Grandma's Star Cookies — Something Sweet for the Ones Who Show Up

May 2022. Spring in Memphis, and I am 63, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.

Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew. Trey at the smoker, learning, absorbing, his hands getting steadier each visit, the fire recognizing him the way fire recognizes those who are meant to tend it.

Ribs this week — spare ribs, dry-rubbed, five hours at 225, no foil, no rush. The Memphis way. The bark cracked when I bit into it, and the flavor was layered: smoke first, then spice, then the sweetness of the pork, each layer arriving on its own schedule, patient as a sermon. Rosetta ate two ribs and said nothing negative, which is a standing ovation from the toughest critic in my life.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

The ribs get the glory, and Trey gets the fire — but when the grandchildren pile through that door, I like to have something waiting on the counter that belongs to them, not the smoker. Rosetta used to make these star cookies every time the house filled up with small hands and big noise, and I’ve kept the recipe going the way she kept the faith going: faithfully, without making a fuss about it. If I’m teaching Trey to tend a fire, the least I can do is make sure the little ones have something sweet to hold while they watch him learn.

Grandma’s Star Cookies

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 35 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• For decorating: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons milk, food coloring (optional), colored sugar or sprinkles

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined and smooth.
3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms — do not overmix.
4. Chill the dough. Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Cold dough holds its star shape through baking.
5. Preheat and roll. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to 1/4-inch thickness.
6. Cut and arrange. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter (2 1/2–3 inch) to cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps once.
7. Bake. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the bottoms are barely golden. The tops should look pale — they firm up as they cool. Let rest on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the glaze. Whisk powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons milk until smooth and pourable. Divide into small bowls and tint with food coloring if desired. Spoon or drizzle over cooled cookies and top with colored sugar or sprinkles while glaze is wet.
9. Set and serve. Allow glaze to set fully, about 20 minutes, before stacking or storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 112 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 38mg