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This grain-free shortbread is easy to make in just one bowl without getting out the mixer. The cookies are addictively crunchy around the edges and chewy in the middle, and their subtly spiced flavor is perfect for the holidays.

My mom sent our Christmas presents down early and told us we didn’t have to wait until the big day to open them. Mine was a copy of Ruth Reichl’s newest book, My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes that Saved My Life,  which centers around what Reichl cooked after the sudden closure of Gourmet magazine.

I was only about 3 pages in when I felt tears welling up in my eyes. When Ben asked what was wrong, at the time I had to admit that I was crying over the end of a magazine that I had subscribed to for just under 12 months, during its very last year in 2009.

In retrospect, it probably wasn’t just that. There’s something about the holidays that brings my natural tendency toward nostalgia right to the surface. I think I was really crying because change is hard, and the book reminded me of that fact in a sudden and poignant way. I love being here in Chattanooga, but wish I could simultaneously be in Massachusetts and see my family for the holidays.

Reichl says in her book that “when you pay attention, cooking becomes a kind of meditation.” That’s definitely how it feels for me whenever I can manage not to rush.

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