Planning for the holiday season can feel overwhelming at times. You have to figure out gifts, possibly plan for travel, organize get-togethers with family… and bake cookies! Baking cookies should be one of the times during the holidays that's stress-free.
Baking cookies for Christmas is an opportunity for you and your children to make some great memories together. You want to pick the right recipes, so that everyone enjoys both baking and eating. That's where we come in.
We've assembled lists of the best Christmas cookie recipes, organized alphabetically for your ease. All of these recipes are fantastic. There are enough options to cater to every taste, so be sure to look through each list in its entirety.
Once you've found the right recipes, grab your kids and get baking! The house will soon be filled with the wonderful smells of baking cookies. Everyone will be grabbing two, three, or even four of these cookies at once!
Christmas Cookies
D
Date-Filled Spritz
Ingredients:
One Ultimate Spritz Recipe — (see recipe below)
1 (8 ounce) package pitted dates (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup walnut pieces (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons orange juice
1. Heat oven to 375º. Prepare dough for The Ultimate Spritz, using vanilla. Place remaining ingredients in food processor. Cover and process about 20 seconds, using quick on-and-off motions, until
mixture is ground and resembles thick paste.
2. Place dough in cookie press with ribbon tip. Form 10-inch ribbons about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Spoon date mixture down center of each ribbon to form 1/2-inch-wide strip. Top with
another ribbon of dough. Gently press edges with fork to seal.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Immediately cut ribbons into 2-inch lengths. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
The Ultimate Spritz
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Currants raisins candies colored sugar,
finely chopped nuts, candied fruit or fruit peel, if desired
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400º. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with currants.
3. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. To decorate cookies after baking, use a drop of corn syrup to attach decorations to cookies.
Date-Nut Pinwheels
Ingredients:
3/4 pound pitted dates — finely chopped
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Cook dates, granulated sugar and water in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Stir in nuts; cool.
2. Beat brown sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour and salt.
3. Roll half of dough at a time on waxed paper into rectangle, 11 × 7 inches. Spread half of the date-nut filling over each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of 11-inch sides. Roll up tightly, beginning at 11-inch side,
using waxed paper to help lift. Pinch edge of dough to seal. Wrap and refrigerate about 4 hours or until firm.
4. Heat oven to 400º. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Decorator's Frosting
Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Food coloring, if desired
Directions:
1. Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk or half-and-half until smooth and spreadable. This recipe makes enough to frost 3 to 5 dozen cookies.
2. Add more milk for a thinner frosting or to create a glaze.
3. Frosting can be tinted with food color. Stir in liquid food color, 1 drop at a time, until frosting is the desired color. If intense, vivid frosting color is desired, use paste food color, because you would have to use too much liquid color to get vivid color. Using too much liquid color will break down the frosting, causing it to separate and look curdled.
Double Apple Bars
Ingredients:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped, unpeeled all-purpose apple
Powdered sugar — if desired
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Mix brown sugar, applesauce, oil, and egg in large bowl.
2. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in apple.
3. Spread batter in ungreased square pan, 9 × 9 × 2 inches. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool.
4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
Double Chocolate Kisses
Ingredients:
1 cup softened margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 bag (9 oz) Hershey's chocolate kisses
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat margarine, sugar and vanilla until creamy.
2. In separate bowl, stir together flour and cocoa, blend into other mixture, mixing well. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
3. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each kiss, covering completely.
4. Shape into balls, bake on cookie sheet 10 or 12 minutes or until set.
5. Cool, then roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 54.
Double Chocolate Graham Drops
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 (300 ml) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat together condensed milk and butter until mixture is creamy. Stir in graham mixture; mix well. Stir in white chocolate and pecans.
4. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
5. Drop by large tablespoonfuls on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When cool, store in an airtight container.
Double Oat Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine — softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 cup oat bran
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Beat butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg white in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Double Peanut Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine — softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375º. Beat peanut butter, sugars, butter and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
2. Stir in flour and baking soda. Stir in peanuts (dough will be stiff).
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Dream Bars
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Almond-Coconut Topping — (recipe follows)
ALMOND-COCONUT TOPPING
2 eggs — beaten
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped almonds
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350º. Mix butter and brown sugar in small bowl with spoon. Stir in flour.
2. Press in ungreased rectangular pan, 13 × 9 × 2 inches. Bake 10 minutes.
3. Spread Almond-Coconut Topping over baked layer. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
4. Cool 30 minutes. Cut 8 rows by 4 rows while warm.
ALMOND-COCONUT TOPPING:
Mix all ingredients.
Dreamsicle Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons orange powdered drink mix, such as Tang
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
3 tablespoons powdered orange flavored drink mix, such as Tang
1 cup confectioners' sugar
water or milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Cream the shortening and the sugar together until light. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
3. Dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk. Add the buttermilk mixture, salt, 3 tablespoons Tang, flour and baking powder to the shortening mixture. Mix well.
4. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared sheets.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Frost cookies while still hot with Tang Glaze.
To Make Tang Glaze:
Combine the butter, 3 tablespoons Tang, confectioners sugar plus enough water or milk to reach a thick yet still pourable consistency and beat until smooth.
Drop Cookie Basic Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot water
Directions:
1. Cream together butter and sugars.
2. Add egg and beat until smooth.
3. Add all the dry ingredients, then water and mix well.
4. Add your choice of either :
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 – 1 cup of walnuts or pecans
1 cup of peanut butter chips
Or any combination of the above to create your favorite cookies.
5. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
Christmas Cookie Recipes Index