Introduction

Growing up, I spent a lot of my free time baking with my grandmother, also known as GG. I loved rolling up my sleeves and helping GG with anything that she would let me do. Of course, my favorite part was cracking all the eggs! So many of GG’s baked goods are reminders of my childhood. Her cookie cake reminds me of first arriving back at her house after a long day at school. Her scones always make me think of all my family celebrating my birthday. When I eat one of her sugar cookies, I can almost smell her (real) Christmas tree and hear her telling me not to add so many sprinkles. She still has to remind me today! As I am studying abroad, I am missing her baking because it always tastes better when GG makes it. As I have grown up, these recipes continue to be constant in my baking. Today, I want to share with you the top three recipes that I make and the lessons I have learned from each of them. 

GG’s Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

This is one of my favorite recipes from GG. I remember making these cookies several times as a child because they were one of my favorite things to make with my grandmother. I was guilty of stealing some of the icing from the bowl when no one looked! The almond extract is sweet and toasty, which perfectly balances with bright and tart raspberry jam in the center. The icing leaves a sweet taste on your tongue and makes you crave another one. These cookies taught me the importance of showing up for those you love. GG and my grandfather (Papa) have always been very active grandparents. From my very first ballet recital when they gave me a bouquet of lollipops to my middle school play where I had two lines to my high school graduation ceremony, they have never turned down an opportunity to support me. They even show up in small ways, like GG lighting a candle for me to pray for my acceptance into WashU or Papa getting Frog Spit ice cream for me whenever I was sick as a child. These cookies were made anytime that I asked GG for them. I could always count on raspberry almond cookies from my grandmother to cheer me up after a hard day. I could not have asked for a better set of grandparents. They display a level of devotion that I strive to have in my own life. They are the definition of love in action, and I hope that their legacy lives on in me and the way that I treat the people I love. I strive every day to love in the same way that they love and to make them proud. 

Aunt Hattie’s Coconut Chocolate Cookies

Now, including this dessert might be slightly cheating because I did not grow up baking this recipe. This recipe is both new and old. Let me explain. Great Aunt Hattie was one of the matriarchs of my family. She made these coconut chocolate cookies for all major holidays, and they were my grandfather’s (or Papa’s) favorite dessert. Unfortunately, at some point, the recipe was lost. And that is how the story stayed for a while. Until one day, I decided to track down this recipe. I asked everyone what they remembered about the ingredients and did some deep diving into many food-related blogs. Finally, I found one that looked promising. During the next Thanksgiving, I made them, and they were a hit! It was especially endearing to hear my grandfather say that they were even better than Hattie’s! When I wrote this recipe down (and saved it to my computer – we are not taking any chances!), I label them as Great Aunt Hattie’s. That is because these cookies have taught the importance of legacy within your own family. These cookies are so special. The cookies themselves are unique. They are sweet from the coconut yet bitter from the dark chocolate. The pecans give it a rich, buttery taste. There is no flour, no sugar, and no baking powder, yet they crumble just like a cookie! It is seriously magic (or chemistry, which kind of feels like magic to me). Not only are they special for their flavor, but they are a special reminder of our ancestors. Her cookies are a large part of Aunt Hattie’s legacy. It is a legacy built on the importance of family, tradition, and connection. I hope that by rediscovering this recipe, I continue Aunt Hattie’s tradition and make it a part of my legacy. 

My Banana Bread

This is my top recipe that I love to make. So much so that I will ask my family to let bananas go bad so that I can make banana bread. The core of this recipe comes from my GG, although I have made some changes to fit my tastes. There is another banana, a lot more chocolate chips, and (sometimes) some peanut butter powder. It is dense yet soft and tender.  The bananas give it a nice tropical flavor. It is best served warm because the chocolate is perfectly melty and sugary. I adapted the recipe to be gluten-free and Keto for my dad. It took me a couple of tries to truly perfect it. Now, it has the perfect balance where it is dense yet rises in the oven (if you have ever tried baking gluten-free, you know that is a difficult accomplishment). I really try to make my gluten-free desserts not taste like they are lacking anything. The lesson I have learned from my banana bread is that growth is important. You should always be striving to be the best. I used to not understand why people would routinely work out or meditate. Those things never interested me until it dawned on me that I was not properly taking care of myself. I work out not to have abs but to feel stronger in my everyday life. I meditate not to forget about my troubles but to manage my stress and anxiety productively and healthily. These two habits make me a better version of myself. My body feels stronger, and my mind feels more peaceful. I could have left the banana bread recipe where it was. However, then my dad could not enjoy banana bread with us. This banana bread will probably continue to evolve as I continue to grow. Who knows what it might become? 

Conclusion

I think of this blog post as a love letter to my GG. She has been such a constant in my life: a constant support system, a constant chauffeur, a constant baking companion. It has been an honor and a blessing to be her granddaughter, and I cannot imagine who I would be without her love. She has shaped me in countless ways with her childhood stories, her funny jokes, and her phone calls. She has taught me so many life lessons that I carry with me every single day, even when I am 4,000 miles away from her. Each of her recipes and lessons will live on in me, and I will make sure to pass them down to my children. From my grandmother, I learned the value of baking and passing down recipes between generations.