Join me for the annual Historical Romance Cookie Hop
Leap from recipe to recipe during the cookie hop and get to know some of the best and most beloved Historical Romance authors. Enter to win a $150 gift card!
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Be sure to keep reading to find out how to enter the major giveaway.
Did you know Christmas was banned in Scotland for nearly four centuries?
According to The National Trust for Scotland:
“Before the Reformation in 1560, Christmas in Scotland had been a religious feasting day. Then, with the powerful Kirk frowning upon anything related to Roman Catholicism, the Scottish Parliament passed a law in 1640 that made celebrating ‘Yule vacations’ illegal. The baking of Yule bread was a criminal act! Even after Charles II was restored to the throne, celebrating Christmas was frowned upon in Scotland for a long time – it wasn’t until 1958 that 25 December became a Scottish public holiday. Which is why Hogmanay and New Year celebrations in Scotland became so important.”
What is a cailleach?
From my favorite source on all things Scottish tartan, Scotland Shop, here’s a tradition I hadn’t heard of before.
“In a similar vein to the Pagans and their Yule Log, the Celts went a little further, with the tradition of the Cailleach, or “Old Woman Winter”, a log carved with the face of an old woman, also known as the Hag of Winter who was said to bring the long nights and cold.
By burning the log the Celts were banishing any lingering bad luck as well as banishing the cold and darkness.”
Spiced Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Source: Karen Grieve and Larder Love:
Ingredients
4.41ozunsalted butter
1.76ozcaster sugar
6.35ozplain flour
1/2tspground ginger
1/2tspground cinnamon
1/4tspground cloves
1tsplemon zest
1tsporange zest
Topping
3.53 oz white chocolate
1 tbsp dried cranberries chopped
1 tbsp pistachios crumbled
1 tsp desiccated coconut
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180C and line a baking sheet
2. Beat the sugar and butter in food mixer then add other ingredients till well blended
3. Wrap dough in cling film and chill in fridge for half an hour to firm up
4. Roll out to 3mm thick and cut out wreath shapes and bake for 15 mins till golden then cool on wire rack
Topping
1. Melt white chocolate either in the microwave or Bain Marie (bowl over bubbling water that doesn’t touch the base of the bowl) and cover the cooled cookies with chocolate
2. Sprinkle over the dried cranberries and pistachios and finish with the coconut like snow
Check out the other authors that are part of this cookie hop:
Follow these directions and collect all of the recipe names to enter the cookie hop giveaway.
2025 Historical Romance Cookie Exchange Hop Author Link List