Posted: December 11, 2023
Savor the delightful holiday cookie recipes generously shared by renowned chefs we’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with over the years. Each recipe captures the essence of the season and is guaranteed to bring joy to your loved ones.
Vanilla Orange Cranberry Cookies
These cookies boast an exceptional flavor profile of vibrant orange and cranberry, enhanced by a touch of fragrant vanilla. Enjoy these cranberry orange cookies as a delightful treat year-round.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Grated peel of 1 medium to large orange
- 1 teaspoon of real vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dried cranberries; or a mixture of dried cranberries and toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line them with parchment.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, orange peel, vanilla, baking powder and salt.
- Beat in the egg. The mixture may look slightly curdled; that’s ok.
- Add the flour and dried cranberries (or cranberries and nuts), stirring until well combined.
- Drop the dough by heaping spoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2″ between them. A level teaspooon cookie scoop works very well here; dough balls will be about 1 1/4″ in diameter. Using the flat bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, flatten the cookies slightly, to a scant 1/2″ thick.
- Bake the cookies for 6 to 7 minutes, until they’re barely set, and a light golden brown around the edges. Don’t over-bake; if you do, the cookies will be hard, not soft and chewy. Gently lift one of the cookies and look at the bottom; if you’ve used parchment, it shouldn’t be brown. If you’re baking on a dark cookie sheet without parchment, it should be light (not dark) brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool them right on the pan. If you need a pan to bake the remainder of the cookies, give the cookies about 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
Notes:
- For chocolate lovers, substitute 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips for cranberries.
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
You can’t miss with this timeless holiday favorite recipe. It’s certainly one you’ll find yourself baking throughout the year.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter
- 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt (rounded)
- 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Assemble all ingredients into a bowl
- Portion 1 1/2 oz scoops onto a parchment lined baking sheet
- Bake for 9 – 11 minutes or spread in a 9″ x 13″ for 22 – 25 minutes.
Peppermint Bark Sugar Cookies
Add a festive touch to the traditional sugar cookie by sprinkling crushed candy canes on top, or unleash your creativity by incorporating your favorite snacks in place of the suggested ones to make it uniquely yours.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of your mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth, at least 3 minutes.
- Beat in extracts and egg.
- In a separate bowl combine baking powder with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff. If it becomes too stiff for your mixer turn out the dough onto a countertop surface. Wet your hands and finish off kneading the dough by hand.
- DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH. Divide into workable batches, roll out onto a floured surface and cut. You want these cookies to be on the thicker side (closer to 1/4 inch rather than 1/8 inch).
- Bake at 350° for 6 – 8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, melt 3 cups of dark chocolate chips and 2 cups of white chocolate chips in microwave safe bowls.
- Next, crush 10 peppermint candy canes in a large Ziploc bag
- Once sugar cookies are cool, place cookies, one at a time, face down into the melted dark chocolate, drizzle white chocolate over each cookie – either with a piping bag or fork.
- Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and your cookies are ready to serve!
Notes:
- If you must chill the dough just leave it on the countertop for 10 minutes before rolling or work the dough with your hands for a few minutes.
- Bake for 6 minutes to test. They should be soft. Leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cool completely. If you reach 7 – 8 minutes and the edges turn brown your cookie with be crisper.
