The Story Behind the Recipe
Some recipes quietly become part of Christmas.
Others become part of a family’s identity.
Mom’s Minty Jewels were one of those recipes.
Every December they appeared alongside Bishop’s Bread, fudge, and the other holiday favorites that filled our kitchen with the unmistakable feeling that Christmas had arrived. They weren’t simply cookies.
They were tradition.
Made with Hershey’s limited-edition Mint Chips, these cookies only appeared during the Christmas season. Their arrival in the grocery store was almost as exciting as their arrival from the oven, because once the mint chips disappeared from the shelves, Christmas baking was officially underway.
Looking back now, I realize these little cookies carried much more than chocolate and mint.
They carried the warmth of home, the anticipation of Christmas, and the quiet reminder that some traditions become part of who we are.
Mom’s Original Recipe
The original recipe clipping, complete with Mom’s handwritten notes and adjustments.
Ingredients
2½ cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup shortening
1½ cups applesauce (the secret to their wonderfully soft texture) 1½ cups raisins (Mom replaced these with cherries.)
1 cup (6-ounce package) mint-flavored chocolate chips ½ cup chopped nuts (Mom omitted the nuts so everyone could enjoy them.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening until well blended.
- Add the flour mixture and applesauce, mixing until combined.
- Stir in the raisins(if using), mint chocolate chips, and chopped nuts (if using).
- Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Yield: Approximately 8 dozen cookies.
💛 Mom’s Notes
The applesauce is one of the secrets to these cookies. It keeps them wonderfully soft and moist, making them just as delicious a few days later as they were fresh from the oven.
Like many of her recipes, Mom quietly adapted this one over the years.
She replaced the raisins with cherries, giving the cookies a brighter Christmas flavor and appearance, and omitted the nuts so everyone in the family—including those with allergies—could enjoy them together.
Those little changes eventually became part of the recipe we all knew simply as Mom’s Minty Jewels.
From Gregory’s Kitchen
Those bright little cookies always looked like Christmas to me. Every tray that came out of the oven felt like another decoration had been added to the season. I don’t think I ever walked past the cooling rack without “sampling” one first.
Some of the sweetest things we inherit aren’t recipes… they’re the memories we made while preparing them together.
Thank you, Mom, for filling our home with traditions that continue to bring joy, one recipe and one memory at a time.