The holiday season always brings back memories of treasured family and delicious food. One of my fondest memories is of my mom’s special cookies, Holiday Billy Goats. I don’t remember one childhood Christmas that she didn’t bake them. The family demanded it—wouldn’t have been Christmas without them. Each year, she would bake several dozen. She kept some for us in a beautifully decorated tin—the rest she gave away to family and friends. These cookies smell and taste like the Christmases of my childhood, and they bring back such warm, special memories—sitting by the tree with my mom watching Christmas movies or sharing them with treasured family and friends. Each time I bake them, they bring Christmas with my mom back to me, and I treasure each and every dear, sweet memory.
Holiday Billy Goats
1 cup butter, unsalted
1 ½ cups sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups sifted all- purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons sour milk
1 lb. walnuts, chopped (4 cups)
1 lb. dates, chopped (4 cups)
Cream butter and sugar well. Then add egg yolk and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for 2 or 3 minutes or by hand until light and fluffy. Sift flour, soda, salt, and spices together. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture along with sour milk. Blend well by hand. Add nuts and dates, and work in well. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet one inch apart. Bake in slow oven at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Yields 7 to 8 dozen cookies.
