Christmas Cookies

As the holiday season approaches, there’s one delightful tradition that brings warmth and joy to many homes: baking Christmas cookies. The aroma of freshly baked treats fills the air, and the sound of laughter and camaraderie fills the kitchen. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a novice in the kitchen, Christmas cookies are a delightful and heartwarming way to spread love and cheer during this festive time of the year.

Easy sugar cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Cinnamon walnut rugelach

CREAM:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted

butter, room temperature

1 package (8 oz.) cream

cheese, room temperature

1 t. lemon zest, finely minced

SIFT; ADD TO CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 t. table salt

Rugelach:

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

3/4 cup sugar mixed with

1 T. ground cinnamon and

a pinch of table salt

3 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 egg + 1 t. water, blended

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Cream butter, cheese, and zest with a mixer on medium speed. Sift dry ingredients and add; blend just until incorporated (use a wooden spoon if hard to mix).

Shape dough into a thick log and divide into three 8-oz. portions. Wrap each piece in plastic and flatten into a disk. Chill dough overnight before using.

Preheat oven to 350°; line baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare (but keep separate) walnuts, cinnamon-sugar, melted butter, egg-water wash, and sprinkling sugar.

Lightly dust work surface with flour. Flatten a chilled dough disk lightly with rolling pin, then roll it into a 12″ circle, 1/8″ thick. Flip dough often to prevent sticking.

Now, ragged edges are normal. If there are big gaps in the dough, just trim off a little dough from another area (any place it goes over 12″) and patch it in.

Lightly brush the dough with melted butter; sprinkle 1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar over the entire surface. Then sprinkle 1/3 cup chopped walnuts on the sugar.

With the rolling pin, gently press the nuts into the dough all the way across the circle—this will help keep the nuts in place when you roll up the cookies.

Use a pizza wheel to cut 16 wedges—first cut the circle in half, then in half again to make quarters. Now cut each quarter in half, then again to make 16.

Starting at the wide end of a wedge, roll it to the center of the circle to make a crescent. Place on a prepared baking sheet, point down, spacing 1″ apart.

Gently brush cookies with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20–30 min., or until brown, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool rugelach on racks.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

WHISK:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. table salt

1/4 tsp. ground mace

CREAM:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (16 Tbsp.)

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 eggs, room temperature

COMBINE:

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground mace

Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and 1/4 tsp. mace in a bowl; set aside.

Cream butter and 11/4 cups sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, to creamed mixture; beat on medium speed until blended, 2–3 minutes.

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture; mix on low speed just until combined. Cover dough and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp. mace in a small bowl.

Shape dough into 11/2-inch balls. Roll balls in spiced sugar; transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing about 3-inches apart. Bake cookies until edges are lightly browned, 12–15 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Ginger cookies

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a bowl.
Cream margarine and remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in molasses and water. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture until well combined.
Use floured hands to shape dough into 24 walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in the reserved sugar until coated. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets, and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, switching racks halfway through.
Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.