Our Favorite Holiday Cookies
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There’s just something about the holiday season and the cold winter months that scream ‘let’s get baking’! In our household, there are a particular 3 types of cookies that must be made every year; and I wanted to share the recipes & fun of our top 3 Christmas Cookies!
I also just wanted to note I am an avid baker - and these are definitely not the only Christmas Cookies we make!
These are just the top three that we’re sure to make every single year.
Number One: My Favorite - Mrs. Kathy Cookies.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Sarah. What on earth are Mrs. Kathy Cookies?! Well, these are sort of non-traditional cookies, as they were invented by my neighbor when we lived in North Carolina - Mrs. Kathy. If y’all saw on my instagram stories, I recently walked you through how to make these! They’re so delicious and easy to make!
Ingredients:
1c brown sugar
1c butter (softened)
1t vanilla or honey
1 egg yolk
2c flour
1/4 t salt
bars of chocolate or chocolate chips
Instructions:
Cream together butter & sugar. Then mix in vanilla & egg yolk. Gently fold in the flour and salt! Evenly spread the dough into a 9x13 pan, then bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.
Immediately upon taking out of the oven, spread the chocolate over the top of the dough. Allow chocolate to slightly melt, and spread it evenly upon the top so you have a nice layer of chocolate! I like to use a mix of dark and semi sweet chocolate.
Allow to cool completely, then cut into squares or rectangles. Store in an air tight container. We like to keep ours in the fridge!
Number Two: John’s Favorite - The Thin & Crispy Snickerdoodle
I have to admit here, these are a little hard for me to make. As someone who prefers gooey and soft cookies, I have to go against my baking instincts to make these just how John likes them!
Ingredients:
2 & 3/4c flour
3/4c granulated sugar
1c butter
2t cream of tartar
1t baking soda
1 & 1/2c sugar
2 large eggs
2+T cinnamon & 1/4c sugar for rolling
Instructions:
Cream together butter & sugar. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4c sugar & 2T cinnamon.
Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, form balls from the dough and roll in cinnamon sugar.
Place 2 in apart from each other on baking sheets.
Bake at 400 F until cookies are set in the center and begin to crack (10-15 minutes). Let cool & store in an airtight container.
Number Three: The Classic - Gingerbread Men!
I absolutely love decorating cookies, and gingerbread people & sugar cookies lend to the most decorations! Plus, Gingerbread is such a delicious holiday flavor, it had to be included.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies
3c flour
2t ginger
1t cinnamon
1/4t nutmeg
1/4t cloves
3/4t baking soda
1/4t salt
1/2c (1 stick) butter
1/3c brown sugar
1 egg
1t vanilla
2/3c molasses
Royal Icing
2 egg whites
1t lemon juice
3-4c powdered sugar
Buttercream Icing
1/2c butter softened
2c powdered sugar
1t vanilla or almond extract
1-2T milk or cream
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookies
Cream butter & sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and molasses. Gently add in dry ingredients. Chill the dough for at the very least an hour (you can go up to overnight!)
Flour your surface & rolling pan and roll out the dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes and transfer to baking sheet.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes and let cool before decorating!
Royal Icing
Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the lemon juice & powdered sugar and beat together for a full five minutes.
Transfer to a piping bag & decorate the cookies.
Buttercream Icing
Beat the butter until smooth & creamy. Add extract and sugar 1/2c at a time. Mix in the milk/cream until desired consistency is reached. And transfer to a piping bag and decorate (or frost with a knife).
And there you have it! Our favorite three Christmas Cookies. I hope y’all enjoy making them as much as I did- and definitely share those pictures with me.
xoxo, Sarah
