FOOD AND COMMUNITY are essential to our very survival, and women, especially, appreciate and rely on friends for support in tough times and celebration of great occasions. The Christmas Cookie Club and the cookie exchanges that inspired the novel celebrate both—and maybe that is part of the reason the book has had such a national and even international appeal. I must confess that I was blind to this when I conceived and started writing the novel. The gathering numbers of cookie clubs and people who receive joy, comfort, and merriment through them took me totally by surprise. I only knew how much I loved the cookie club I joined, which has become one of the highlights of each year. Yes, we look forward to the excitement of sharing wonderful treats in beautiful packages, the accompanying stories, and donating part of our labor of love. But most of all, we’re drawn by the great cheer and support of dear friends as we gather to celebrate the end of a year and buoy each other through another harsh winter.

As I toured with the book, I felt I had given voice to a movement that I did not even know existed. Cookies, simple to make and small enough not to be a diet buster (if you stick to just a few!), solve the need for a flavorful sweet or crunchy treat. And through cookie clubs, we have invented a community ritual to share the work of holiday baking and gift giving. They are, in fact, a contemporary extension of women planting, harvesting, and preparing food together from earliest times. To lend my readings the feeling of a cookie club exchange, I brought cookies whose recipes were included in Marybeth Bayer’s and my The Christmas Cookie Cookbook: All the Rules and Delicious Recipes to Start Your Own Holiday Club.

Some of my happiest childhood memories involve cooking with my family; for me, the smell of home is often the smell of yeast, cinnamon, nuts, and sugar. When I was an adult, Lala, my grandmother, taught me how to bake these molasses cookies and suggested that I maintain a canister of homemade treats for my children as a symbol of love and welcome. A great idea, but in these modern times, it was squashed by the constraints of my job; being a soccer, football, ice skating, and field hockey mom; music lessons; and playdates. I love the strong molasses taste and nuts in this recipe and, it resonates with my fond memories of Lala. The origins of my family’s grand tradition of women sharing their life stories lie with her. We would gather in her kitchen to cook, bake, and talk. Lala always told the perfect tale from our own family history to elucidate her point. Now, I share her recipe with you as I did with the attendees of my readings.

Lala’s Molasses Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda