TaDaas Christmas Cookies
TaDaas Christmas Cookies
By Chadwick Boyd
PHOTO BY BROOKE SLEZAK
You will want to make these poppable, bite-sized cookies this Christmas
Grandma Clara’s mother came to America from Sicily with her family, bringing along many Italian recipes, including these cookies. Grandma called them “TaDaas” (Tah-Dahs). I don’t know why, yet I aim to find out.
We had TaDaas every Christmas when I was growing up. Grandma would spend days making big batches in her big ceramic mixing bowl so we could share the cookies with friends and neighbors and make sure our cookie trays were always filled. The cookies are quite simple - just a few ingredients for the dough - and they are glazed with a simple icing sugar that hardens after a couple hours. I like to make them red, green, ice blue and yellow, but they can be made whatever color fits your holiday. I also like to fancy them up by adding some glittery sugar on top - they sparkle like little baubles on a plate. TaDaas are bite-sized, so they go so well with a hot cup of coffee. They make colorful confections for gifts, too.
Grandma Clara’s recipe and method was a bit laborious. I have modified her original recipe so these cookies can be made in about an hour. The end result is exactly the same.
Chadwick’s Checklist
What you need to know before you cook.
- Prepare two standard size baking sheets with parchment
- Use two standard size wire racks
- The cookies do not brown on top
- Store in a cookie tin or air-tight container for up to 2 weeks
Makes 120 cookies Prep Time: 20-25 mins Baking Time: 10-12 minutes
Ingredients
For the cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening cut into cubes
¾ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons whole milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
For the icing
*Note: I make this recipe four times in four different bowls to have red, green, yellow and blue cookies)
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
7-8 teaspoons whole milk
Food coloring of choice - red, green, yellow, blue
Sparkling sugar
Directions
Position the racks in the top and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.
Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well.
In a large mixing bowl, place the butter, shortening, sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix well using a wooden spoon.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix with the spoon until the dough is well incorporated.
Lightly flour a clean, dry surface. Take a handful of the dough and roll it out into a long rope about ¾-inch in diameter. Using a lightly floured chef’s knife, cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Place them on a baking sheet about a half inch apart. Continue rolling out and cutting the dough until it’s all used up.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the cookies 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are gently brown. Transfer the cookies to two wire racks and let completely cool.
To prepare the icing (*see note above), place the confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl. Slowly stir in the milk until the icing is slightly thickened and smooth (if too thick, add more milk ¼ teaspoon at a time). Add drops of food coloring to desired color.
Set the wire racks with the cookies in two rimmed baking sheets. Using a large tablespoon, drizzle the icing over the cookies until they are completely covered. Sprinkle with desired sparkling sugar. Let the cookies dry for 1-2 hours. Place in a cookie tin or serve. Cookies will keep up to 10 days.
Chadwick’s Changeups
Switch things up. Have some fun! Do more.
- Add some fennel seeds or pine nuts to the dough
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the icing for more flavor
- Keep the icing white for all the cookies and use plain sparkling sugar for a wintry-snowy effect
Copyright © 2021 Lovely & Delicious Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
