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Mom's Best Christmas Cookies

Ranked #5,297 in Food & Cooking, #94,254 overall

Christmas Means Cookies!

Growing up in my household meant that as soon as Thanksgiving Day hit so did the holiday baking frenzy. The Friday through Sunday after Thanksgiving was a baking marathon. Several of my Aunts and cousins would come over to create 1000's of Christmas cookies. My cousins, brothers & sisters, and I were the cookie decorators and instructions were given more like orders in what I affectionately call 'cookie baking boot-camp'. From sun-up to sun-down, we mixed, baked, and decorated cookies. If we didn't complete all the required baking by the end of the weekend, sure enough, they would all come back the following weekend and even the one after that, until the baking was all done. Then the cookies were evenly split amongst the Aunts so that all of the families went home with loads of giant Tupperware containers full of cookies. Of course, this is all practical when you live in Minnesota and can just set the tubs of cookies in the garage to freeze. It wouldn't work so well in Florida where ten chest freezers would be required.

Now that all of us kids are all grown up with our own families, my Mom still bakes all those same cookies - just in smaller quantities. My brothers, sisters, Mom's co-workers, her friends and the rest of our family, all look forward to her stopping by with our Christmas gift tray of cookies that she so lovingly baked up for each us.

As my Mom shared with me, so I share with you.

This Lens Was Featured at Cabaret Squidoo

On November 11, 2008, this yummy Christmas cookie lens was featured at Cabaret Squidoo.

Christmas Cookie Recipe Books

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Christmas Wreaths

1/2 cup butter
30 marshmallows
3 1/2 cups corn flakes
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. + green food coloring
Red cinnamon candies

Melt the butter and marshmallows in a double boiler. Add vanilla and food coloring until desired green color. Lastly, add the corn flakes. Blend thoroughly. While warm (cool slightly), drop from tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheet and shape into wreaths with greased fingers. Decorate with candies. Makes 15 to 20 wreaths depending on size.

My Tips - My Mom uses way more than a ¼ tsp to get the dark green color shown in the photo. Also, she quadruples this recipe each time she makes it so that she doesn't have to do so many batches for her holiday baking.

Christmas Cookie Decorations

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Holiday Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda

Cream sugar and butter together. Add egg and flavorings; mixing thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together and stir in. Refrigerate the cookie dough 2 to 3 hours. Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough in half and roll out on lightly floured pastry board. Roll thin, but thick enough to pick up the design of the cookie cutters. Dip cutter in flour before each cutting. Cut as many cookies from each rolling as possible. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until delicately golden.

My Tips - These decorated sugar cookies are light and crisp in texture so I recommend decorating them with sugars and confetti candies rather than a heavy icing.

Christmas Cookie Cutter Sets

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Snowflake Spritz Cookies

1 ½ cups butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly cream butter and sugar together. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, almond extract and mix well. Stir together flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture, mixing to a smooth dough. Do NOT chill. Shape dough in small logs and place in a cookie press. Press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove cookies from sheet and cool on a rack. Makes 7 to 8 dozen Spritz cookies.

My Tips - Decorate the cookies with colored sugars prior to baking in the oven. You can also color the dough with paste food coloring - I think it works better than the liquid food coloring because it keeps the dough the same consistency. For example, we color it green to make pressed Christmas tree-shaped cookies.

Spritz Cookie Presses

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Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe

½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 egg
½ cup peanut butter
1 ¼ cups flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 bag of miniature peanut butter cups (unwrapped)
Holiday themed miniature paper baking cups

Mix all ingredients together except peanut butter cups and chill in refrigerator for an hour. Roll dough into 3/4" walnut size balls and place a ball in each miniature holiday themed paper cup (cups are set in a miniature muffin tin - they usually hold 24 mini muffins). Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place a peanut butter cup in the center of each baked ball and press down until tops are even. Leave sit in the tins for 10 minutes to cool and then remove them.

