and me over one day to show us where she had decided to hang it.
It was the time of year around Christmas and she had some Christmas cookies laid out on a platter and invited us to help ourselves to some of them.
One in particular was delicious and I asked for the recipe. I am happy to be able to share it with you.
Picture of Mrs. Tanner
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CHRISTMAS COOKIE recipe from Mrs. Tanner
Ingredients and Instructions...
Cream: 1 cup butter, 2 eggs & 1 1/2 cups brown sugar together
Add: 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda & 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix: 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, 7 ounces of chopped dates, 1/2 cup dried cherries ( or other fruit ), 1/2 cup dried pineapple & 1/2 cup flour ( mixed with the dried fruit and nuts )
Add the nut and dried fruit mixture to the creamed mixture and blend well. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.
Decorate if desired with colored sugar before baking.
Note...I just made some of these and have them readied in the freezer for Christmas gift giving. They will be combined with other favorites. Instead of the dried cherries this time I substituted craisons (dried cranberries) and according to my official tasters...my mother and husband...they are delicious.
If you have a convection oven, it only takes about 9 minutes to bake these Christmas cookies.
Please let me know if you like this recipe of Christmas Cookies that originally came from our good neighbor, Mrs. Tanner. Enjoy!
Do you have stories connected to some of your favorite recipes?
See results without votingRudolf's Christmas Cookies
Cookie sheet pans
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Comments
It's always great to have an easy recipe for those baking marathons we have close to Christmas. Thanks so much!
Hi Scribenet,
Thanks for letting me know that you baked and really like Mrs. Tanner's Christmas Cookies. I baked them again this year to give out as gifts in a cookie assortment. Merry Christmas to you also!
Hi Peggy! I just baked Mrs. Tanner's Christmas cookies last night and they were soft and delicious. I have sealed them into containers...but we shall see if they make it to Christmas! Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Hi Cheryl,
You will probably get some of the Christmas cookies from Mrs. Tanner's recipe this year when I make my regular assortment. I know your sons enjoy them also. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for sharing the Christmas cookie recipe. I can hardly wait to try the recipe. A very great hub and beautiful photos of your parents and Mrs. Tanner.
Hi Nell,
Starting in November I will start some of my Christmas cookie baking. I freeze them and then when the time is right to start giving tins of assorted ones as gifts, they are all brought out of the freezer...thawed...and divided up. This recipe is always one of the favorites and it freezes well if wax paper is put between the layers.
As to the house moves...it was often! We got to be good at it! Ha! Thanks for your comment.
Hi, I love the story about your house moves! and the photos of your parents are lovely, this recipe sounds great I like trying new things, I seem to have been using the microwave to much these days so I am getting back to baking! cheers nell
Hi talkingcellular,
So happy that you and your neighborhood all liked Mrs. Tanner's Christmas cookie recipe. It is always a part of the assortment I make for the holidays. Thanks for letting me know that you liked them. :-)
Hi Peggy, we baked the Tanner's Christmas Cookies today. My wife helped, we all had a great family time together. The recipe is fantastic - the cookies were great... (My family and the neighbor's kids ate all of them!) Thank you. We looking forward to baking more cookies for Christmas.
Hello talkingcellular,
Merry Christmas to you and your daughters and good luck with the baking of Mrs. Tanner's Christmas Cookies. Let me know how you liked them if you get a chance. Thanks for the comment.
CHRISTMAS COOKIE recipe from Mrs. Tanner
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My daughters and I always venture into the kitchen every year a few days before Christmas to bake cookies and cakes. We are going to try honor your recipe in traditional fashion. Thanks again!
CHRISTMAS COOKIE recipe from Mrs. Tanner
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My daughters and I always venture into the kitchen every year a few days before Christmas to bake cookies and cakes. We are going to try honor your recipe in traditional fashion. Thanks again!
Hi habee,
So happy that you liked this Christmas cookie recipe that came from our neighbor, Mrs. Tanner. Dried cranberries would be a great addition and they are also very healthful. We always keep a bag of them on hand in the pantry. Thanks for your feedback!
I made the cookies! I used dried cranberries. They were wonderful! Thanks!
Hi Karen,
Let me know what you think of the Christmas Cookie recipe after you try it. Heading over to read your recipe now.
The cookies sound scrumptious. I can't wait to try them. I love to bake. If you get a chance, go by and check out my Sugabread cookie recipe.
Hi Tracy711,
Glad you liked the story and hopefully you will enjoy Mrs. Tanner's Christmas cookie recipe as much as we have. Have a very Merry Christmas yourself and thanks!
hi Peggy, loved the story and i'm gonna try the cookies too... i'm sure i will love them as well...thank you for sharing and have a very Merry Christmas..hugs ..God bless
Hello Truth From Truth,
If you like good Christmas cookies, then this one from Mrs. Tanner should suit you well. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I always like a good Christmas cookie.
thanks.
Greetings Specialk3749,
Hope you will like this recipe of Christmas Cookies as much as we have over the years. Thanks for the visit and comment.
Oh yum!!! I am definately going to try these cookies! I am always looking for a new cookie recipe. Thanks!
Hi bingskee,
Please let me know how you like the Christmas Cookie recipe after trying it if you get a chance. Thanks!
will have to try this for Christmas! thanks for sharing!
Hi Ethel,
Glad that you liked the the story and Christmas Cookie recipe at the same time. We really did do a lot of moving! Of course after moving and getting things settled, THAT home would sell.
For years we had about 15 boxes labeled "odds and ends" that never got unpacked. Once when it looked like they were going to stay in place for a while, my Dad suggested donating the boxes unopened. OF COURSE my mother and I said no...unpacked them...and found some treasures we had not seen for quite some time. It was like opening Christmas presents! (Smile)
Hello loveroflife,
These Christmas Cookies are yummy...at least my husband, mother and friends all think so. And of course since I had originally asked for the recipe, so do I. Thanks for your comment.
Dear Hello, hello,
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. Hope you try and enjoy this recipe of Christmas Cookies from Mrs. Tanner.
What a lovely story to go with this festive recipe
Sounds yummy.
That was lovely and I so enjoyed it. Thank you.
Hi dohn,
If you like dates and nuts ( nutty dates aside for the moment ) then this Christmas Cookie recipe from Mrs. Tanner is for you! As to your nutty dates...enjoy! :) Enjoyed your comment as always.
I'm with habee-I love dates and nuts (I love nutty dates??? Sorry, I couldn't help myself) I really liked the story to accompany this great recipe as it's only fitting! Thank you.
Hello habee,
With all the dates and nuts in these Christmas Cookies, I doubt that you will be disappointed in the taste...especially since you can customize the dried fruits to your taste. They freeze well and the one recipe makes a good sized batch. Please come back and comment after you try these. Thanks!
I gotta try these - I LOVE dates!
Hi Putz,
The recipe of Christmas Cookies from Mrs. Tanner really is a good one! Let me know if you give them a try. Happy for your comment.
Great story and bet those cookies are scrumpcious!
Peggy W 5 months ago
Hi homesteadbound,
This Christmas cookie recipe really is simple and makes quite a large batch. Enjoy! and thanks for your comment.