To be truthful, I actually love a lot of the cookies I created. Over the many years of writing food stories and cookbooks, I developed hundreds of recipes and tested multiple times to get each one, as Goldilocks said, “just right.” I wanted readers to always be completely happy with the taste, texture, appearance of any cookie of mine they made. (Several of my cookie cookbooks have won national awards, so I feel I’ve succeeded.)
Now, I have fun just selecting a recipe from my collection and knowing it’s going to deliver lip-smacking satisfaction. Here are several of my favorite holiday cookie recipes.
ALL-PURPOSE SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH
This dough is easy to make and roll out, especially since the unusual rolling method I provide prevents any chance of over flouring or over-working the dough. Of course just by switching up your cutters, you can prepare autumn leaves shown above, or the cute Christmas snowmen pictured here.
Most important, the cookies always come out tasting good.
- 3 cups all-purpose white flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- Scant 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon whole or low-fat milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract or ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
- Assorted jimmies, colored sugar or sprinkles, optional
- In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixer bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla, and lemon extract (if using) until very well blended and smooth. Gradually beat or stir flour mixture into butter mixture to form a smooth, slightly stiff dough. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Divide dough in half. Place each portion between large sheets of wax paper or parchment. Roll out each portion a scant ¼-inch thick; check underside of dough and smooth out any wrinkles that form. Stack rolled portions (paper still attached) on a baking sheet. Refrigerate about 45 minutes or until cold and firm. (Or freeze for about 25 minutes to speed up chilling.)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease several large baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray. Working with one portion at a time and leaving remainder chilled, gently peel away, then pat one sheet of paper back into place. (This will make it easier to lift cookies from the paper later.) Peel off and discard second layer. Using assorted 2 ½-inch to 3-inch cutters (or as desired), cut out cookies. (If at any point the dough softens too much to handle easily, transfer the paper and cookies to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm again.)
- Using a spatula, carefully transfer cookies from wax paper, spacing about 1¼ inches apart on baking sheets. Re-roll any dough scraps. Continue cutting out cookies until all dough is used; if dough become too warm, refrigerate it briefly before continuing. If planning to hang up the cookies, form generous holes with a toothpick or point of a small knife. Then place short lengths of toothpicks or spaghetti in the holes to prevent them from closing during baking. Sprinkle cookies with colored sugar, sprinkles, patting down lightly, if desired.
- Bake one pan at a time in upper third of oven 8 to 11 minutes or until cookies are lightly colored on top and slightly darker at edges. Turn around pan about halfway through baking if necessary to ensure even browning. Transfer pan to a cooling rack; let cookies firm up a minute or two. If toothpicks or spaghetti pieces were inserted to form hanging holes, carefully remove them now. Then, using a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks and let cool thoroughly. Decorate previously undecorated cookies with icing, or glaze, if desired.
- Store airtight for up to 2 weeks or freeze, airtight, for up to 2 months. Makes about 30 to 35 2¾- to 3¼-inch cookies (depending on the cutters used).
- See tips on decorating cookies by marbling (shown on the stocking, tree and star cookies), plus links to decorating and cutting out cookie how-to videos here.
Or perhaps you’re interested in making stained glass cookies .
MAPLE SUGAR-PECAN COOKIES
Rich with maple sugar and pecan flavor, and prefect for any holiday occasion. Be sure to use only real maple syrup and maple sugar. (It’s available on-line from maple purveyors and in some gourmet shops.)
- 1½ cups all-purpose unsifted unbleached white flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granular pure maple sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans, preferably lightly toasted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Quick Maple Leaf Cookie Drizzle
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- Generous ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted after measuring if lumpy
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably deep amber colored), plus more as needed
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. If the maple sugar is coarse-grained, grind it in a food processor until the consistency of granulated sugar. In a mixer bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, maple sugar, and sugar until well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended and smooth. Gradually beat or stir flour mixture and pecans into butter mixture to form a smooth, slightly soft dough. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Divide dough in half. Place each portion between large sheets of wax paper or parchment. Roll out each portion ¼-inch thick; check underside of dough and smooth out any wrinkles that form. Stack rolled portions (paper still attached) on a baking sheet. Refrigerate about 25 minutes or until cool and firm. (Or freeze for about 15 minutes to speed up chilling.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease several large baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray. Working with one portion at a time and leaving remainder chilled, gently peel away, then pat one sheet of paper back into place. (This will make it easier to lift cookies from the paper later.) Peel off and discard second layer. Using assorted 2-inch to 3-inch maple leaf shaped cutters (or as desired), cut out cookies. If at any point the dough softens too much to handle easily, transfer the paper and cookies to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm again.
