Fabulous Holiday Cookies

November 22, 2010
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
From brownies to sugar cookies to pecan bars, we've collected some of our best holiday cookies. Warning: You may feel the urge to eat your screen!
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5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies

Photo: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller
5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies Recipe
As our gift to you, we've gathered our all-time favorite cookie recipes of the holiday season. Like simple cookies? Then this first recipe is for you! With only 5 ingredients, these sugar cookies are sure to become a classic this season.
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Chocolate-Peppermint Crackle Cookies

Photo: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller
Chocolate-Peppermint Crackle Cookies Recipe

For the best "crackle" effect, reroll balls in powdered sugar just before baking to cover any exposed dough.

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Cherry Blossom Thumbprint Cookies

Photo: Whitney Ott; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Cherry Blossom Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

These buttery thumbprint cookies offer a faint cherry flavor in the cookie itself and the most stunning pop of pale pink, along with a delicate taste of cherry blossom, in the jam filling. These elegant thumbprint cookies are almost too pretty to eat (although we’re sure you’ll find a way), and would make the perfect sweet finish to a bridal shower or dinner party.

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Christmas Cookie Puzzles

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Christmas Cookie Puzzles Recipe

Choose cutters with simple shapes; they're easier to handle and less likely to break. If you want to make small puzzles, cut dough into 4-inch squares, and use a single cookie cutter to punch out the center of each square while still hot from the oven. Working quickly, cut lines from edges of square to form puzzle pieces. Store icing in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

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Belgian Spice Cookies

Photo: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller
Belgian Spice Cookies Recipe
To create a lacy design on these cookies (also known as Speculoos), place a stencil or doily over the cooled cookies before dusting with powdered sugar.

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Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies Recipe
Rolling red and plain-colored dough gives these cookies their fun look. Sandwich them together with a layer of peppermint-cream cheese frosting.
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Iced Whole-Wheat Sugar Cookies

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Catherine Crowell Steele; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Iced Whole-Wheat Sugar Cookies Recipe

Whole-wheat flour adds a layer of complexity to these cookies that all-purpose flour can't achieve; the wheat in the whole grain actually enhances the flavors of butter and vanilla. Unlike classic royal icing, which starts with a pound of powdered sugar, we use just 1/2 cup and thicken it with Greek yogurt. Looking for festive colors without the chemicals? Try naturally colored sparkling sugars (such as those from India Tree), which use colorants derived from plants.

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Chewy Ginger Cookies

Photo: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller
Chewy Ginger Cookies Recipe

Fresh ginger and black pepper bring a kick to this classic cookie. Prep tip: Swirl a liquid measuring cup with a thin coat of vegetable oil before measuring molasses for the most accurate (and least sticky) result.

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Triple-threat Chocolate Cookies

Photo: Peden & Munk; Styling: Amy Wilson    
Triple-threat Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Prepare to abandon all restraint when you try one of these cookies, made with melted chocolate and chocolate chips in the batter and layered with a chocolate ganache filling.
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Rocky Road Brownies

Photo: James Carrier
Rocky Road Brownies Recipe
Mini marshmallows melt into this walnut-topped brownie during baking, giving it a gooey, fudgy texture.

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Gingerbread Sailors and Mermaids

Photo: Jim Franco; Styling: Rebecca Donnelly
Gingerbread Sailors and Mermaids Recipe
You can find mermaid cutters at cookiecutter.com, and gingerbread boys from annclark.com. Decorate with icing, sprinkles, and dragées for a sweet and spicy coastal treat!

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Almendrados (Flourless Almond Cookies)

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
Almendrados (Flourless Almond Cookies) Recipe
The almond base gives these cookies a wonderfully nutty flavor.
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Christmas Cookies 4 Ways

Christmas Cookies 4 Ways Recipe
Stick with classic sugar cookies, or add spices, lemon zest, or cocoa for fun variations. Cut the dough into lovely holiday shapes and decorate with Royal Icing for a truly original cookie.

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Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches

Photo: Beatriz Da Costa
Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches Recipe
These moist pumpkin cookies are wonderful plain or sandwiched with cream cheese filling.

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Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies

Photo: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lydia Degaris-Pursell
Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies Recipe
Maple syrup gives these cookies a subtle sweet flavor. Spice them up with cinnamon and nutmeg, and top with toasted walnuts.
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Louisiana Pecan Balls

Photo: Quentin Bacon
Louisiana Pecan Balls Recipe
These cookies are simple to make and ready in less than an hour. Dust with a little cinnamon or cocoa powder for a pretty presentation.

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Chocolate-Espresso Shortbread

Chocolate-Espresso Shortbread Recipe
Edges tipped with unsweetened chocolate and white chocolate enhance the coffee flavor in these cookies.

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Hello Dolly Bars

Photo: Oxmoor House
Hello Dolly Bars Recipe
Also called Seven Layer Bars, this treat combines coconut, chocolate morsels, pecans, butterscotch bits and graham crackers into a sticky-sweet delight.
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Luscious Lemon Bars

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Kacy Carroll
Luscious Lemon Bars Recipe
A crumbly, butter cookie bottom is the perfect partner to smooth lemon filling and powdered sugar.

