Now that shopping season is winding down and celebrations, work parties and family get-togethers are ramping up, it’s time to start thinking about holiday baking again! Christmas cookies are the perfect last-second gift for co-workers, babysitters, neighbors and the like. Everyone could use a little bit extra sugar and carb-fueled burst of energy to finish out the season, right?
Think of this as your one-stop shop for all the easiest, tastiest holiday treats that will help you spread love, joy and sprinkles to everyone on your list this year! We have compiled a list of simple no-bake creations and holiday classics that will delight just about everyone!
Moose Farts
6 ingredients, hilarious name, lots of happy faces. These no-bake treats are easy to prep and will put a smile on your face just talking about them. Classic pairings like chocolate chips and graham crackers are formed into a cross between a no-bake cookie and a truffle. They are too fun not to try!
Peanut Butter Buckeyes
The Buckeye State doesn’t have a monopoly on these easy treats. Peanut butter combined with powdered sugar and formed into balls are partially dipped in dark or milk chocolate, giving them the appearance of Ohio’s most famous nut. For holiday flair, they can be easily decorated with sprinkles or colored sugar crystals. A guaranteed hit at any gathering!
No-Bake Cookie Truffles
Another truffle/cookie offering that pleases any crowd. Crushed cookies (any variety works – trust us) combined with cream cheese and formed into balls can be dipped in white, dark or milk chocolate and decorated. The end result is decadent, fun and easy to execute.
Soft-Baked Sugar Cookies
Many of us have fond memories of sitting around the kitchen table decorating these soft cookies with red, green and white icing and covering them in sprinkles. We always made that special one just for Santa that included a little extra love. These classics are easy to prepare and can be cut out as rounds or rolled flat and cut out into festive shapes. Santa will love them, either way.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
There is a good reason just about every holiday cookie plate includes a few of these favorites. Soft, pillowy peanut butter cookies are baked and then a single chocolate kiss snuggles its way into the center while they are still warm. Another classic peanut butter and chocolate pairing that never gets old!
Snickerdoodles
These were probably the first cookies you learned how to make in Home Economics class, and they are having a moment in 2019. Cinnamon and sugar have earned their place among the best of the best sweet flavor combos in any decade, and everything from coffee creamer to candles is jumping on the bandwagon this year. Simple and delicious, these are a wonderful addition to any holiday plate.
Stained Glass Cookies
Every gift plate needs some wow-factor. That doesn’t mean they have to be complicated, though! These stained-glass cookies are made with simple sugar cookie dough and have space in the center to place crushed hard candies. When baked, the colorful candies melt into the shape of your cut-out and harden when cooled, leaving a clear, stained window finish.
Thumbprint Cookies
If your cookie plate is in need of a little color, these classic offerings can add what you are looking for. The best part about these cookies is their adaptability. The simple dough can be flavored with almond, citrus or vanilla to compliment the sweet and colorful jam that adorns the center. Or, divide the dough and make several variations! Time honored classics include almond cookies with raspberry jam, or lemon with apricot centers. Bright, beautiful and delicious!
Cranberry Orange Shortbread
Shortbread cookies are deceptively easy to make. They are comprised of only a few ingredients and never quite look like they are going to come together until, suddenly, they do! Shortbread is an excellent vessel for lots of flavor combinations and the dough holds its shape well, making them easy to decorate. If your plate needs a bright, tangy burst of flavor and color, orange zest and dried cranberries added to classic shortbread make for a gorgeous contrast on the plate.
Chocolate Candy Cookies
A classic chocolate chip cookie is a sure hit, and with festive colors of various candy-coated chocolates available this time of year, folding in these crunchy treats adds texture and color. A recipe that includes vanilla pudding mix in the dough is the secret to keeping them soft and pillowy after baking.
Egg Nog Cookies
Egg Nog is a polarizing concept, but these cookies take all the best parts of the time-tested holiday beverage and convert them into a soft drop cookie with nutmeg in the frosting. Even the biggest critics of egg nog will fall in love with these treats!
Dipped Sugar Cookie Sticks
Basic sugar cookie dough is rolled out flat and then cut into sticks, then baked. The result? Perfect little canvases for fun decorations. Candy melts in red, green and white can give these little bars some flare, along with whatever other decorations are handy. This is a great option for family cookie-decorating, too! They are also the perfect shape for dunking!
Christmas Cookie Pizza
What could be easier than whipping up a simple chocolate chip cookie dough, laying it out in a big circle on a pizza pan and baking it as one enormous cookie? The end result is a canvas for candy coated chocolate, caramel, mini marshmallows, pretzels – just about anything you or your kids can think of. When finished, slice into thin triangles just like a pizza and watch them disappear before your eyes!