My Tips - Do not overbake the dough in the mini paper cups because it need to be somewhat soft in order to press down the peanut butter cup. These cookies are a favorite in my house!

Christmas Cookie Inspiration - Photos

Christmas Cookies by Lori L. Stalteri
Sguar Cookies - Beards and Mustaches by betsyweber
Sguar Cookies - Beards and Mustaches by betsyweber
Sugar Cookies - Beards and Mustaches by betsyweber
Sugar Cookies - Beards and Mustaches by betsyweber
Sugar Cookies - Beards and Mustaches by betsyweber
ice a cookie by collectmoments
al_0032 by a m lewis
al_0030 by a m lewis
al_0029 by a m lewis
al_0028 by a m lewis
al_0031 by a m lewis
al_0023 by a m lewis
al_0027 by a m lewis
al_0025 by a m lewis
al_0026 by a m lewis
Cookie Decorator by Monkey Mash Button
Grandma Verna's Sugar Cookies by clkohan
automatically generated by Flickr

What is your Favorite Christmas Cookie?

1

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Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs

Thick buttery sugar cookies that are iced.7 points

2

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Chocolate Nut Goodies

Not sure if these are so much a cookie as they are more...2 points

3

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Chocolate Covered Oreos

What is better than an Oreo? An Oreo dipped in cho more...2 points

4

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Candy Cane Cookies

White and red cookie dough is rolled together and more...1 point

5

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M&M Cookie Bars

A twist on traditional M&M cookies - made with more...0 points

Some of my Favorite Christmas Cookie Lenses

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Coconut Covered Date Balls

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 lb. dates, cut fine
1 beaten egg
1 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups Rice Krispies®
extra fine coconut

Cook butter, sugar, and dates over low heat in frying pan until melted and dissolved. Remove from heat and add eggs, milk, salt, and vanilla. Cook over low heat until thick. Remove from heat and cool. Add Rice Krispies and nuts. Grease hands. Roll into small balls and then roll in extra fine coconut. Place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper until set.

Christmas Cookie Tins & Boxes

Christmas cookies are the perfect holiday gift whether you make them yourself or you purchase them online. Who doesn't love receiving a basket, tin or box full of delectable fresh-baked cookies?

If you don't feel like baking or you just don't have time to bake, consider buying some sweet treats online at stores like Cookie Gift Baskets.com. They do all the hard work and ship them directly to your recipient's door. Their cookie holiday gift boxes start at just $20.

Christmas Cookies

Peanut Blossom Cookie Recipe

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Hershey's chocolate kisses

In large bowl, cream together shortening, peanut butter, and sugars. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredient mixture to creamed mixture. Mix thoroughly. Shape by rounded teaspoonful into balls. Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place a solid Hershey's chocolate kiss on the top of each cookie pressing down so that cookie cracks around the edge. Return to oven and bake 2 to 5 minutes longer. Remove and cool cookies on a rack.

Christmas Cookie Jars

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Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 1/2 cups raw peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

Stir peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, and salt together. Cook in microwave on HIGH for 9 minutes. Remove and add butter and vanilla. Stir in well. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Remove and add baking soda. Stir until mixture foams well. Pour into warm, buttered big cookie sheet. Cool and break into pieces.

Cookie Baking Sheets

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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cracker Cookies

1 box of Ritz crackers
Creamy Peanut Butter
1 package of chocolate almond bark

Smear peanut butter on a pair Ritz crackers to make a sandwich. Do this until you have used up the entire package of crackers. Then melt the chocolate almond bark in a double boiler. Once melted and smooth, dip each sandwich into chocolate almond bark until full coated. Place chocolate covered cookies on a cookie sheet that has been lined with wax paper. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator until the chocolate hardens.

Christmas Goodie Towers

Looking for a great holiday gift for the sweet tooth in your life? Consider baking up some cookies and brownies and making some Christmas candy such as divinity or chocolate turtles. At local craft stores such as Michaels, you can buy nested boxes or tins that are perfect for holiday gift giving. Just line each one with wax or tissue paper and place the goodies in the boxes to create a stacked gift. Tie it with a gorgeous ribbon and add some greenery for a stunning presentation.

