Baker's Dozen
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Baker’s Dozen 13 Cheery Christmas Cookie Recipes Melissa Griffiths Baker’s Dozen – 13 Cheery Christmas Cookie Recipes Introduction The BEST Soft Gingerbread Cookies Easy Coconut Macaroons (3 ways) Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies Christmas Magic Cookie Bars 1 Dough = 4 Different Christmas Cookies! No Bake Fluffernutter Cookies Raspberry Streusel Bars Chocolate Shortbread Maple Sugar Cookies White Chocolate Ginger Cookies Mint Chocolate Dipped Cookies Homemade Oreos with Candy Cane Cream Centers Shortbread Jam Thumbprint Cookies Tips and Tricks for Shipping/Sharing Cookies Free Printable Tags About the Author It’s the most wonderful season of all… cookie season! I love making cookies all year long but there’s a special place in my heart for Christmas cookie baking. I’m so excited to share with you 13 of my favorite cookie recipes that are perfect for all of your holiday baking needs. It’s More Than Just Making Cookies Baking is an activity to do with your kids when the snow is high in the yard. It’s a way to make memories with your grandchildren. Making cookies is a traditional way to say you are thinking of someone. These recipes are perfect to make with your loved ones, take to a party to share with friends, or even send in the mail to those you are thinking of but too far away to visit in person. Have you ever gotten a homemade gift in the mail? It’s magical! Cookies are the perfect way to let some- one know you are thinking of them. I have collected a baker’s dozen (13) of my favorite holiday cookie recipes, just for you. They are all in one place, easy to print, and perfect for your holiday needs. Enjoy these recipes and baking with your loved ones this special time of year. 1 The BEST Soft Gingerbread Cookies I’m not holding back. This is probably my all-time favorite Christmas cookie and I wanted it very first in this book. The gingerbread cookies are soft, hold their shape, and have just the right amount of spice. I’ll be the first to admit that before this recipe, gingerbread wasn’t my favorite. My opinion has changed! This is the best gingerbread cookie recipe out there and one that I make over and over again. 1 cup butter, at room temperature Cream butter, adding sugar gradually. Beat until well combined and light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 1 cup granulated white sugar 1 egg Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar. 1 cup dark molasses Sift all of the dry ingredients together and then blend sifted dry ingredients into the wet 2 tablespoons white vinegar ingredients. 5 cups flour Divide the dough into two even pieces, wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 90 minutes. 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt When the dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working in sections, roll the dough to 1/2″ thick on a floured surface; cut into desired shapes. Place shapes on a 2 teaspoons ground ginger baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Gather and reroll “scraps” of 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon dough as needed, using all of the dough. 1 teaspoon ground cloves Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, and then move to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Decorate cooled cookies with royal or buttercream icing, or eat them as they are. The baked cookies freeze very well. Just bake and cool (but do not add icing), store in a freezer bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 6 weeks. You can pull the cookies out as needed when guests show up, or thaw the whole batch for decorating all at once. I froze bags and bags of these to prep for my neighbor goodie plates, and loved having the baking done ahead of time. Easy Coconut Macaroons (3 Ways) I love a spoon and drop kind of cookie! These are great cookies to have the kids help with because they are really simple to make. I love that you get three kinds of cookies from one recipe. I normally divide the cookies into thirds and make all three kinds at Christmas. Your goodie plate gets lots of variety without extra effort on your part. 2/3 cup flour Optional: 5 ½ cups flaked sweetened 1 cup chocolate chips for coconut (about 1 large melting + 1 teaspoon butter package) or shortening ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups mini chocolate chips 1 can sweetened condensed whole almonds milk (14 oz.) 2 teaspoons vanilla Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together flour, coconut and salt. Stir in 2 sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto cookie sheets. The size of the cookie can vary, though 2 tablespoons of dough makes a great sized cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes until coconut is toasted. Variations: - Chocolate Dipped: Heat chocolate chips and butter or shortening until melted and then dip the bottom of cookies in to the chocolate. Let dry before enjoying. - Add mini chocolate chips to dough before baking and bake as directed. - Add an almond to the center of each of the cookies before baking and then dip the bottoms in chocolate to make almond joy cookies. Making these with traditional shredded sweetened coconut from the store is great and classic. I have used unsweetened coconut also. The results are just what you would expect – less sweet and more of a coconut taste. Both kinds of coconut are great options, so use what you like best. Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies A cookie classic all dressed up for the holidays! I love a peanut butter cookie (and this recipe is extra chewy and delicious), and when you dip half of it in chocolate and add some festive sprinkles, you are really onto something. 3 The chocolate dipping and sprinkle sprinkling were the parts my kids liked helping with the most. 1 cup butter, at room temperature In a large bowl, beat the butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and the granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 3/4 cup firmly packed brown the egg, egg yolk, and peanut butter. sugar 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Add the salt, flour and baking soda to the peanut butter mixture. Stir until well combined. granulated sugar, divided 1 cup peanut butter Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl. Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball and then roll it in the granulated sugar. 1 whole egg Place the dough ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a baking mat and SLIGHTLY compress with fork. 1 egg yolk 3/4 teaspoon salt Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack. 3 cups flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda When the cookies are cooled, melt the chocolate chips and oil together in 1 cup chocolate chips a small bowl. Dip half the cookie in the chocolate, place on a lined baking sheet (waxed paper works great), and sprinkle with festive sprinkles. Let 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or the chocolate set before serving or storing. coconut oil Christmas sprinkles You don’t have to dip half the cookie in melted chocolate. You can also just drizzle a little over the top. Both are pretty. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate: dark, semi- sweet, or milk chocolate all work great. Christmas Magic Cookie Bars When it comes to treats to share, I’m all about something that’s easy to put together with ingredients I have on hand. Christmas Magic Cookie Bars are just the kind of thing I’m talking about. You dump all the ingredients into a baking pan and walk away. These simple treats are extra addictive though, and just the kind of thing you’ll want to take somewhere so you aren’t tempted to eat the whole pan yourself. ½ cup butter, melted 1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 cup chocolate chips 1 ½ cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped pecans ½ cup chocolate candy pieces Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the melted butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the butter. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Add chocolate chips and then top evenly with remaining ingredients. Press down gently. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Store loosely covered at room temperature. This recipe is so very adaptable. No pecans? Try chopped almonds or leave them out all together. You can change up the candy to match any holiday or use something like toffee pieces or butterscotch chips in their place. That’s part of the “magic” of this recipe. 4 5 1 Dough = 4 Different Christmas Cookies! This is one recipe that you can make into FOUR different kinds of cookies. With a few simple variations, you can have an array of cookies to take to a party or to drop off to your neighbors with no extra effort on your part. You are going to love this recipe! You can make just one kind of cookie at a time or you can make all four at once! It’s up to you! Base Recipe: Base Recipe: 2/3 cup butter In a large bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined, about 3 minutes.