With snow falling and Christmas lights lighting up the night sky, students are ready to go home and curl up in a ball next to the fire. While warming by the fire, you can also stay cozy with the smell of holiday cookies. Here are some simple holiday cookie recipes that will leave you and your loved ones with everlasting holiday joy.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup and 2 tsp. unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
⅛ tsp. salt
Rolling
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat.
3. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until combined in a different bowl. With the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients. Mix in chocolate chips.
4. Cover the dough and chill for at least three hours.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit. Roll the dough into a ball of about 1 tablespoon. Roll over granulated sugar lightly and then heavily in confectioners’ sugar, then place on a cooking sheet.
6. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until edges appear set. Then place on a cooling rack.
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
¾ tsp. peppermint extract
1 and ½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. espresso powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
4 oz dark chocolate chips
12 mini candy canes, crushed
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, mix softened butter and sugars until smooth. Then add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until just combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix.
4. Roll into balls of about 1 ½ tbs and place on a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 8 minutes then let cool on a cooling rack.
6. While cookies cool, melt the chocolate in the microwave. Crush the candy canes in a Ziploc bag. Dip the cookies in it to coat halfway and sprinkle the candy cane bits over the melted chocolate.
7. Let sit out for about one hour to let the chocolate set, then enjoy!
Gingerbread cookies
Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
⅓ cup blackstrap molasses
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. milk
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add molasses, egg yolk and vanilla and mix.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in phases. Mix in the milk.
4. Form the dough into balls and flatten. Wrap the balls in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Roll out dough until about 1-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes, then transfer the cut-outs to the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden.
7. Cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate.
Basic Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Shape the dough into two disks and roll each between two sheets of waxed paper. Chill until firm (30 minutes in refrigerator).
5. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out cookies then place them on baking sheets.
6. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes and then enjoy!