- Using a spatula, carefully transfer cookies from wax paper, spacing about 11/4 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Re-roll any dough scraps. Continue cutting out cookies until all dough is used; if dough become too warm, refrigerate it briefly before continuing.
- Bake one pan at a time in upper third of oven 6 to 11 minutes or until cookies are lightly colored on top and slightly darker at edges. Turn around pans about halfway through baking if necessary to ensure even browning. Transfer pan to a cooling rack; let cookies firm up a minute or two. Using a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks and let cool thoroughly. Decorate cookies with drizzled or piped icing, as directed in icing recipe below, if desired.
- Store airtight for up to 2 weeks in a cool spot or freeze, airtight, for up to 2 months. Makes about 30 to 35 2- to 3-inch cookies (depends on the cutters used).
- For the Icing:
- In a small, deep, microwave safe bowl melt the butter until almost hot. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla, stirring until well blended. If needed, thoroughly stir in more maple syrup to thin out the icing for drizzling or piping.
- To decorate with an accent drizzle as shown, spoon the mixture into a snack-size baggie. Tightly seal the bag, then force the glaze into a bottom corner.
- Line up the cookies, spacing slightly apart, on a rack set over wax paper. Snip off the tip of the corner, and pipe out thin, back and forth random icing lines over the cookies. Alternatively, put the icing in a pastry bag fitted with a fine writing piping tip. Pipe lines of icing on the cookies to suggest maple leaf veins; use a real leaf for inspiration.
- Let the cookies stand until the drizzle completely sets, at least 2 hours. Pack air tight with wax paper between the cookie layers. Yields enough icing to decorates about 35 2- to 3-inch maple leaf sugar cookies.
CRANBERRY-WHITE CHOCOLATE DROP COOKIES
Be sure to add the fresh cranberries to this recipe. They add a zing that not only contrasts the white chocolate nicely but provides bright color. And they help keep the cookies moist. These cookies are perfect for any fall menu, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmastime. Actually, they are so popular at my house, I keep some fresh frozen cranberries in the freezer and make them all winter long.
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose white flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons finely grated orange zest (colored part of the skin)
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) each chopped pecans
- and dried sweetened cranberries
- 1¼ cups (7 ½ ounces) white chocolate morsels
- ½ cup chopped fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries
- Icing (Optional)
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease several baking sheets, or coat with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixer bowl with the mixer on medium speed, beat butter until lightened. Add brown sugar and orange zest. Continue beating until well blended. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until very light and fluffy, about 1 ½ minutes longer.
- Beat or stir flour mixture into butter mixture until smoothly incorporated. Add pecans, dried cranberries, white chocolate morsels, and chopped fresh cranberries, stirring until evenly distributed throughout. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls, spacing about 2 ½ inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies, one pan at a time, in the middle third of oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly tinged with brown all over and just firm when pressed in the center; turn the pan around half way through baking to ensure even baking. Let cookies stand on the sheet briefly to firm up slightly. Using a wide spatula, carefully transfer cookies to racks set over sheets of wax paper (the cookies will still be tender).
- For icing: Stir together powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and enough water to yield a slightly runny icing. Using a spoon (or a piping tip) immediately drizzle the icing back and forth over cookies until lightly decorated. Let stand until they are thoroughly cooled and the icing sets, at least an hour. Pack airtight and store for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to a month.
- Makes about 35 to 40 2 ½-inch cookies.
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Thanks so much. That book was great fun to research, test recipes for, and write. I am grateful so many people have enjoyed it.
Love your All-American Cookie Book! Using it today to get ideas for holiday cookies!