Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes – One Recipe With Many Variations

There are so many Christmas cookie recipes, but there is often very little time to bake during the busy holiday season.

The solution? A great-tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into a variety of easy-to-make holiday treats, friends and family will think you poured in all their favorite holiday cookie recipes.

Let’s start with the basics.

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With a mixer on low speed, add the flour a little at a time, beating just until everything is well blended.

Scoop the mixture onto a baking sheet with a measuring tablespoon and press down with a spoon to flatten slightly. Or roll and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

This basic cookie mix is ​​also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated 350ºF oven).

Orange Cookies

(about 32 ago)

Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log about 1 1/2″ in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4″-thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, coated in colored sugar, or cut into pretty festive shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

Chocolate squares with cherry and coconut

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

3 cups of shredded coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with aluminum foil.

Stir the cocoa powder into the basic batter mix. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, almond extract, and baking powder until well blended. Add the coconut and cherries. For over the baked dough.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is just beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift onto a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2″ squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Pineapple and Coconut Cookies

(about 36 ago)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup pineapple jam (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of flaked coconut to the basic batter mixture and mix well. Shape dough into 1 1/2″ balls and roll in remaining coconut to coat. Place balls 1″ apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with the tip of your finger.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is set and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cool, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger, or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them in festive shapes and decorate them with colored icing.

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. We hope these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.