The holidays are a busy season, which means you probably have less time to spend in the kitchen. Still, making cookies is a holiday tradition. That's why making a single dough to make several types of Christmas cookies makes sense; it provides you with the opportunity to make a variety of treats without spending extra time in the kitchen.
Basic Dough
If you plan to make several variations of this dough, you might want to double the batch so you can make several of each type. If you wish, you can also make all of these cookies using the refrigerated sugar cookie dough, which saves even more time. This dough makes about eight cups, which you can use to make about eight dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 8 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), cream together the butter and sugar until it is fluffy.
- Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and milk until well incorporated.
- Working a few cups at a time, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring to mix it well until the dough is smooth and no lumps or streaks of flour remain.
- Divide the dough into four equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Proceed to the variation(s) of your choice.
Variations
Each of these variations is festive and perfect for the holidays. Use the dough after it has been refrigerated unless otherwise indicated.
Thumbprint Cookies
These jam filled cookies are really pretty. You can use any flavor of jam you like.
Ingredients
- 1 ball of chilled cookie dough
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll the dough into balls that are about one tablespoon size and put them on the prepared baking sheet with about 1/2 inch space between cookies.
- Press your thumb into the center of each ball of dough to create an indentation.
- Spoon jam into the impressions.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies turn golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Cool on wire racks.
Chocolate Almond Sandwich Cookies
These sandwich cookies coated in chocolate are really easy to make, but they are always a hit.
Ingredients
- 2 balls of refrigerated dough
- Flour for dusting the counter
- 2 cans of almond filling (not almond paste)
- 2 (24 ounce) packages chocolate almond bark
- Sliced or slivered almonds or chopped pecans for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Lightly flour the counter and roll the dough out, one ball at a time, until it is 1/4 inch thickness.
- Use a round cookie cutter to cut out cookies from the dough. Put the cookies on the baking sheet with about 1/2 inch between them. You'll need to work in batches.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until they are golden-brown, about eight to ten minutes.
- Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
- When the cookies are cooled, spread half of the cookies with the almond filling and top it with a second cookie to make a sandwich.
- Melt the almond bark over medium-low heat.
- Submerge the cookies in the chocolate until they are coated. Remove them with a spoon and put them on parchment.
- Put an almond sliver or slice on the cookie top for garnish.
- Allow the cookies to rest until the almond bark sets.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe uses unrefrigerated dough to start out. It's okay if you've already refrigerated the dough. Just let it sit out on the counter for about an hour before proceeding.
Ingredients
- 1 ball of dough
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
-
Lightly flour the counter or a pastry cloth and roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch thickness.
-
Use a round cookie cutter to cut out cookies from the dough. Put the cookies on the baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. You may need to work in batches.
-
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until they are golden-brown, eight to ten minutes.
-
Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
-
When the cookies are cool, in a small bowl mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Spread the mixture on one cookie and top it with a second to make a sandwich cookie.
-
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
-
When the chocolate is melted, dip the sandwich cookie halfway in the chocolate mixture so it has a semi-circle of chocolate covering both sides of the sandwich.
-
Put cookies on parchment. Sprinkle with peanuts.
-
Allow the chocolate to set completely before serving.
Pecan Logs
These log shaped cookies are topped with crunchy, nutty pecans.
Instructions
- 1 ball of refrigerated cookie dough
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup sugar
Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Break the cookie dough into three parts. Flour the counter lightly and roll each piece of dough under your hands until it makes a 1/2 inch thick log.
- Cut the logs into three inch pieces.
- Put the logs on the prepared baking sheet about a half an inch apart. Using a pastry brush, brush each piece with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the pecans and sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Cinnamon Pinwheels
Sweet cinnamon and sugar fills these cookies, which have a pretty pinwheel design.
Ingredients
- 1 ball of refrigerated cookie dough
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the chilled dough into a rectangle that measures 8x12 inches.
- In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle it on the dough rectangles.
- Roll the dough up into a long log. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for one hour to firm it up.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment.
-
Slice the dough crosswise into 1/4 inch cookies. Put them on the prepared baking pan about a half an inch apart.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the cookies are golden brown.
-
Cool in a wire rack.
One Dough, Many Options
These are just a few of the many options for Christmas cookies you can make with this dough. With a little creativity, you can make your own variations from a single dough.
