‘Tis the season for Christmas cookies, sweet and spicy scented Pizzelles smiling back at us, buttery melt in your mouth shortbread cookies and holiday cookie decorating parties!
Christmas cookies are a wonderful way to share your own Christmas traditions with friends and family throughout the holiday season. From cookie platters at your holiday parties to getting together to virtual cookie parties , Christmas cookies are loved by everyone!How to Make Christmas Cookies
When making Christmas cookies, you’ll want to ensure you follow the recipe closely, especially the first time you make a new cookie!
- Ingredient Temperature: Ensure ingredients (such as butter and eggs) are at room temperature unless otherwise directed in the recipe.
- Butter: Use real butter as margarine or other substitutes may not produce the same results.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Be sure to measure your flour by spooning the flour into the measuring cup. Scooping flour out of the bag (or container) with a measuring cup packs the flour into the cup. This can cause you to have too much flour and affect the consistency of your Christmas cookies.
- Chill Time: Read through the directions since many Christmas cookies require chilling time to get the right consistency of dough.
- Bake Time: Always check cookies at the lowest end of the bake time suggested in the recipe.
Freezing Christmas Cookies
Most cookies, including Christmas Cookies, can be made months ahead of time and frozen. The great thing is that cookies can be frozen before or after baking meaning that you can do your holiday baking in advance.
I would recommend decorating cookies after defrosting as condensation can ruin the cookies.
If you are freezing cookie dough, I would recommend freezing in smaller portions to help defrost quickly. To defrost, refrigerate dough overnight.
Here are my top favorite cookies for Christmas.
COFFEE CASHEW SHORTBREAD WITH COFFEE CHOCOLATE CREAM
Eating these coffee cashew shortbread/cookies with coffee chocolate cream, is like having a cup of nutty, delicious coffee
CLASSIC SPRITZ COOKIES
These tender butter classic spritz cookies are so easy, and melt in your mouth delicious. The dough is easy to work with, so it’s fun to make these into a variety of festive shapes.
STUFFED SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH WALNUT-FIG-COCOA HALWA/ KOLOOCHE
These Persian inspired cookies are easy, delicious with an eye pleasing design. The stuffing is nutty, fruity and not too sweet at all. It reminds me of an sweet Indian deep fried samosa that we make. Here, I’ve used chocolate nutty stuffing and a pure walnut fig stuffing. You can add coconut or slightly fried semolina with the nuts. Making the pretty designs are are quite the simplest. If you have a mold/cookie press, great. I used the mooncake mold from Amazon . If not, you could use a water glass, wine glass with a designed bottom, or a fork or a tong like I’ve used.
CASHEW LINZER -SANDWICH COOKIES
Tis the season of love. Linzer cookies are a Christmas must, and if it cashew cookies, even better. So get these on your list for that special someone – or for yourself (because when we make cookies for someone, aren’t we making them just as much for ourselves anyway? :))
OVER THE TOP TOASTED CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT S’MORES BARS
Buttery and gooey with the chocolatey nutty marshmallow goodness. This toasted chocolate hazelnut s’mores bars will be gone before you know it. It will be a summer staple once you make it.
PECAN COCONUT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
These pecan coconut chocolate pie cookies are inspired by the famous pecan pie, and they are oh so good.These are seriously addictive, I’ve warned you. They have a lovely shortbread crust, with a chewy coconut and chocolate topping, and a nutty bite from the pecans. So simple and delicious.
HONEY WALNUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES
These Honey Walnut Shortbread Cookies are deliciously crisp and buttery in a classic way, and are especially wonderful for Christmas and holiday baking! I consider them a luxury of cookies, and added bonus with the honey. The dough is easy to make using five simple ingredients.
WALNUT CHOCOLATE PINWHEEL COOKIE
Walnut chocolate cookie recipe is the best for your upcoming winter parties. This Walnut Chocolate Pinwheel Cookie recipe is well loved. Make it for your next cookie exchange or for your holiday place and I promise, it’s going to be a hit.
KA’AK-SESAME FENNEL COOKIES
Ka’ak. If you have not heard of them, it’s fine, I did not either until my neighbor dropped off some of them to me. It is a crunchy, bold-flavored wreath-like cookies. They are crunchy and definitely not your traditional cookie. They’ve got an appeal that deserves attention. They don’t require special equipment or special attention. They travel well, keep well, and are amazing when you dunk them in your cup of chai in the evenings.
AMARETTI COOKIES
Amaretti morbidi is what they’re known in Italy, morbidi meaning ‘soft’ in Italian (not morbid, I promise these are anything but). They’re naturally gluten-free, made with little more than almond flour, sugar and egg white with a splash of almond extract to amp up the almond flavor. Amaretti cookies are quite unlike their crispy and sugary and so good. With a chewy exterior and a soft, marzipan-like middle, they’re a treat for almond lovers everywhere.
PIZZELLE – BROWN BUTTER – ALMOND PIZZELLE
An easy Pizzelle recipe for the classic Italian cookie. Lightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla or anise, they are perfect for holiday gift-giving! These days, buttery, crispy, and perfectly-sweetened Pizzelle are easier than ever to make.
COCONUT CARDAMOM COOKIES/BISCUITS
The sweet smell of coconut and cardamom Indian bakery cookies are clearly the star of this, and screams exotic and Indian. The rusticness of the cookie, the smells that go around the kitchen transferring throughout the home, just brings back fond memories from back home. Goes in the oven, and magically transforms to these crispy goodness.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
If you try any cookie from my 12 Best Christmas Cookies post, make sure to rate the recipe and tag me social media at #foodfashionparty.
*Please do tag me on Instagram @foodfashionparty if you make this, using the hashtag #foodfashionparty. Check out my book MASALA AND MEATBALLS.
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