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Baking Up Memories

Recipe developer Pam Lolley shares simple, sensational treats to try this season

Article by Blair Moore

Photography by Birmingham Lifestyle

Originally published in Birmingham Lifestyle

Pam Lolley has spent over 30 years perfecting the craft of baking and recipe development, with 19 of those years at Southern Living Magazine. As a Recipe Tester and Developer, Pam created some of the magazine's most beloved recipes, including several of the Big White Cakes, which have graced its cover numerous times. Before joining Southern Living, Pam owned and operated her own catering and baking business here in Birmingham.

Her expertise extends beyond cakes and cookies. While at Southern Living, she became famous for her pancakes, affectionately known as "Pam-cakes." Her impressive career also includes collaborations with celebrated chefs like pitmaster Chris Lilly, as well as contributions to Food & Wine, Martha Stewart Living, and AllRecipes, among several other brands. Since retiring, Pam has continued to find joy in baking for special occasions through her home-based operation, “Sweet P’s,” where she makes signature treats like her famous orange rolls.

This month, Pam shares four of her classic Christmas cookie recipes which ran in Southern Living with us, showcasing the same creativity and attention to detail that have delighted home cooks for decades. These cookies are more than just sweet treats—they offer a glimpse into the passion and skill that have made Pam a true legend in the culinary world.

Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies

“These are fun and very Christmassy. You can change up the sprinkles on the edges.”

Ingredients 

Cookies
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup red and green candy sprinkles, or 1/4 cup blue and white candy sprinkles, plus more for decorating

Vanilla Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups unsifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 - 2 teaspoons whole milk, as needed

Instructions
1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then mix in eggs and vanilla. 2. Combine dry ingredients and gradually mix into butter mixture. Fold in sprinkles, then chill the dough for at least 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then cool on wire racks. 4. For buttercream, beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 1 teaspoon milk until smooth. Add more milk if needed for consistency. 5. Spread buttercream on 24 cookies and top with the remaining 24 cookies. Roll the edges in matching sprinkles. 

Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

“You won’t believe this one is gluten-free!”

Ingredients
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate bar, chopped
1 cup toasted chopped pecans

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl. 2. Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then stir them, along with the vanilla into the powdered sugar mixture. The batter will be thick. 3. Mix in the chopped chocolate and pecans until well combined. 4. Using a 1 ½-inch scoop, drop the dough onto a greased, parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between each cookie. 5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops are shiny and cracked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

“One of my all-time favorite recipes I have ever developed! Who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie?”

Ingredients
3/4 cup (6 oz.) salted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (about 9 5/8 oz.) plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. table salt
1 (12-oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Instructions
1. *Brown the butter and pour it into a bowl to cool for about 1 hour. 2. Make the cookie dough by creaming together butter and sugars, then adding the egg and vanilla extract. Combine the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, and salt—and beat them into the sugar mixture. Fold in the pecans (if using) and chocolate chips. 3. Using a cookie scoop, portion out individual cookies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 4. Bake the cookies until they're golden around the edges and the center is no longer glossy. 5. Move the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely—or only slightly if you're craving a warm cookie.

To brown the butter, melt it in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Maintain even heat for about 6–8 minutes. As the butter melts, bubbles will form. Stir continuously until it turns golden brown. If bubbling makes it hard to see, remove from heat briefly. It should smell nutty. When golden flecks appear, transfer the butter to a bowl immediately to stop cooking. If it's not browned enough, return to the stove briefly. 

Red Velvet Cake Balls

“These are so easy—and fun to make with kids!”

Ingredients
1 (15.25-oz.) pkg. red velvet cake mix (such as Duncan Hines)
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup (2 2/3 oz.) salted butter, melted
3 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
Vegetable shortening, for pan
All-purpose flour, for pan
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (4 oz.) salted butter, softened
4 cups (about 16 oz.) powdered sugar
3 (10-oz.) pkg. white (vanilla-flavored) melting wafers (such as Ghirardelli)
Red and white sprinkles and sanding sugars

Instructions

1. Make the cake mix by beating the cake mix, milk, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended, then continue for 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan. 2. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, then cool the cake in the pan before turning it onto a rack to cool completely. 3. Make the cream cheese frosting. 4. Crumble the cooled cake, and mix in 2 cups of frosting, then roll the mixture into 48 balls and place them on baking sheets. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight. 5. Melt 1 package of melting wafers in the microwave according to the package directions. Dip each ball into the melted wafers using a fork, allowing the excess to drip off, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle. Repeat with each ball. Chill until ready to serve.