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I started making these cookies around Christmas, back when my four granddaughters were still very little—seven, five, and 2 three year olds. Every year, my son, his wife, and his three girls would make the long drive up from South Carolina to spend Christmas with us, while my daughter, her husband, and their daughter would come up from Massachusetts. It was one of the few times each year when everyone was under one roof, and the house felt full in the best possible way.
When it came time to bake, the girls always wanted to help. Each of them would take a small scoop of dough, carefully roll it into a ball, then roll it again in the chopped almonds before placing it—very proudly—onto the cookie sheet.
The recipe warns you that the dough is very sticky, and it certainly was. After rolling each ball, their little hands would be completely covered in sweet, almond-paste dough. I kept reminding them that if they licked their fingers, they’d have to wash their hands before making the next cookie. Of course, every single one of them licked their fingers anyway, which led to a steady parade of hand-washing back and forth to the sink—and a lot of laughter along the way.
Now the girls are all teenagers, and it’s rare that they’re all here at the same time to make cookies together. I still make a batch every Christmas to share with neighbors and friends, but it did my heart good this past Christmas when my son announced that the family was flying in. Even better, all four granddaughters said they wanted to make the cookies again.
Some traditions really do stick.
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