Christmas Cookies

When you think of holiday desserts, you think of candies and pies, and most of all, cookies, right?  I do.  My sister-in-law and I get together before Thanksgiving every year, and make lots and lots of holiday desserts, and freeze them.  We generally make pumpkin roll, graham cracker pudding (an usual but delicious family recipe that bears absolutely no resemblance to pudding at all), toffee, some kind of candy, and 3 or 4 different kinds of cookies.  It’s a marathon, but the goodies last through the holidays and often well into January!

Here are some of my holiday cookie favorites:

Soft Sugar Cookies

Soft Christmas Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

We always make a big double batch of these, with different Christmas cookie cutters for variety.  Our daughters frequently want to help with this part!  The frosting is made with cream cheese and is so decadent!  These also freeze really well, and will still be soft once they thaw.  My husband prefers to eat them frozen though.  It is definitely not Christmas without Sugar Cookies.

Chocolate Crinkles

Simply Perfect Chocolate Crinkles

I don’t know why this particular cookie is associated with Christmas, for me.  It doesn’t really seem that Christmas-y, actually.  I guess it’s just that we have made them for Christmas several times.  Growing up, my family mostly made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies during the year, which is still one of my favorite cookies ever, but we made Chocolate Crinkles almost never.  This cookie is just perfect… chocolatey, but not too rich, a dusting of powdered sugar instead of frosting, and that cool black-and-white look.  It’s simplicity cannot be beat.

Chocolate Gingersnaps

Slightly Chocolately Soft Chocolate Gingersnaps

These recipe is a more recent find, but it is far and away my favorite ginger cookie.  Gingersnaps are so perfect for the holidays, right?  I love these because they are soft and chewy, unlike the normal gingersnap.  They have just a little chocolate, and are dotted with these beautiful and sweet pieces of crystallized ginger.  They are a bit unusual for that, but in a good way!  This is a holiday favorite everyone will love!

Brown Sugar Cookies

Rich and Carmely Brown Sugar Cookies

These are extremely recent… my last post, in fact.  They are so delicious!  They are definitely going on the holiday dessert plate this year.  That lovely, carmely butter-and-brown-sugar flavor reminds me of my husband’s Christmas Caramels.  They are rich and fantastic, and even I might pour a glass of milk to enjoy with these.  (I really dislike milk.)

I will mention here that I plan to post a couple more holiday-appropriate cookies in the coming weeks before the year ends, so keep your eyes open!