Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
This morning, I woke up to a house steeped in the quiet magic of Christmas. The early light painted the walls with a cozy glow, and I decided it was the perfect moment to invite you into a slice of my day. After a cup of coffee sweetened with honey—the way I’ve always liked it—I spent a little time with my Advent devotional. Today’s reflection was on love not being irritable, a gentle reminder I carried into the hours ahead.
Feeling inspired, I rolled up my sleeves to bake something festive. I had planned on biscotti, but the memory of a prior baking misadventure nudged me toward a new idea: hot cocoa cookies. With my own twist, I used melted butter and hot chocolate mix, skipping the cocoa and white sugar entirely. There’s something satisfying about adapting a recipe, letting it evolve as you work with what you have on hand.
Recipe Link: gluesticksblog.com/hot-cocoa-cookies-video
The dough came together easily, a mix of brown sugar, coffee extract (a favorite of mine), and flour, with a quick chill in the fridge giving me time to clean up and jot a few notes in Christmas cards. When the dough was ready, I shaped it into generous balls and baked them to a soft, pillowy perfection. Adding marshmallows was a delicate operation, pressing them gently into the cookies as they returned to the oven for a brief, magical melt.
The final touch was a glossy chocolate glaze, sweetened with a hint of honey and cream, drizzled playfully over the tops. My grandson joined me for the decorating, carefully placing sprinkles with his small hands. The cookies emerged as little treasures—light and crisp at the edges, soft and rich in the center.
We sampled one right away, laughing over the sticky marshmallows and the festive crunch of sprinkles. The rest are tucked safely in the fridge, ready to be shared or simply enjoyed with a warm drink by the fire. These moments, small and simple, are the threads of the season’s joy. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas filled with light, warmth, and a dash of kitchen magic!
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🌺 GREENSTALK Vertical Gardens: greenstalkgarden.com/?rstr=SHOP1870 (Promo Code SHOP1870 for $10 off!)
🥒 Epic Gardening: glnk.io/73j50/8vn (Promo Code Shop1870 to get 5% off!)
🥫 FORJARS Canning Lids: forjars.co/?sca_ref=1911228.45BY9FFxdg (Promo Code SHOP1870 to get 10% off)
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🛒 Our Favorite AMAZON Finds: amzn.to/3ihSgZP
---------------
Mailing Address:
That 1870's Homestead
P.O. Box 179
Newport, MI 48166
---------------
✅ Connect with Us 🐐
YouTube: youtube.com/@1870s
Facebook: facebook.com/1870sHomestead
Instagram: instagram.com/that_1870s_homestead
Pinterest: pinterest.com/that1870s
EMAIL: that1870shomestead@gmail.com
---------------
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links - at no additional cost to you. We will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, after clicking through the links. ♥ Todd & Rachel
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00:00 Introduction and Christmas Morning Vibes
02:03 Morning Devotional on Love
02:52 Switching to Hot Cocoa Cookies
03:35 Gathering Ingredients and Recipe Modifications
07:01 Chilling the Dough and Christmas Prep
08:30 Shaping and Baking the Cookies
09:13 Adding Marshmallows and Second Bake
10:06 Making the Chocolate Glaze
10:47 Decorating with Sprinkles
12:28 Tasting and Storing the Cookies
12:55 Wishing You a Merry Christmas
This morning, I woke up to a house steeped in the quiet magic of Christmas. The early light painted the walls with a cozy glow, and I decided it was the perfect moment to invite you into a slice of my day. After a cup of coffee sweetened with honey—the way I’ve always liked it—I spent a little time with my Advent devotional. Today’s reflection was on love not being irritable, a gentle reminder I carried into the hours ahead.
Feeling inspired, I rolled up my sleeves to bake something festive. I had planned on biscotti, but the memory of a prior baking misadventure nudged me toward a new idea: hot cocoa cookies. With my own twist, I used melted butter and hot chocolate mix, skipping the cocoa and white sugar entirely. There’s something satisfying about adapting a recipe, letting it evolve as you work with what you have on hand.
Recipe Link: gluesticksblog.com/hot-cocoa-cookies-video
The dough came together easily, a mix of brown sugar, coffee extract (a favorite of mine), and flour, with a quick chill in the fridge giving me time to clean up and jot a few notes in Christmas cards. When the dough was ready, I shaped it into generous balls and baked them to a soft, pillowy perfection. Adding marshmallows was a delicate operation, pressing them gently into the cookies as they returned to the oven for a brief, magical melt.
The final touch was a glossy chocolate glaze, sweetened with a hint of honey and cream, drizzled playfully over the tops. My grandson joined me for the decorating, carefully placing sprinkles with his small hands. The cookies emerged as little treasures—light and crisp at the edges, soft and rich in the center.
We sampled one right away, laughing over the sticky marshmallows and the festive crunch of sprinkles. The rest are tucked safely in the fridge, ready to be shared or simply enjoyed with a warm drink by the fire. These moments, small and simple, are the threads of the season’s joy. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas filled with light, warmth, and a dash of kitchen magic!
---------------
👕 Shop Our Merch: bonfire.com/store/1870smerch
🌻 HOSS Garden Tools & Seeds: shrsl.com/33ehp (Promo Code SHOP1870 for free seeds!)
🌱 MIGardener: migardener.com/1870
🌺 GREENSTALK Vertical Gardens: greenstalkgarden.com/?rstr=SHOP1870 (Promo Code SHOP1870 for $10 off!)
🥒 Epic Gardening: glnk.io/73j50/8vn (Promo Code Shop1870 to get 5% off!)
🥫 FORJARS Canning Lids: forjars.co/?sca_ref=1911228.45BY9FFxdg (Promo Code SHOP1870 to get 10% off)
🍃 HARVEST Right Freeze Dryers: affiliates.harvestright.com/1182.html
🔦 OLIGHT Flashlights: bit.ly/3z6daku (Promo Code SHOP1870 for 10% off!)
🛒 Our Favorite AMAZON Finds: amzn.to/3ihSgZP
---------------
Mailing Address:
That 1870's Homestead
P.O. Box 179
Newport, MI 48166
---------------
✅ Connect with Us 🐐
YouTube: youtube.com/@1870s
Facebook: facebook.com/1870sHomestead
Instagram: instagram.com/that_1870s_homestead
Pinterest: pinterest.com/that1870s
EMAIL: that1870shomestead@gmail.com
---------------
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links - at no additional cost to you. We will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, after clicking through the links. ♥ Todd & Rachel
---------------
00:00 Introduction and Christmas Morning Vibes
02:03 Morning Devotional on Love
02:52 Switching to Hot Cocoa Cookies
03:35 Gathering Ingredients and Recipe Modifications
07:01 Chilling the Dough and Christmas Prep
08:30 Shaping and Baking the Cookies
09:13 Adding Marshmallows and Second Bake
10:06 Making the Chocolate Glaze
10:47 Decorating with Sprinkles
12:28 Tasting and Storing the Cookies
12:55 Wishing You a Merry Christmas
