I have cookies and entertaining on my mind this week! I’m gearing up for hosting our 9th annual neighborhood Christmas cookie party, and I’m excited.
Since my kids were little, some of my neighborhood friends and I have had a tradition of baking throughout an early December Saturday, then having our kids distribute the baked goods to neighbors the next morning.
The year 2010 when my older (2nd from left) was 6 and my younger (right) was 5!
It’s been the perfect theme for a Holiday tradition to bond with neighbors and to teach our kids the spirit of giving. There may be neighbors you rarely ever see due to differing schedules. Or maybe they’re just never outside. An opportunity to knock on their doors with a gesture of kindness is a great way to foster community,
Whether or not you plan a cookie baking day, you can make these easy Christmas cookies for your family, a holiday party or a cookie exchange. We’ve tested many Christmas cookie recipes over the years and these are among our favorites.
The following Christmas cookies are on our list for this year:
- Snickerdoodles
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Cranberry Oatmeal
- Spritz Butter
- Peppermint Brownies
- Chocolate Chip
- Strawberry Almond Shortbread
1. Snickerdoodles
source: bettycrocker.com
Ingredients
(makes 3 dozen)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs, and the vanilla.
- Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt.
- Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
- Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon.
- Roll balls of dough in mixture.
- Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard.
- Remove immediately from baking sheets.
2. Peanut Butter Blossoms
source: bettycrocker.com
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Additional granulated sugar
- About 36 Hershey’s® Kisses® unwrapped
(makes 3 dozen)
Directions
- Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with a spoon, until well blended.
- Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder until dough forms.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in additional granulated sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
- Immediately press 1 milk chocolate candy in center of each cookie.
- Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.
3. Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
(Source: Quaker Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin)
source: Janiece Cotrell
Ingredients
- 1⁄2cup (1 stick) plus 6tbsp. butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1⁄2cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄2teaspoon salt
- 3 cups Quaker oats, uncooked
- 1 cup cranberries
Directions
(Makes about four dozen)
4. Spritz Butter Cookies
(www. bettycrocker.com)
source: pillsbury.com
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla
Directions
- Heat oven to 400ºF.
- Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
- Stir in flour, salt, egg, almond extract and a few drops of food color.
- Place dough in cookie press.
- Form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with colored sugar.
- Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
5. Peppermint Brownies
(source: www.joyfulhealthyeats.com)
source: foodandwine.com
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease an 8×8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Then line the bottom with parchment paper and up the sides for easy removal after baking.
- In a small bowl, add chocolate chips and butter. Melt chocolate in the microwave, heating in 30-second shifts and stirring until chocolate is smooth and completely melted.
- Pour chocolate into a large bowl and let rest for 5 minutes.
- To the chocolate bowl whisk in eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the sugar.
- Next add vanilla extra, cocoa powder, white whole wheat flour, ground cinnamon, sea salt, and half the candy cane mixture. Whisk everything together until combined.
- To the prepared baking dish, add the brownie mix.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for a10-15 minutes, top with remaining crushed candy canes.
6. Chocolate Chip
source: crisco.com
(Source www.crisco.com then modified)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar (slip 1 cup brown and 1/4 white to get lighter cookie taste)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2 cupsAll Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
Directions
- Heat oven to 375ºF.BEAT shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended.
- Beat in egg.
- Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended.
- Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
- Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto baking sheet.
- Bake 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies.
- Cool 2 minutes.
- Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
7. Strawberry Almond Shortbread
You can find this delicious recipe on my Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies post but substitute the raspberry jam for with strawberry jam.
So what do you think? Wouldn’t this be a fun tradition to start in YOUR neighborhood? Spread joy. Spread kindness! Plan a Christmas cookie party! Happy start of the Holidays, guys!
Thank you for this great post. Your ketchup recipe is a staple in my kitchen! I just made another batch yesterday 🙂