'Tis the Season (For Cookies)
Chocolate, peanut butter, sprinkles, and citrus.
It’s my favorite time of year to be an amateur baker! Feeling inspired by the finale of Bake Off and invigorated by the wave of new cookie recipes, it’s a great time to take advantage of cold, dark nights and cozy up with some cookies. Below you’ll find a list of some of my favorite cookie recipes from through the years, ALL of which I’ve tested, tried, and enjoyed. You’ll find chocolatey options, peanut buttery options, fruity options, and even gluten-free and vegan options, too! There’s hopefully something for everyone on this list of recipes, and if there’s not, I hope you will pass along your favorite recipes to ME! I would love to hear what your favorites are, too, so I can add them to my list of cookies to try.
Chocolate Lovers
These intensely rich and decadent chocolate cookies are a dream. I wish I had one right now!
Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbreads
These cookies pack into a box or plate super well, and they are delicious, buttery, happy little discs of delight. You could also roll the outside in pistachios or colored, festive sprinkles instead of sugar!
Brown Butter and Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are some of my favorite chocolate chip cookies, mostly because of the browned butter element. If you can find the toffee bars, too, (sometimes I use Heath bar pieces sold near the chocolate chips), they are a great addition to the cookies.
Dark Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
These are a no-bake, gluten-free, and vegan option that does not feel sad! Of course, any GF or vegan recipe here was chosen because it does not feel sad, because this is Christmas, and now is not the time to eat sad cookies!!
Double Chocolate Meringue Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Pretty! Cute! Fancy! Yummy!
Peanut Butter Perfection
Big Fat Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
So soft and chewy and good. Not to be underestimated.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Caramel Chocolate Bars
I made these last Christmas and they are OUTRAGEOUS. They are super rich and kind of over-the-top, but soooooo good. The salty pretzel, creamy peanut butter, and chocolatey ganache topping is a rich, decadent bite.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
These cookies are always a hit whenever I make them. I love rolling them in edible glitter (which I think I bought at a craft store??). You can see how they look in the picture at the top of this post, in the bottom left corner!
Fruity Favorites
Cranberry-Glazed Chewy Almond Cookies (Gluten-Free)
I am obsessed with these cookies. I could eat them every day for the rest of my life and be happy! They are so pretty and have a lovely combination of flavors thanks to the lemon zest and cranberry glaze. I made them 3? 4? 5? times in the last year and I am still not sick of them!
These are lovely shortbreads that I like to decorate with fancy sprinkles. The recipe suggests a number of interesting decorations that could be fun to try, too. The “millennial pink” of the glaze is very pleasing to the eye!
Cranberry Crumb Bars with Mulling Spices
These cookie bars are surprisingly easy to make and have a delicious combination of tart cranberries and fragrant orange juice & zest. They also have a lot of butter, so really you can’t mess them up!
Assorted
Drop Style Christmas Sugar Cookies
I love all the colorful sprinkles in these sugar cookies — such a festive and friendly cookie! Quite easy to make, too.
5-Ingredient Peppermint Patties (Vegan)
A refreshing little treat that can be easily decorated with a crushed candy cane or festive sprinkles. They are a bit more work to make, but I think they’re a fun addition to a cookie box or plate!
A fun take on the billionaire bar recipe that uses the nutty powerhouse, tahini! I love the flavor profile of tahini, and I love the contrast it allows against the buttery shortbread!
Plus 10 More…
Be sure to check out this PDF I put together with 10 additional recipes I’ve enjoyed throughout the years! There are some great recipes in there, too, so don’t miss giving it a little look as well ☺️
& Stuff!
I can’t conclude this newsletter without sharing some additional tidbits! 3 things for you:
A link for Airbake cookie sheets, which help evenly distribute the heat on the baking tray, preventing burning.
A link to my favorite apron. It truly is the best!
A recipe for an easy and wholesome soup, to balance out all the cookies. I do everything in the Instant Pot (sauté followed by 10 minutes at high pressure).
Merry Christmas, friends, and please do share any cookie recipes that you always enjoy making — I would love to try them, too!
Grace