Hi Friends, One of my favorite childhood memories is baking cookies to give to family and friends during the Christmas season. I wanted to share a few of my favorite cookie recipes with you. I hope you’ll put on your apron and try baking one of these recipes. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite Christmas cookie!
When the cookies are done and you’re ready to relax and enjoy one, pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa and settle in with a good book. May I suggest Moonlight Over Manhattan? It’s an inspirational contemporary romance with lots of heart and hope for the holiday season. You can read more about Moonlight Over Manhattan at this link and download your copy for only $3.99 at Amazon Kindle! Happy reading and baking! I hope you’ll enjoy a few cookies with me!
Gingersnap Cookies
Ginger Snap Cookies
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ teaspoon powdered ginger
1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¾ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup white sugar (to roll the cookies in before baking)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream brown sugar and butter. Add the egg and mix. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until thoroughly blended. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls. Roll each ball in sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until the cookies are rounded and slightly cracked. Makes five dozen cookies.
Cranberry Bliss Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract, store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
For The Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz.) bar cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted in the microwave or double-boiler
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract, store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups powdered sugar
For The Topping:
- 1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted in the microwave or double-boiler
Instructions
To Make The Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt until well-blended. Set aside.
- Using an an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating in between to incorporate. Add the vanilla, then reduce the speed to low, and slowly add in the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium, and continue beating until well-combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and cranberries, and mix until just-combined. (Do not overmix.)
- Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour. Then place dough by rounded tablespoon-fulls onto a baking sheet that has been prepared with parchment paper, at least 2.5-inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Remove pan, and transfer the cookies to a cooling rack until cool. Repeat with remaining dough until all cookies are baked. Wait until cookies reach room temperature before adding frosting and toppings.
To Make The Frosting:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese and melted white chocolate until combined. (**Be sure that your cream cheese REALLY is at room temperature before adding the white chocolate. Otherwise the chocolate could seize up.) Add in the vanilla and mix until combined. Then reduce speed to low and add the powdered sugar. Mix until incorporated. Then use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat once more for 1 minute on medium speed until the frosting is smooth. You can add more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cookies. Then immediately sprinkle the frosted cookies with the chopped dried cranberries. And use a fork to drizzle on the frosting, swishing it back and forth over the cookies.
Peppermint Melt Away Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup corn starch
Frosting:
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 Tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
Directions:
In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups white chocolate chips
Glaze:
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons, plus 1 ½ teaspoon shortening
Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, cranberry juice and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add this to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the cranberries and vanilla chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 10 – 12 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
For the glaze, microwave the vanilla chips and shortening at 70% power until melted. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.
Merry Christmas,
Carrie
Thank you, Carrie! These look delicious!
Those cranberry bliss cookies look so good! I made a similar bar recipe once, a knock off of Starbucks cranberry bliss bar, with candied ginger. Yum.