1 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup sugar, I use 1/4 packed brown sugar and 3/4 white sugar

2 Cups All-Purpose flour

1 egg at room temperature

1 package vanilla sugar powder (I use Dr. Oetker’s which come as a 3-pack)

Pinch of salt

Using my stand mixer with its dough hook, I combine the sugars and the butter until smooth. Add the egg and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the vanilla powder and the salt and mix again. Add the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough into two balls and press into greased (I use cooking spray) round, cake pan. You should get about 1/2 to 1 inch of height in each pan.

Bake in a 325-350 degree oven for about 35 minutes. You are looking for an even, golden top.

Let cool for 10 minutes then carefully remove from pans. Cool completely. Slice into eighths, pizza slice style. Store in the refrigerator.

My sister considered this a secret family recipe, but I have found it in my two Dutch cookbooks. So here it is! Enjoy!

This is one of my favourite desserts at Christmas time probably because this is when my grandmother would always make it. She would make it occasionally at other times of the year, but it seemed to be a special treat at Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, reminders of family traditions make me smile. His family was special too. His mother was a virgin and His birth had been predicted over 600 years before by the prophet Isaiah. “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel,” Isaiah 7:14 NKJV. “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6. The prophet Micah accurately predicted where Jesus would be born, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me, The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting,” Micah 5:2. His human father was thought to be Joseph, (Luke 3:23), who married Mary despite her being with Child, Luke 2:4-5. As Luke tells us, the angel Gabriel came  to Mary with a message, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God,” Luke 1:35. You see, Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God. He is the Son of God. Christmas is about Him. Jesus is the reason for the season!