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Home / Christmas / Santa’s Cookies and Milk

Santa’s Cookies and Milk

Published: December 20, 2018 | Last Updated: June 18, 2019 | By Lisa Hatfield 1 Comment

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Last Updated June 18th, 2019 at 09:38 am by Lisa

Kids write their wish list on decorated cookies with edible ink. Recipe for Santa's Cookies and Milk includes step-by-step instructions. Ho Ho Ho!

So cute! Kids can write their wish list on decorated edible cookies. This recipe for Santa’s Cookies and Milk includes step-by-step instructions. Ho Ho Ho!

This takes putting out Santa’s Cookies and Milk to a whole new level of fun. Plan ahead for these, the royal icing needs 3-4 days to dry before you can write on the cookies. It’s fun to let children write their own wish list, you might be surprised what they ask for…
 
Santa's Cookies and Milk a large plate of colorful cookies decorated for Santa with a wish list on top of mug of milk
Santa's Cookies and Milk a wish list to Santa on top of a mug of cold milk

How To Ice and Decorate Santa’s Cookies and Milk:

  1. Fill a small pastry bag with white royal icing, and pipe a line around the edge of the cookie. Next, flood or fill in the center, and use a small thin skewer to fill in the icing.
  2. IMPORTANT: At this point, let the cookies dry at least 3-4 days completely before writing the wish list on the cookies for Santa!
  3. Once cookies are dry and icing is rock hard, use colored edible markers and use a ruler to make the lines that look like a piece of paper, use a blue and red pens for this step. *(Do this part for small children, then let them write the wish list).
  4. And now the best part, have children write their wish list to Santa on the cookies, place on a mug of milk, add a cute red and white straw and wait for Santa’s visit!
  5. Decorate other cookies with colored icing and sprinkles.
Santa's Cookies and Milk icing to decorate and pens to write on cookies

What is the history of Santa’s Cookies and Milk Tradition?

Children have left cookies and milk out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve for decades. But I was curious, (and bet you are too), how did this holiday tradition start?

Some say that leaving cookies-and-milk for Santa came from the tradition of hanging and stuffing stocking by the chimney, and leaving something to eat and drink was a way to welcome Santa!

It is said that in the 1930s during the Great Depression, cookies and milk for Santa took off as an American holiday tradition. Due to the severe hard financial times, many parents wanted to teach their children to give, be generous to others, and to show gratitude for their Christmas gifts.

And so the tradition took hold, setting out small plates of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa.

Santa’s Cookies and Milk Traditions Around The World:

Different countries have developed their own versions of the cookies-and-milk tradition.

  • British and Australian children leave out sherry and mince pies.
  • Swedish kids leave rice porridge.
  • Santa can expect a pint of Guinness along with his cookies when delivering toys in Ireland.
  • French children leave out a glass of wine for Père Noël and fill their shoes with hay, carrots and other treats for his donkey, Gui (French for “mistletoe”).
  • In Germany, children skip the snacks altogether and leave handwritten letters for the Christkind, a symbolic representation of the Christmas spirit who is responsible for bringing presents on Christmas. Though many German kids mail their letters before the holiday—there are six official addresses for letters addressed to the Christkind—others leave them out on Christmas Eve, decorated with sparkly glue or sugar crystals. On Christmas morning, the letters have been collected, and gifts left in their place.
  • In Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands, children still believe that horses carry Santa’s sleigh instead of reindeer. On Christmas Eve, they leave carrots and hay—sometimes stuffed into shoes—to feed the exhausted animals. In return, they might hope to receive such holiday treats as chocolate coins, cocoa, mandarin oranges, and marzipan.

source

Santa's Cookies and Milk close up of wish list for Santa on top of mug of milk

More Christmas Holiday Recipes:

Baking Cookies and Making Candy are American holiday traditions, but these recipe ideas are VERY special! Take a trip to a tropical destination with these Island Macadamia Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies, or make these NO-BAKE Nut Goodie Candy Bars a Christmas family tradition.  Bake these wildly popular and “cookie-exchange” winning Santa’s Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies and serve them on an EASY DIY Peppermint Candy Plate made in 20 minutes. What a way to take your holiday dish to a party!

