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Every December I love making a big spread of Christmas cookies so everyone can sample their favorites and maybe try something new. This collection brings together beloved classics and clever modern twists, each one perfect for gifting or brightening your cookie platter at any holiday gathering.
The first time I made this full mix for a cookie exchange my kitchen was a happy mess of flour and sprinkles. I love that my kids always request certain cookies by name and ask to help with the spritz press or rolling thumbprints.
Ingredients
- Grinch Cookies: playful green color and soft center made best with vibrant food coloring
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars: easy to slice and share choose a high-quality pure vanilla for best flavor
- Thumbprint Cookies: classic with jam centers use a tart fruit preserve for contrast and consider rolling in finely chopped nuts for texture
- Christmas Sugar Cookies: soft and delicious always hold their shape with a butter heavy dough and chilling before rolling
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies: chocolate peppermint chips add joyful flavor aim for a pure peppermint extract
- Hot Cocoa Cookies: chewy with mini marshmallows top choose Dutch process cocoa for deep chocolate flavor
- Spritz Snowflake Cookies: buttery and beautiful press them onto cool baking sheets for best definition and use a sturdy cookie press
- Stained Glass Cookies: striking with candy centers chop hard candies very fine for even melting and clear windows
- Mint Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies: delightfully minty look for high quality mint chips or extract
- Sprinkle Cookie Bites: tiny and festive use nonpareils or jimmies for maximum color
- Holiday Dipped Oreos: dip in good melting chocolate and add festive toppings
- Reindeer Cookie Bars: top with candy eyes and pretzel antlers
- Peanut Butter Blossoms: soft peanut butter base with a chocolate kiss press chocolate on while cookies are just out of the oven for the perfect melt
- General Tips: Pick fresh butter and real vanilla extract whenever possible for the richest taste and remember to use parchment for easy clean up and even baking
Instructions
- Prepare Your Workspace:
- Make sure your counter is clean and clear Gather quality butter eggs and flavorings at room temperature to ensure smooth doughs Have several baking sheets ready lined with parchment so you can easily swap batches in and out of the oven
- Mix and Chill Your Doughs:
- Follow each recipe for the specific mixing method For sugar cookies and spritz chilling the dough is key for easy rolling and crisp shapes With thumbprint or peanut blossom doughs resting the dough lets the fats solidify for better structure
- Shape and Decorate:
- Work with one dough at a time For cut-outs roll to an even thickness about one quarter inch For spritz press dough directly onto cool sheets For thumbprints use a rounded spoon or your knuckle to gently shape the indent Add jams candies or sprinkles before baking so they set into the cookies
- Bake With Care:
- Preheat your oven fully and use an oven thermometer for accuracy Bake cookies in the center of the oven until just set at the edges For sugar cookies and peppermint snowballs look for a pale golden edge Thumbprints are done when the jam bubbles lightly Reindeer bars and bars in general should be cool before cutting
- Cool and Finish:
- Let your cookies cool a few minutes on the pan before moving to racks Decorate Oreos and bar cookies last so your workspace stays tidy For dipped Oreos melt chocolate until smooth then dunk halfway and top with sprinkles let them set on wax paper
- Assemble and Store:
- Once all your cookies are baked and cooled arrange them in festive tins or on platters Separate strong mint flavors and soft cookies with parchment between layers for freshness
When I make peanut butter blossoms that chocolate and peanut butter combo is the first to disappear from the tin In our family it is almost not Christmas without thumbprint cookies filled with my mom’s homemade raspberry jam I love seeing which new cookie becomes a favorite each year
Storage Tips
Keep each variety in a separate airtight container at cool room temperature Most cookies stay fresh for up to five days Soft cookies like bars do best with parchment between layers If you want to keep them longer freeze layers of baked cookies between sheets of wax paper in a sturdy container
Ingredient Substitutions
You can swap almond extract for vanilla in sugar cookies to add a richer note Margarine works in a pinch for butter cookies but the flavor will be less full Use gluten free flour blends for sugar or spritz cookies and substitute seed butter for peanut butter if allergies are a concern For snowball cookies finely chopped pecans or walnuts work equally well
Serving Suggestions
Arrange cookies in color coordinated circles or shapes on a large platter for the table Stack bars and sprinkle bites in festive cupcake liners for easier serving For parties offer small mugs of hot cocoa or mulled cider as a warming side
Cultural and Historical Context
Christmas cookies come from many traditions Spritz and snowball cookies have European roots sugar cookies are classic American and thumbprints trace to Swedish traditions Sharing a platter brings a bit of each story to the table and creates new memories with each batch
Seasonal Adaptations
Swap jams for citrus marmalade in thumbprints in January Make grinch cookies at St Patrick’s Day by using shamrock cutters Switch out peppermint chips for toffee bits if you want a warmer winter flavor In our kitchen every cookie has a season and a memory attached
Success Stories
Years of cookie trays have taught me that a few pretty sprinkles and the right mix of flavors make the biggest impact One cookie swap I sent a box to a neighbor and she called just to say the reindeer bars made her kids squeal with joy Never underestimate the power of homemade treats
Freezer Meal Conversion
Almost every cookie in this lineup freezes well Lay baked and cooled cookies in a single layer freeze until solid then stack in containers with parchment You can freeze raw dough logs or rolled balls for later baking too Peanut butter blossoms and snowball doughs bake beautifully from frozen just add an extra minute to the bake time
Pick two or three recipes from this mix and start your own holiday baking tradition. The memories made sharing cookies are even sweeter than the treats themselves.
Recipe FAQs
- → What makes holiday sugar cookies so soft?
Chilling the dough, balancing butter and sugar, and not overbaking ensure soft, tender sugar cookies every time.
- → How can I add bright colors to Christmas cookies?
Use food-safe gel coloring for icings and doughs, and decorate with festive sprinkles or sanding sugars.
- → What tips help snowball cookies stay buttery?
Use real butter, chill the dough, and roll the cookies in powdered sugar while still slightly warm.
- → How do I keep peppermint flavor balanced?
Add peppermint extract sparingly and complement with chocolate or vanilla for a well-rounded taste.
- → Can I make classic cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! Bake in advance and store in airtight containers; most cookies freeze well for weeks.
- → What’s an easy, festive last-minute treat?
Dipped Oreos decorated with holiday colors offer a cheerful, simple option that comes together quickly.