The Best Holiday Cookie Recipes No Matter Your Ability
Holiday baking is the perfect thing to get your family feeling festive, and nothing says joy like cookies. One way we’re making it through 2020 is by turning attention toward house and home, often centered in the kitchen. And baking can still bring friends and family together, despite the restrictions of this year. Kitchen to kitchen video calls, sweet doorstep deliveries and new family traditions keep us afloat. The following recipes will fill your home with the sweet smells of the holidays, replacing “stuck at home” with “grateful to be home.”
Best Traditional Holiday Cookies
Some holiday sweets are just mandatory. We look forward to these rich and luxurious flavors all year long. Some years maybe even more than others. While your own recipes may be tried-and-true, exploring a new “classic” may garner some requests for future repeats.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – Espresso powder elevates the richness of the flavor in these favorites. Bake the original or try a variation using 1/4 tsp. almond extract. Either way, you’ll be in heaven with these morsels.
Magic Bars – You’ve heard them called 7-layer bars, too. These are the best of both worlds and your loved ones will ask for them each year. Better yet, they can be made ahead of time and store well. Check out the swaps and variations if you’re feeling feisty.
Holiday Macarons – Not only are these delicious, but they are beautiful and make a gorgeous gift. A couple drops of green food coloring and the light and fluffy treats look perfect alongside your other yummy offerings.
Spritz Cookies – These light and buttery cookies are a must to your holiday dessert tray. They’ve been known to cause family members to get their own personal boxes, in certain circles. Now, these do require a cookie press but it will be well worth it when you taste the results.
Classic and Easy-to-Bake Cookies
Families with small children know that one of the best ways to keep them occupied is to put them to work. These simple recipes will allow the little ones to help out without destroying the whole kitchen. Plus, who doesn’t love homemade cookies without a ton of planning and prep?
Chocolate in Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints – Peppermint and chocolate together make happiness. These are quick and easy to make, and your family will love the crunch of the candy along with the macadamia nuts.
Cranberry Christmas Cookies – These soft and chunky treats are even more amazing when you realize you can make the dough ahead of time. 14 minutes after removing from the freezer, you’ll be enjoying these with your holiday movie or unexpected guests.
Macadamia Coconut Cookies – Take a break from the chocolate and sink your teeth into these aromatic delights. They’re completely addictive and take only 30 minutes to make, start to finish. What more could you ask for?
Cookie Cutter Fun
These are great to make with kids since they can take part in the dough cut out process. You can prepare with some food coloring and an easy icing recipe. No cookie cutters? No problem! Use a variety of everyday kitchen items to cut and shape your treats. Begin with some cutout cookie 101 so you can set up shop.
Gingerbread Men S’mores – These sandwich cookies take a good thing and kick it up several notches. Marshmallow cream cheese frosting and a touch of bittersweet chocolate combine with traditional gingerbread flavor to create a delicious experience.
Lemon Butter Cookies – A delicate lemon flavor makes these tender cutout cookies stand apart from traditional sugar cookies. They’re easy to work with and can be decorated in any way.
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies – If you haven’t tried these amazing and chewy roll-out dough cookies, now’s the time! While these perfect little treats hold up well to storage and even mailing, they remain soft for a week after baking.
Surprisingly Succulent
Looking for a little something new? Then dive into one of these offbeat recipes that take new twists on beloved originals. You might just find the new dessert for which you’ll be famous in your clan.
Peanut Butter Miso Cookies – The story goes that these cookies were a result of running out of peanut butter and substituting miso. Result? Amazing. Surprise your loved ones with these savory bites.
Eggnog Blossoms – Festive to look at, exciting to eat: these luscious cookies are a new combination of holiday flavors. Use an ice cream scoop to make these with even more ease this busy month.
Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies – If you want that “wow” factor, serve these alongside your hot chocolate or gourmet coffee. These are surprisingly easy to make but will look like you spent hours in the kitchen.
Everyone Included
Having a specific dietary need can sometimes result in people feeling left out of holiday sweets. But there are so many new recipes and ways they can be altered to be safe and enjoyable for everyone. Whether it’s egg substitutes or dairy-free recipes, you can make everyone in your family feel welcome.
Vegan Cookies – Try salted chocolate rosemary cookies this year: delectable and under 30 minutes to make! Or make Vegan Danish Butter Cookies, Vaniljekranse, which are the quintessential Christmas cookie. Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry cookies are also fast and fun to make and so worth it.
Gluten-Free – More than a few people claim this chocolate chip cookie recipe is better than the original. Need more chocolate? Then go for these six ingredient flourless chocolate fudge cookies. Finally, these pecan crescent cookies are soft and irresistible.
Diabetes-Friendly – Raspberry-Fig Linzer Tortes or Almond Flour Shortbread cookies are also keto friendly, too. There’s also sugar cookies with less sugar for anyone who is working on being a bit healthier this season.
Holiday cookies just make people happy, plain and simple. The last several months have been hard, but we’re getting through it together. Enduring so many restrictions has resulted in people revisiting simple joys in life. So this holiday season, bake some cookies. Share them, mail them and enjoy them. Then get outside for some fresh air and burn some calories.
