Christmas means cookies, whether to give as gifts
or for just plain grinding.

Whatever the cookie, the baking can be a family event, with grandparents as the guardians of the recipes, parents as the front-line supervisors and children plunging in to cream the butter, measure the sugar, shape the dough and lick the spoons.

Following are three recipes for giving or simply devouring from Gold Medal, and a recipe for Greek Butter Cookies. The latter recipe, from 68-year-old Tessie Chrissotimos, traditionally calls for studding each cookie with a whole clove to perfume the dough while it is baking, and then removing the clove before serving. But to be safe, she eliminates the clove.

"People used to put cloves inside," she said, "but people these days don't like them."

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups vanilla milk chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Makes about 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Orange colored sugar

Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons half-and-half

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll half of dough at a time, 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3-inch rounds, then cut rounds in half for a half-moon shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with orange colored sugar. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely on wire rack.

Prepare frosting by beating all ingredients until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Place in decorating bag with #3 writing tip, or use a plastic bag with one corner snipped off. Outline "orange" segments by outlining curved edge, then drawing three lines to create 4 quarters.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

1-1/2 cup dark molasses
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup shortening
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Easy creamy frosting (recipe below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Roll dough 1/4-inch thick on floured surface. Cut with floured gingerbread cutter or other favorite shaped cookie cutter.

Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. Cool on wire rack. Frost with Easy Creamy Frosting or decorate as desired. Makes 2-1/2 dozen 2-1/2-inch cookies.

4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
About 5 tablespoons half-and-half
Food color, if desired

1 pound unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Turn dough onto a board or counter. Knead in the remaining flour until the mixture is smooth and no longer sticky. Divide dough into quarters, and roll 1/4 into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Cut diagonally into 1-1/2-inch pieces. Put the pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet 1-1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake cookies 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool, and then dust generously with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.