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Salted Caramel Brownies

Photo: Francesco Tonelli; Styling: Philippa Brathwaite
Salted Caramel Brownies Recipe
With their rich, indulgent flavors, these layered brownies are a definite crowd-pleaser.

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Lemon-Frosted Sugar Cookies

BECKY LUIGART-STAYNER
Lemon-Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe
Classic sugar cookies get a lift when you add a bit of lemon zest to the dough and fresh lemon juice to the frosting. Let your imagination soar and add food coloring to some of the frosting or use colored sugar to decorate the cookies.
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Chocolate Chip Blondies

Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Put a twist on classic blondie bars by adding chocolate morsels and baking them in muffin tins.

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White Chocolate-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Photo: Oxmoor House
White Chocolate-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies Recipe
Put a twist on classic oatmeal raisin cookies by adding white chocolate morsels and a bit of orange extract.

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Cappuccino Blossoms

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Cappuccino Blossoms Recipe
These coffee and almond cookies topped with chocolate kisses are easy enough to make that your children can help you prepare them.
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Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Caramel bits and chopped apple are the perfect autumn substitute to raisins in these crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside oatmeal cookies.

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Brownie Cookies

Oxmoor House
Brownie Cookies Recipe
You'll love how these scrumptious double-chocolate cookies are similar in texture to thick and fudgy brownies.

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Maple-Date Bars

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Maple-Date Bars Recipe
Two layers of crumbly oatmeal topping sandwich a layer of sweet dates in these super moist bars.
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Mudslide Cookies

Photo: Randy Mayor
Mudslide Cookies Recipe
Get your milk ready! A dash of coffe intensifies the luscious flavor of cocoa powder and three types of chocolate.

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Two-Layer Caramel-Pecan Bars

Two-Layer Caramel-Pecan Bars Recipe
Caramel lovers rejoice! A crunchy brown sugar base holds a gooey layer of caramel topped with chopped pecans.

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Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Mashed banana adds rich flavor and moistness to these cookies.
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Death by Caramel Bars

Death by Caramel Bars Recipe
These showy brownies are nice and tall with pockets of caramel goo. They are wicked enough on their own, but for an over-the-top dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.

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Double-Ginger Cookies

Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell; Food Kellie Gerber Kelley
Double-Ginger Cookies Recipe
These gingery rounds bake up moist thanks to a bit of applesauce and the sugar on top gives them a beautiful presentation.

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Peanut Butter-Butterscotch Cookies

Photo: John Montana; Styling: Lynn Miller
Peanut Butter-Butterscotch Cookies Recipe
These nutty cookies get a buttery, caramel-y touch when you add butterscotch bits to the dough.
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Wreath Cookies

Photo: Oxmoor House
Wreath Cookies Recipe
With only a few ingredients, you can transform shredded wheat cereal into these whimsical holiday wreaths. Let the kids help shape and decorate them with cinnamon candies, M&Ms, or crushed peppermints.

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Snickerdoodles

Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
Snickerdoodles Recipe
Just hearing the word snickerdoodle makes us excited to take a bite of these chewy, buttery cookies dusted with cinnamon.

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Spicy Oatmeal Crisps

Spicy Oatmeal Crisps Recipe
These aren’t your typical oatmeal cookies! Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper give these crispy cookies a wonderful kick. Line your pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cookies.
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Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Photo: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Lynn Miller
Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread Recipe
Jazz up traditional shortbread with luscious bits of chocolate and salty toffee.

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Peanut Butter-Toffee Turtle Cookies

Peanut Butter-Toffee Turtle Cookies Recipe
Mix toffee bits and chopped pecans right into the cookie dough and after baking, top with caramel and a chocolate drizzle.

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Sugar Cookie Pops

Oxmoor House
Sugar Cookie Pops Recipe
Let your kids get in on the action with these colorful cookie pops. They can roll cookie dough balls in their favorite sprinkles and colored sugar and help you stick each cookie on a craft stick to complete the look.
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Vanilla Bean Shortbread

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Vanilla Bean Shortbread Recipe
Buttery, crumbly shortbread gets a flavor boost when you add vanilla bean.

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Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Photo: James Carrier
Coconut-Cranberry Chews Recipe
We love the mix of coconut, red cranberries and zesty orange in these chewy delights.

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Macadamia Butter Cookies with Cranberries

Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro
Macadamia Butter Cookies with Cranberries Recipe
We love these thick, satisfying cookies. The lightly spiced batter and dried cranberries provide a great counterpoint to the macadamia nuts' richness.
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Red Velvet Thumbprints

Photo: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller
Red Velvet Thumbprints Recipe
There's no need to use a pastry bag to fill cookies. Just transfer the frosting to a zip-top plastic freezer bag, and snip the corner.

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Stained Glass Window Cookies

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Styling: Kaitlyn Du Ross Walker
Stained Glass Window Cookies Recipe
We found that Jolly Rancher candies produced the brightest, most vibrant "stained glass."

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Thick, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: James Carrier
Thick, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
If you are of the school that thinks chocolate chip cookies should be soft and chewy, you'll love this recipe. Add 1 cup chopped pecans if you like a little crunch.
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