Christmas cookies. One recipe, many variations.

Christmas cookies. One recipe, many variations.

The idea of starting with one basic recipe for a wide variety of Christmas cookies is a great time-saver, as well as a budget friendly alternative to having too many ingredients.

Check out these two recipes, both of which make great basic Christmas cookies. One calls for less sugar, allowing you to control the sugar content, depending on your final cookie design. Both recipes can be mixed, then split to make numerous cookies. Below the recipes are some variation suggestions. 

Cookie Recipe #1, courtesy of MarthaStewart.com:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour; mix just until combined. Gently mold into a uniform log and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. With a serrated knife, cut into cookies about 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees for about 13-15 minutes, or until lightly golden.

 

Cookie Recipe #2, courtesy of JustAPinch.com:

1 cup butter or butter-flavored Crisco

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon water (not needed if using extra-large eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, cream butter and both kinds of sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated, but don’t over mix. Divide the dough into smaller bowls and add variation ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment paper (or a pan sprayed with baking spray). Flatten slightly. Bake 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees.

 

When to Add Variation Ingredients

What the variation ingredient is determines whether you add before chilling, just before baking, or just after baking. Some guidelines that can help…

If the variation is an ingredient that needs to be mixed in, like cocoa powder or extracts, add before chilling. NOTE: When adding cocoa powder, you will want to use the higher sugar content dough. You may also need to add 1-2 teaspoons more water.

If the variation is an ingredient that is pressed into the cookies, like chocolate chips or nuts, add before baking.

If the variation is an ingredient that is placed on the cookie or will not hold up to baking, like frosting, candies or sugar, add after baking.

 

Variation Suggestions

Thumbprint cookies: Using your clean thumb, or a small melon-baller, make a small well in the center of the cookie. Fill with jam, jelly, chocolate hazelnut spread, peanut butter, coconut, or crushed nuts. You can also consider rolling the outside in nuts. To do so, form cookie balls first, dip them into whisked egg whites, and roll in crushed nuts. Then gently press the cookie ball down, to flatten and make the filling well in the center.

Candy Cane Cookies: (Basic) Divide the dough into two halves, leaving one white, and coloring the other half with red food coloring. Roll about 1 teaspoon each color into a small rope, then press together and spiral to twist the colors into red and white candy cane shapes.

Sugar and Mint Variation: Bake the basic candy canes first, then top with crushed candy canes, mixed with a couple tablespoons of white sugar, immediately after baking.

Chocolate Mint Variation: Two options – (1) Mix in 1/2 cup cocoa powder to the dough. Then add crushed candy canes and sugar from the variation above immediately after baking. OR (2) Make the Candy Cane Sugar Cookies from above, and drizzle with melted chocolate just before sprinkling with crushed candy canes and sugar.

Other Variation Suggestions: Chocolate chips, chocolate kisses, nuts, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cocoa powder, peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, coconut, citrus zest, colored sugar, frosting, candies, various extracts, such as lemon, peppermint, maple, almond, and more.

The best part of this variable cookie dough is that you can make so many tasty creations. Best of all, you can have fun and make Christmas memories with it!