Yuletide Treats Recipe, Ritual and Lore from The Wicca Cookbook

In medieval times, people burned Yule logs to ward off sickness and disease. They then buried some of the ashes, in essence burying their fears and allow Mother Nature to transform the negative energy into compost, thus bringing forth new life. They saved the rest of the ashes, to sprinkle around the house and grounds for protection, as well as to light the next Yule log.

Light a Yule log (pine or oak is best) to symbolize all that is dying of the old year. Send into the fire those things from which you want to be released . Visualize the rebirth of the sun and the goodness of your spirit as you are fully manifesting into wholeness.

Another tradition associated with the burning of the Yule log was to ensure prosperity for the coming year. Our thoughts about money can either attract money to us or push it away. As you burn your Yule log, make friends with money. See it freely flowing toward you like the energy it is. Being prosperous is your Divine right. The Goddess is the source of all your money and affluence.

Yuletide Treats is one of my most favorite recipes from The Wicca Cookbook because my son Skyler used to make these cookies every December and sell the cookies to his schoolmates. The warmth of the cardamom helps bring the perfect spice to colder, shorter days in the Winter Solstice season.

Ingredients

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons softened butter

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice

Icing and sprinkles optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 F in a large bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter until well blended. Beat the eggs separately. Add the egg, beating until well blended. Lightly ladle flour into a measuring cup, level off.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices into a bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the eff mixture, mixing well.

Divide the dough in half and roll into two balls. Grease a cooking sheet and flour. Flatten each ball with your hands on a rolling pin into a rectangular approximately 2-3 inches wide and 10 inches long. With a serrated knife cut ¼”deep diagonal lines. Sprinkle with red and green decorations. Bakes for 11-13 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Cut the Yule logs along the scored lines. Decorate with icing if preferred.

The Wicca Cookbook is a seasonal cookbook, a pagan potluck book, and a collection of medieval illustrations and information vetted by my co-author and sister Tara Seefeldt, who gained her PhD in Early Modern European History. As a triple earth sign, I wanted to ground this eclectic collection of home-tested recipes with long held sacred traditions and stories of the people, what we call history. I believe this is how The Wicca Cookbook has remained in print for 23 years.