Happy holiday baking, by the way in case you are wondering, yes Vinny really asked for a baby brother one year from his Mom and he didn’t get that gift on his wish list…

Merry Christmas!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
Santa's Milk and Cookies a large plate of colorful cookies decorated for Santa with a wish list on top of mug of milk
Print Pin Recipe

Santa’s Cookies and Milk

Kids write their wish list on decorated cookies with edible ink. This recipe for Santa’s Cookies and Milk includes step-by-step instructions. Ho Ho Ho! *plan ahead, these cookies take 3-4 days for the icing to dry before writing on the cookies.
Course Desserts & Sweets
Cuisine American
Keyword christmas cookies for kids, Christmas desserts, Santas Cookies and Milk
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 36
Calories 201kcal
Author Lisa Hatfield

Ingredients

Land O Lakes Cookie Recipe * I make these cookies EVERY Christmas 

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup LAND O LAKES Butter softened
  • 1 egg I use EggBeaters, it works perfectly!
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed from an orange
  • 1 tablespoon good vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Sweet Jenny Belle ~ Royal Icing Recipe *This is my friend Jenny’s recipe, she is a Cookie Decorating Queen! Check out her Instagram @sweetjennybelle

  • 2 pounds powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons meringue powder order online
  • dash vanilla clear preferred
  • 1 cup (scant) warm water
  • Equipment: baking sheet pan parchment paper, square cookie cutter (or food container top), small icing tip, Wilton Edible Color Markers (craft stores/online), ruler, small skewer, plastic pastry bags, assorted sprinkles and food colors for decorating other cookies for Santa if desired.
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • For The Cookies:
  • In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, add sugar and softened butter. Mix until combined.
  • Next add egg, baking powder, orange juice, vanilla, and flour. Mix until combined.
  • Wrap cookie dough in plastic food wrap and chill until firm 1-2 hours.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 thickness.
  • Use a square shape cutter (I used a top from a food container) cut out the square. Next, using an icing decorating tip, cut a small hole in the corner of the cookie for the straw. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 1-2 inches apart.
  • Heat oven to 400 degrees, and bake 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
  • Cool the cookies completely.

For The Royal Icing:

  • Place all ingredients into a mixer and whip on slow for 10 minutes.
  • Keep finished icing covered with saran wrap or damp kitchen towel
  • Leftover icing can be frozen and used later

Ice The Cookies:

  • Fill a small pastry bag fitted with a small tip, and pipe a line around the edge of the cookie. Next, flood or fill in the center, and use a small thin skewer to fill in the icing.
  • IMPORTANT: At this point, let the cookies dry at least 2-3 days completely before writing the wish list on the cookies for Santa!
  • Once cookies are dry and icing is rock hard, use colored edible markers and use a ruler to make the lines that look like a piece of paper, use a blue and red pens for this step. *(Do this part for small children, then let them write the wish list).
  • And now the best part, have children write their wish list to Santa on the cookies, place on a mug of milk, add a cute red and white straw and wait for Santa’s visit!
  • Decorate other cookies with colored icing and sprinkles.

Notes

*plan ahead, these cookies take 3-4 days for the icing to dry before writing on the cookies. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 31mg | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let’s see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

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Sparkling July 4th White Sangria Recipe

Filed Under: Baking, Christmas, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday, Savvy Kitchen Tips Tagged With: Baking Cooking, christmas cookies, Cookie Baking Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Hoilday Desserts, Holiday Baking, Holidays, Santa's Cookies, Santa's Cookies and Milk

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Comments

  1. Emily says

    March 10, 2018 at 8:14 PM

    5 stars
    I have been meaning to leave a comment about these cookies. My mom saw these on your site and ordered all of the ingredients so we could make them with the kids at Christmas this year and we ALL had so much fun making these. Naturally I made them ahead without telling the kids and then we let them write on them and leave them for Santa. It was perfectly magical for them. This will be part of our tradition now. Thank you!

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