Of course if you aren't in the mood to bake or make candy, you can always find Christmas Gift Towers with logo cookies online.

Find More Christmas Cookie Recipes Online!

Here are just a few recipe resources!

Peanut Butter Cup Christmas Cookies
Milk chocolate and peanut butter cookies are one of my favorites because I just love the smooth melty texture and taste of this sweet combination.  These cookies are a childhood favorite and my kids love them too!
Holiday Sugar Cookies
When it comes to baking and decorating sugar cookies for Christmas in my family, we do it assembly line style.  Each person in the family is in charge of a certain aspect of the baking and decorating process. That way we can make A LOT of cookies in a short amount of time.
How to make chocolate covered Oreo cookies
If you can't imagine a cookie better than the Oreo, imagine this - Chocolate covered Oreos! Sound good? You can easily make them yourself in about ten minutes. You need little more than a love of chocolate to complete this recipe. The ingredients are basic and few.
Holiday Macaroon Cookies
Coconut provides the base for these yummy holiday cookies that are always a hit in my house.
Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread cookies are ideal treats to fill Christmas gift baskets. These cookies are so cute and delicious at the same time.

Turtle Pecan Candy Cookies

63 miniature pretzels
1 package Rolo candies (13 oz)
63 pecan halves

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place pretzels on foil, topping each one with a Rolo candy. Bake at 250 degrees in oven for 4 minutes until candies are softened slightly (they will retain their shape). Remove from the oven and immediately place a pecan candy on top of each Rolo and press down until the Christmas candy fills the pretzel. Then place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until they are set.

Christmas Cookie Baking Videos

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Chocolately Peanut Cereal Clusters

1 - 12 oz. package butterscotch chips
1 - 6 oz. package semi-sweet choc. chips
1 1/2 cups salted peanuts
4 cups Crispix cereal

Combine chips in large saucepan. Stir constantly over very low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Add peanuts and cereal. Stir gently until well coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Chill until firm. Make 8 dozen.

Christmas Cookie Bouquets

When you need to send an impressive gift to a friend, co-worker or family member for the holidays, consider a Christmas Cookie Bouquet. They look great and taste good too. Plus they are a gift that you know they won't return! Gourmet Cookie Bouquets as well as other online companies such as Cookies by Design sell bouquets of cookies. Traditional and whimsical cookie shapes such as snowflakes and reindeer are baked on stems and then artfully arranged in a bouquet style.

Need Tips on Hosting a Christmas Cookie Exchange?

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Great Tips For Christmas Cookie Bakers!

Love these articles....

Easy Christmas Cookie Baking Tips
Baking and eating Christmas cookies are some of the greatest moments of the holiday season. Cookies that have been absent for a year suddenly return to the table. Our friends share their favorite recipes with...
Affordable Christmas Gifts: Homebaked Cookie Baskets or Tins
Sometimes it's little things that make difference during holiday season. And now, you can make your own cookies and make them look like you spent so much more! Affordable Christmas Gifts: Homebaked Cookie Baskets or Tins.
The Tradition of Baking Christmas Cookies
Sure, we all welcome tradition of baking cookies around Christmas time. But where did tradition come from and why do we do it? The Tradition of Baking Christmas Cookies.
Tips for Baking Cookies with Kids
Kids love to help out in the kitchen. Children of every age love the rewards of helping bake their very own cookies. And it's a special time to make memories with mom, dad, friends or grandparents.
Bake Lots of Cookies Efficiently-How to Set Up a Cookie Assembly Line
If you're a multi-tasker and love to bake holiday cookies, there's a fun way to challenge yourself this year. Create an assembly line for your cookie baking and you'll get several batches done in one evening.
Free Christmas Wordpress Templates
Use these templates to give a festive look to your personal blog where you share all of your holiday cookie recipes and photos. Best of all, they are FREE!

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