The Season’s Must-Bake Christmas Cookies
Christmas lights, hot chocolate, gingerbread houses, and Christmas trees are just some of the best parts of the holidays. But, my favorite part is the Christmas cookies.
Whether it’s your grandmother’s family recipe, classic decorated sugar cookies or even if you like to try out new recipes each year, you can’t go wrong. Here are some Christmas cookie classics and some new recipes to try out with your loved ones.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
A classic and the best recipe to make and decorate with friends and family.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups butter, softened
2 cups of white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
Combine confectionary sugar and milk to make icing. Then decorate.
(Recipe from AllRecipes)
Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies
If you are craving a bit of chocolate, here is a great recipe with a minty twist.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ Dutch processed cocoa
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup semi sweet chocolate ships
1 cup peppermint chocolate chips
½ cup crushes candies for dipping cookies
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat baking mat. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cocoa. Set aside.
With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.
Gradually add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and peppermint crunch pieces.
Place the crushed candy canes in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoons and lightly dip the tops of the cookies into candy cane pieces. Make sure you don't get carried away. You only want the tops to have the candy cane pieces. If you roll the whole cookies in the candy canes, you will end up with a melted mess.
Place cookie balls on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until cookies are set, but still soft in the center. Don't overbake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 3 minutes. If desired, add extra candy cane pieces right after they come out of the oven to make the cookies extra pretty. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Note: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They also can be frozen. If you can't find the Andes peppermint crunch baking chips, you can buy the Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins and chop them up. If you can't find candy canes, you can crush up peppermint candies. Also important to note: Don't go crazy with the candy canes because they will melt. I dip just the tops of the cookie dough balls. If you want to make the cookies extra pretty, you can add extra candy cane pieces right after they come out of the oven.
(Recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod)
Gingerdoodle Sandwich Cookies
A delicious gingerbread recipe to try paired with a cinnamon buttercream, which makes the perfect winter treat.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
For cinnamon buttercream:
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, vanilla and molasses. Whip 1-2 minutes or until it turns a light brown color. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix until dry ingredients are just combined.
Scoop a 2 teaspoon ball of dough into your hands and roll. Coat in granulated sugar. Place on silicone baking mat, lightly greased cookie sheet or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 6-7 minutes or until outside looks cooked but inside is still soft and gooey. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.
For the cinnamon buttercream: mix butter, sugar, vanilla cream and cinnamon together until a thick and smooth frosting forms. Spread 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of buttercream onto one cookie. Top with another cookie and place onto serving platter. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Serve OR store in an airtight container for up to three days.
(Recipe from Lauren's Latest)
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Cranberry is another festive flavor perfect for this time of year, and these cookies are great and not too overly sweet.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups vanilla or white chips
Glaze:
2 cups vanilla or white chips
2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, cranberry juice and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in cranberries and vanilla chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° until edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
For glaze, microwave vanilla chips and shortening at 70% power until melted; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.
(Recipe from TasteofHome)
Snowball Cookies
A Christmas cookie classic and an easy one to bring to any family or friends’ gatherings.
Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. walnuts, very finely chopped
1/4 c. granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. butter, chopped and softened
1 c. powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° and line a large cookie sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, mix flour, walnuts, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add butter and, using your hands, combine everything until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Form dough into small balls and place on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 15 minutes.
When they’re still warm but cool enough to touch, roll cookies in powdered sugar.
Set aside on a rack to cool completely. When cool, dust again in powdered sugar.
(Recipe by Delish)
Caramel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
The perfect duo of chocolate and caramel, and just small enough to eat a bunch!
Ingredients
1 cup flour
Generous 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sparkling sugar or powdered sugar for rolling, or just leave plain
Caramel:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tbsp.-size chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus about 1/2 tsp. for sprinkling
Directions
Make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add egg yolk, cream, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Scoop dough into rounded 1-tsp. portions and roll into balls, then roll balls in sparkling or powdered sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. With the end of a thick-handled wooden spoon, gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie. Bake until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. The depressions tend to fill in a bit as they bake, so as soon as they're out of the oven, give them another press with the spoon if necessary. Slide parchment with cookies onto cooling racks and let cool. If you've used powdered sugar, sift a little more onto the cookies.
Make caramel: Put granulated sugar in a large nonstick frying pan; spread evenly. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps but eventually will melt and turn into a dark, amber-colored liquid, about 6 minutes. As soon as it's liquefied, reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter and stir until incorporated. Stirring constantly, drizzle in cream. Boil 1 minute, stirring, then remove from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. sea salt. Scrape into a bowl and let cool completely.
Assemble cookies: Spoon about 1/4 tsp. caramel into each cookie, then sprinkle with a few grains of sea salt.
*You'll have more caramel than you need, but that's never a bad thing--it's great on ice cream. Don't be tempted to cook a half-batch of caramel, as it won't cook right and will seize up.
Make ahead: Caramel, up to 5 days, chilled (let soften at room temperature before spooning into cookies). Baked cookies, up to 1 week, chilled airtight.
(Recipe by Sunset)
These recipes are great to make for anyone. Whether you’re a chocolate lover or classic Christmas cookie lover, there is a perfect treat for everyone this holiday season.