Name: Snow cookies Recipe
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) butter; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 cups (9.25 ounces) flour, sifted; 1/2 cup raspberry jam; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 1/2 tablespoons milk; 1/2 cup unsweetened, finely shredded coconut

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By Noelle Carter

Dec. 15, 2012

Beyond the colorful decorations and after the initial rush of sugar, holiday cookies are about memories and tradition. Be they humble or ornate, our baked goods are used to celebrate and give thanks -- thanks for our childhoods, the blessings of family and friends and the magic that can be found only this time of year.

This fall, we asked L.A. Times readers to share their special cookie recipes with us for our third annual Holiday Cookie Bake-Off and then to help us narrow down their favorites to the top 50.

We received close to 200 submissions, and more than 2,500 votes were cast. We took the top vote-getters to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, where students spent one Saturday morning baking batches of cookies.

Just over a week ago, the L.A. Times Test Kitchen was jammed with happy bakers and their helpers for this year’s photo shoot. Amazing cookies, memories and traditions were shared.

Celebrating memories, cookies remind us of home. Or remind those close to us of home. One winner made cookies to share with a friend from Sweden. When he tasted the ginger-spiced cookies, the friend remarked, “This is my taste of Christmas.”

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1 cup (2 sticks) butter

½ cup granulated sugar

2 cups (9.25 ounces) flour, sifted

½ cup raspberry jam

1 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ tablespoons milk

½ cup unsweetened, finely shredded coconut

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until smooth, then slowly stir in the flour until combined.

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough out to one-fourth-inch thick and cut out cookies using a 2-inch round cookie cutter.

Place the dough on a parchment- or Silpat-lined cookie sheet and bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes (do not let them brown). Cool a few minutes, then place the cookies on a rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the icing by mixing together the milk and powdered sugar to the consistency of thick syrup (the icing will have the consistency of school glue and should not run off the cookie when spread over); add a little more sugar to thicken or milk to thin, as needed.

Sandwich the cookies, placing a generous teaspoon of jam between the cookies. Spread the icing over the cookies and sprinkle with coconut; set aside until the icing is hardened.

Adapted from Christina Conte.