Snow, sledding, cookies
We had our first substantial snowfall here in the southwestern PA area on Saturday. I’m talking over two feet of white, powdery snow!
And I had the perfect, cliche snow day….Sledding, relaxing by the fireside, and homemade cookies.
There’s nothing that I enjoy more on snow days than sledding. Yes, I’m still a big kid at heart and hopefully always 
will be. 
I think it’s the nostalgia of being an innocent, little kid, with memories of getting off school and playing outside all day, that keeps a healthy love of sledding within me.
Each first major snowfall, I try to make sure to get outside and at least take one or two rides on my old sled. While not quite as thrilling as when I was 7, it’s surprisingly still a tad fun, and It’s actually really good exercise walking up all those hills! (This is the big-girl part of me speaking now.)
After a few hours of sledding and snowball fights with my bro, I always loved coming inside for some of my mom’s fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies. As a kid, my mom would rarely let my brother or I chow down on cookies. It was those few winter snow days that she decided put on her apron and treat us. She’d make us a big cup of soymilk hot cocoa and hand us a couple warm cookies that would warm our little tummies, please our taste buds, and bring a smile to our flushed faces.
This year, I got to relive the snow days of my childhood. The first big snowfall just happened to fall on my first full day home for winter break. After bundling up, venturing outside, and making some snowballs and yes, taking a couple sleigh rides, I came inside to find my mom at it again in the kitchen. She decided to whip up some of my favorite cookies, known as “Kris Kringles”. She graciously decided to let me share this family recipe with all of you. The batter can be a bit tricky to spread, but our family has been making them for generations and if they turn out right, these cookies are a little bit of chocolate heaven.
Kris Kringles
-1/3 cup butter
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1/2 cup flour
-1/8 tsp salt
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/3 cup pecans, chopped
In a small saucepan, melt together the butter and 2/3 cup chocolate chips. Stir in the sugar until it melts into the mixture. Transfer to a large bowl. Add egg and beat for approx. 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, and vanilla, and beat until combined.
Grease a 15″ x 11″ cookie sheet. Spread mixture to the edges of the sheet. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and the pecans on top.
Bake at 400F for 12 minutes. Cut into squares and immediately remove the cookies from the sheet onto a cooling rack.
Best enjoyed while warm.
Fun winter times!
Your snow fun looks like an awesome time, and I want some of those Kris Kringles! Love pecans + chocolate : )
Sledding is definely a perk of snow. I have many childhood memories of sledding all day long and then coming inside for a nice cup of hot cocoa.
Wow, we only got about 4 inches in northwestern PA. I keep waiting for more, but I guess it’s not coming!
Those cookies look great.
Looks like you had a fun day though
Looks like you used the snow to your advantage and totally enjoyed it.
Looks like fun. We got a foot and a half in Northern Virginia, but I have no backyard to play in. Makes me nostalgic for sledding at my parents’ house.
I’m so super jealous of your snow!
Hooray for snow and sledding. It’s just started to get snowy in MI, so I’m hoping for a sledding day soon, too.
Kris Kringle’s look really good! I’m a huge chocolate fan, so I’m sure I’d like those.
Good for you for getting out the ol’ sleigh! I agree it’s just not the same as when we were kids, but it’s still fun, and a good activity to take your mind off of everyday “adult” life! I would consider it a workout, for sure. Although I think a lot of the sweat I get when being outside in the snow and sledding is from all the layers I have on!! haha.
These brownies sounds great. Love the name
I LOVE all the snow pictures!!! And how great that you enjoy the snow so much and that it brings back such great memories!
I have lived in an area where it never snows for almost twenty years now, and I really miss the snow….
The cookies look & sound awesome!
I love playing in the snow! We’ve only got about an inch on the ground now – not enough for fun!
awww you are so cute!! i love the looks of those kris kringles!
Kris Kringles look delish! Wow if I had those in my house they would be gone!! Loving your blog!! We got snow here in Alexandria, VA too!!! Lots of snow, so fun!! Looks like you had fun too!!! xo
Love this post! Memories
You’ve got a great (and tasteful!) Mom.
Aaahhh SNOW. Love the look of those cookies too! I love childhood memories/stories/nostalgia. Haha, yeaah almost never got cookies either! When we did, they were whole wheat/oatey, but I still loved them!
…another good post, I’d expect nothing less from you though :]