This season is about tradition and the things that bring us comfort—those that intentionally do not change, the rituals we choose to uphold and honor year after year. In my case, during the holidays, that is largely in the realm of baking…well, eating, drinking, and baking to be exact. As in years past, I write this letter to you with another AMAZING cookie recipe from my lovely mother, the baking queen, Mrs. Claus of deliciousness, Caryl Chakerian. We chose the World Peace cookies she makes, adapted from Deb Perlman’s recipe in Smitten Kitchen. Take heed of the quality of chocolate that you put into these cookies! That is the most important step. Ingredients, as we all know, MATTER!

• 1 ¼ C all-purpose flour
• 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ t baking soda
• 11 T unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1/3 C (packed)light brown sugar
• ¼ C granulated sugar
• ½ t fleur de sol or ¼ t fine sea salt
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or generous ¾ C store bought mini chocolate chips

Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda together

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour mixture, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed – about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek – if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pule a couple of time more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough – for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, share the dough into logs that at 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’re frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost before baking – just slice into logs and bake the cookies 1 minute longer).

Getting ready to bake! Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them – don’t be concerned, just squish the bits back onto the cookie. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookie one sheet at a time for 12 minutes – they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

Adapted from Deb Perlman’s recipe in Smitten Kitchen