11/30/17

Aunt Emma's Famous Waffle Cookies

This post was made possible thanks to the generosity of Oak Hill Bulk Foods, who supplied me with ingredients, and my friend, Corina Miller, who captured the experience on camera. 









As a kid, I don't remember my family going all out when making Christmas cookies, not like some of my friends (the lucky ones) whose moms would bake dozens upon dozens of cookies, then go to cookie exchanges and come home with a dozen varieties more. My mom would make three or four different kinds, and compared to the heavily iced and sanded sugar cookie cutouts that my friends got to boast, ours were always rather boring.

Boring for a four year old, maybe. But looking back now, I'd argue that ours were actually edible. Not only that, they were also delicious.

I grew up to be someone who is just as practical, if not even more so, than my mom. Meaning my poor kids are lucky that they even got to try one variety of Christmas cookies this year. I support my decision not to participate with reasons of health. Everywhere you go during the holiday season, people, it seems, are eager and generous with sugary goodies, and I really don't want things like that freely available in our home as well. (That is my argument. Please don't make me admit that the main reason you won't find cookies in our house it because I simply don't like to bake.)


Carson, my almost four year old, was a bit in shock when I presented the idea of baking cookies together, because he didn't think I actually knew how. So, I set out to prove that child wrong.

We gathered all of the necessary ingredients at our favorite grocery store, Oak Hill Bulk Foods. We shop there almost every week, and almost every week Carson and Brooklyn both press their faces into the glass of the pastry display, begging for a cookie with sprinkles, (which Carson, hilariously, used to call "brain-kills") because they never get cookies like that at home.

Instead of bringing a cookie with sprinkles home this time, we brought a container of sprinkles and everything else, to make our own cookies.




I whipped up one of the four kinds of cookies my mom use to make -- Aunt Emma's Famous Waffle Cookies. (Yes, of course I did.)

These cookies are exactly as the title says, waffles. They are crisp and chocolate-y, and topped with a fudge frosting, and because Carson was helping me, also heavily doused with sprinkles. They're named after my Great Aunt, Emma, and are a Stoltzfus family favorite.

Enjoy!







Aunt Emma's Famous Waffle Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1\2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, melted
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1\2 c. cocoa (I used dark cocoa)
1\2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Mix butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together. Add flour, cocoa and salt, stirring until combined. Bake 1-2 minutes in waffle iron.


Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:
6 Tbs. butter
3\4 c. granulated sugar
1\3 c. milk
3\4 c. chocolate chips

Directions:
Boil butter, sugar and milk together for one minute. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
Spread over waffle cookies and top with sprinkles.




 And there you have it, the inside scoop on the only cookies I'll be making this holiday season. They are so easy and so delicious. (Though not nearly as delicious as the cookies with sprinkles from Oak Hill. Carson was quick to let me know he truly wasn't that impressed with my cookie making abilities. Ya can't win them all, now can ya?)

***

This post was made possible, thanks to Oak Hill Bulk Foods, who supplied me with all the ingredients needed for the recipe. I highly recommend you visit their store if you get the chance!

Oak Hill Bulk Foods is located at 3173 Route 14A, just two miles south of Penn Yan, NY. The store is opened Monday - Saturday, from 8 am -6 pm, and the cafe is open Monday - Saturday from 7 am - 4 pm.

You can follow Oak Hill on Facebook and Instagram, or visit their website to learn more!

***

Also, a big thank you to my friend, Corina Miller, who offered to do a lifestyle photography session just for this post! Her work is gorgeous, and if you are looking for a fun gift to give someone this holiday season, might I suggest you book a session with her. It will be a treasured keepsake in the years to come! You can find her on Instagram. Send her a message there to let you know you're interested in learning more.