Southern Living, December 2013 Page 6

Sugar Cookie Cutouts Recipe

We think 1/8 inch is the perfect thickness for a crisp, buttery cookie, but this dough can be rolled to 1/4 inch thick if you prefer a soft texture.

Tex-Mex Brownies Recipe

These are not your mama's brownies. The subtle heat from red pepper turns these delights into conversation starters.

Apricot-Almond Thumbprints Recipe

Filled with orange apricot preserves, these decorative Apricot-Almond Thumbprints are the perfect holiday treat for the table.

Ambrosia Macaroons Recipe

Give these soft, chewy macaroons a different look by garnishing with candied fruit like orange peels or green cherries.

Praline Rugelach Recipe

For best results, thoroughly chill the rolled cookies before baking to keep the filling from melting out of the dough.

Cane Syrup Slice 'N' Bakes Recipe

Perfect for last-minute company, this dough can be stored in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or frozen up to 1 month.

Peppermint Divinity Bars Recipe

Make this recipe all the way through without stopping, spreading the warm divinity onto a still-warm cookie base. If the divinity is too cool, it will tear the cookie base as you spread it.

Bourbon-Pecan-Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Important: Bake the dough while cold; otherwise, it will spread too much and the cookies will lose their fluffy texture.

Gritscotti Recipe

Grits + biscotti=Gritscotti. After baking the logs, gently cut them with a serrated knife for even slices. If you break a few slices, bake them anyway and sprinkle the bits over yogurt at breakfast.

Marble Snickerdoodles Recipe

Use the bottom of a 1/2-cup measuring cup to flatten the cookies to the perfect size. Be sure to use salted butter.

Honey-Hazelnut Crisps Recipe

These lacy cookies keep best in a tin between sheets of wax paper.

Chocolate-Mint Cookies Recipe

Be sure to bake the cookies until they are crisp; the chocolate dough makes it harder to tell when they're fully cooked.

White Chocolate Linzer Cookies Recipe

Be sure to bake the cookies until they are crisp; the chocolate dough makes it harder to tell when they're fully cooked.

Hummingbird Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

No time for frosting? Bake anyway! We loved these plain too.