By: Silvia DiPaola, Contributing Writer
Now that Thanksgiving is over, it is officially Christmas season! ‘Tis the season to bake Christmas cookies and wash them down with a fresh glass of apple cider. Here are a variety of Christmas cookie recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth from the comfort and safety of your own home!
Cookie Shooters
We are starting off with a bit of a twist for this first recipe. It is not your traditional cookie: it is a cookie cup that you can fill with milk! The cup is technically a chocolate chip cookie base, which you can fill with the milk of your choosing. Here is what you will need:
INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
Cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 oz. chocolate chips or chunks
This recipe requires 25 min prep time, 1 hour total time, and it yields 12 cookie cups.
You can find the full recipe here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a14941/cookie-shooters-recipe-ghk1014/
Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you are not quite feeling the Christmas spirit yet, here is a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for the end of fall. The blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom will make you feel like you are in October again with a pumpkin spice latte in hand. These cookies have crisp, buttery edges and soft, chewy centers. Here is what you will need to make them:
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
Yield: approximately 30 cookies
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
You can find the full recipe here: https://cookienameddesire.com/brown-butter-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe/
Sugar Cookie Ornaments
Sugar cookies, of course, have earned a place on this list as an infamous Christmas-season cookie. This recipe puts a spin on them in that they are shaped like Christmas ornaments. You can either eat them, or punch a hole through the top and turn them into ornaments for your tree! Here is what you will need:
INGREDIENTS
Cookies
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Sanding sugar, for decorating
Royal Icing
3 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
16 oz. confectioners' sugar
YIELDS: 50
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
You can find the full recipe here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/dessert/a46925/sugar-cookie-ornaments-recipe/
Jam Sandwich Cookies
Jam sandwich cookies are a Christmas classic, so they deserved a place on this list. You can fill these up with any jam of your liking. You can even package them up in a festive paper envelope like in the picture down below, and send them to your relatives!
INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
1 1/2 c. apricot or raspberry jam
YIELDS: 48
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 35 mins
You can find the full recipe here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/dessert/a46807/jam-sandwich-cookie-recipe/
No-Bake Waffle Dippers
If you want an easy cookie to munch on, this recipe is for you. This cookie requires only 3 ingredients and no baking is involved. They can also be used as a last minute gift for Christmas!
INGREDIENTS
Waffle cookies
bittersweet chocolate
shredded coconut
YIELDS: 1
TOTAL TIME: 45 mins
You can find the recipe here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/dessert/a46922/no-bake-waffle-dippers-recipe/
Pecan Shortbread Cookies
For the last Christmas cookie recipe on this list, shortbread cookies are a common favorite. These have pecans for a nutty twist on the otherwise sweet cookies. These do take some time to prepare, but the taste is worth it in the end! You can bake these on a lazy day to enjoy in bed.
INGREDIENTS
3 c. pecan halves, divided
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 c. turbinado sugar
YIELDS: 36
PREP TIME: 40 mins
COOK TIME: 1 hour 40 mins
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 20 mins
You can find the full recipe here: https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a45303/pecan-shortbread-cookie-recipe/
NOTE: These recipes are not the healthiest options. Below is a list of some substitutes to make the cookies more nutritious (as recommended by TH101's nutritionist consultant, Monica Moreno):
Oat/almond flour instead of white
Halving the sugar in recipes and using date syrup/maple syrup/dates/honey/banana to sweeten things
Oils: using olive oil/avocado oil and not vegetable oil
Adding seeds/nuts (if not allergic)
These are some tasty Christmas cookie recipes you can make this season, rather than buying them at the supermarket. Fresh is always better, and chances are you will not have to leave your house; these ingredients are usually already in the pantry! This makes for a safe, yet fun activity to do in the house during the pandemic. Enjoy, and buon appetito!
Link to cover image: https://d2culxnxbccemt.cloudfront.net/craft/content/uploads/2020/09/21110754/download-2020-09-21T100748.932.jpeg
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