Everyone is ready for a fresh start and what better way to introduce a new year than with some tasty sweets.

The following recipes belong to my grandmother. Some have been made for celebrations such as Christmas and others for Quinceañeras and birthday parties. One of my favorite memories was when I moved to El Paso at the age of 7. I was nervous and felt like I didn’t belong, then my grandma and aunt offered me cookies and milk. It was the first time I felt happy and welcomed here. I hope whoever uses the following recipes gets to experience the same joy I did.

Oatmeal cookies

1 stick butter

2 eggs

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups flour

3 cups oatmeal

1 cup raisins

½ cup coconut

1 cup walnuts

Mix butter and eggs, stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Add raisins, coconut and pecans to the mix. Add flour and oatmeal to the mix. Form mix into medium sized balls about the size of your palms and squish down to about 1 centimeter thick. Place patties on an oven tray with wax paper and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. When done take them out and let them cool.

Orange cookies

1 pound lard

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

A pinch of salt

Shredded orange peels

Juice from 2 squeezed oranges 

2 pounds flour

½ pound sugar

Mix the lard with the eggs,  baking soda,  baking powder, salt, sugar as well as the orange juice and shredded orange peels. Add flour to the mix and make palm-sized balls. Squish down to about 1 centimeter thick and put them on an oven tray with wax paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, when done take them out and coat with sugar while warm, then let them cool and enjoy.

Chocolate chip

2 sticks melted butter

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

1 egg 

1 egg yolk 

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla 

2 ¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold milk

Chocolate chips to taste 

Mix butter with brown sugar, regular sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Then make a separate mix of flour, baking soda and salt. Bring together both mixes and when well mixed add cold milk and chocolate chips. Form into small balls and squish down to 1 centimeter thick, then put them on an oven tray with wax paper and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Last but not least, take them out to cool and prepare a glass of milk to enjoy them with.

Hopefully the recipes weren’t difficult to understand and everyone had a good time making them. Happy holidays!