Dinner/196 recipes

A treasured memory of Christmas at Great-Aunt Elizabeth's house was a cookie that I never learned to eat in moderation. Although my mother warned me not to say anything, one of the first things I would say upon arrival was, "I'm hungry" hoping that these cookies would appear. Much to my delight they usually did, and in fact, began also to appear at Easter, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and any other time we got together to celebrate.

Roll-and-cut butter crisp cookies with lemon zest and a splash of kirsch cherry liqueur. A 1986 cookie contest winner that ages two days for better flavor and keeps for six weeks at room temperature.

Chewy praline cookies with brown sugar, butter, and chopped pecans. Thin, crisp-edged, and candy-like with a soft center. Just six ingredients and 20 minutes start to finish.

No-bake coconut candy balls with a melted chocolate center, made from just 5 ingredients. A prize-winning recipe that's freezer-friendly and looks stunning on holiday cookie trays.

The 2nd place winner in the Chicago Tribune's 1996 Annual Holiday Cookie Contest, a simple brown-sugar shortbread from Sandra Petrille of Naperville, Illinois.

Award-winning almond shortbread cookies with a buttery dent filled with homemade butterscotch frosting and topped with chopped pistachios. A 1986 classic.