I'm so glad someone else is thinking Christmas cookies! somehow my list of receivers has expanded!

I haven't finalized the list yet, but here's what I'm tossing around. I usually make between 12-20 different kinds of cookies. Yeah, I'm a bit nuts when it comes to cookies.

Holiday biscotti (pistachio & dried cherry)
Fig & walnut biscotti
Caramel Chocolate Treasures (chocolate thumbprint with caramel filling)
Austrian jam cookies (a thumbprint) or Linzer wreaths
Caramel cashew bars
Maple butter pecan shortbread bars
Sugar cookies
Gingerbread cookies
Almond cookies (King Arthur Flour)

Debating
Peanut butter blossoms
Italian 3 layer (or rainbow) bars

There's a few others I'll probably make as recipes surface when we get closer to the season.

Santa's Helpers
Lemon high tea cookies
Lemon cutouts
Chocolate dipped shortbread
Pumpkin with penuche

I have cut back on cookies and am making more candies.

Shifting to wheat-free and low-carb cookies / bars and making them with almond flour, coconut flour, and white sorghum flour. I've stocked up on unsalted butter ($1.99 - reg. $2.49) and chocolate chips ($1.29 -reg. $1.79).

-Bread Crumb Brownies (made with homemade gluten-free bread) topped with Coconut/Pecan Frosting

Recipes from "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam (www.elanaspantry.com)
-Rosemary Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

-Pecan Shortbread Cookies (similar to Pecan Sandies)

-Apricot Tea Squares

From "Cooking with Coconut Flour" by Bruce Fife, N.D.
-Cream Cheese Squares

-Sesame Coconut Cookies

-Chocolate Almond Coconut Clusters

My original recipes:

-Nutella White Sorghum Flour Cookies (always a favorite)
-Chocolate Chip/Coconut Sorghum Flour cookies
-White Sorghum Peanut Butter Cookies

-Grainlady

I find that I could make a dozen different kinds of cookies, but people always go for the exact same ones and pick around the rest. So this year, my very limited cookie trays will include:

Peanut Butter Blossoms (always the most popular by double or triple over any other type)
Salted Chocolate Chip Shortbread
Gingerbread men
Walnut and Jam Thumbprints

I also plan to try a few new recipes over the month of december to bring along to holiday parties and pass out as favors at my own holiday party - lemon ornament cookies, cranberry and white chocolate thumbprints, and apple cider caramels to put in the family's stockings.

Way too many kinds as usual.
There are a few I've been doing since a kid with Mom-- it just wouldn't be Christmas if they weren't made:

Mom's Spicy Choc Pepper Balls
Polish Horseshoes made with cottage cheese dough
Cut outs-- tho now I use Nancy's recipe.

And these made over the last 5-25 years:
cuccidati
rocky road bars
anise pillows
raisin bran thumbprints
peanut chews
espresso choc shortbread
walnut walkaways
old fashion hermit bars
Willow's apple cookies

and always try 2 new ones thinking I'll replace a couple old ones-- seldom works, if I really like them they just make my list a little longer ! This year I'm trying:
Brown sugar crinkles
Pistachio lime cookies

And candy-- always do :
Ann T's Cream cheese brandy cherry balls
tiger bark
penuche
sugar plums
peanut brittle
microwave caramels

Diane

Diane, your cuccidati is a "must do" in my house every year now. I love them, Elery loves them. Phooey on those kids, they're all mine. And, like you, I always make Ann T's brandied cherry balls, I even make a single batch of brandied sweet cherries for canning every year, just to make that candy.

Here we have to have fudge, both chocolate and peanut butter, and Imake Chase's white chocolate bark with crushed candy canes, plus usually a batch of divinity for mother.

Cookies will include macarons this year, as my stepdaughter is celiac and can't have gluten, so there is always one gluten free option included.

Usual cookies are:

Grandma's Molasses Cookies
Frosted cut out sugar cookies (I like Nancy's too, but I just keep trying different ones)
Those 3 layered "Neopolitan" cookies like Boo is considering, although I'm the only one that likes them.
Santa's Helpers from Sherry's Recipe
Peanut butter kisses or some other peanut butter recipe
Chocolate whoopie pies with mint filling
Shortbread for me and my mother
Gingerbread biscotti
Anything else that suits me, LOL.

Annie

Won't be much baking going on at my house this year...I need to lose some weight and no family around anymore to help eat stuff up. Having said that, I do have a party that I need to take something to, so was planning to make kiflings (powdered sugar covered shortbead cookies, a/ka Mexican wedding cakes, Russian tea cakes, etc.). However, if Alexa could provide me with the recipe, Eggnog Snickerdoodles sound pretty darn good and worth a try.

Thanks,
Janet

I only make two things every year. It is expected at this point. A good thing they are so easy.

-Matzo Crack
-Pocky

Both can be made gluten-free and the topping/dipping choices are endless. A google image search will show many idea choices and 'crack' recipes with good picture directions. This time of year i'm always searching for a nice thin pretzel and crispy breadstick to use for the Pocky. I usually end up with a few choices and now i see many gluten-free sticks.
I'll add a savory parmesan cracker to the list this year since i've found a good method and recipe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Matzo Crack

Hey Janet! I am happy to share the recipe I use. Hope you enjoy them - my 15 yo son absolutely adores these things

Alexa

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

2 3/4c flour
1 1/2c sugar
1 c butter
2 eggs
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg (optional-but I like nutmeg)
1/2 tsp brandy extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
Sugar mix:
1/4c sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix cookie ingredients. Shape into walnut sized balls. Roll in combined sugar mixture.
Bake 8-10 minutes @ 375ð. Yields: 4 doz.

Alexa,

These sound really good!! Looks like I'll be doing two cookies this year instead of just one. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Janet

Snickerdoodles
Jam Thumbprints
Peanut Butter Blossoms (THE Christmas cookie at our house)
Walnut Cookies (from KA, using their molds)
Macarons - The French kind, not the coconuts ones. ;)

On the "gotta have" list:

Annie's Molasses Cookies (Erin's fav)
Roselin's Raspberry Bars
Pecan Tassies
Eggnog Snickerdoodles
Almond Brickle Sugar Cookies

Candies:

Fudge
Snickers Fudge
Ann T's Maple Cream Fudge
Buckeyes

Darn! I have been avoiding this thread for the past few days and now I am in. Can you ladies share recipes please? I think we are going to bake cookies this year and give them away as gifts to the teachers, friends etc.

Any particular recipes you are looking for? And maybe we should start another thread for just recipes so Ann T can include it in the FAQ?

Alexa

Great idea. I wanted to request recipes for some that I see here. Didn't know if the thread should go that way.

The tray will have:

Lar's Madeline Turtles
chocolate raspberry crumb bars
bourbon balls
macroons
peppermint crunch marshmallows (KA recipe)
Annie's chewy molasses cookies
chocolate peanut clusters

Question about the eggnog snickerdoodles - can you use real rum /brandy instead of the extracts? I may have the real alcohol on hand, but wouldn't want to buy the extracts just for 1/2tsp each. Thanks!

Hi Elba

I have used regular rum and brandy, but the flavor is not as concentrated so I ended up using a little more to get the flavor I wanted, then had to add flour because the dough was too soft.

Alexa

I don't go all out and make boatloads of cookies and candies for the holiday, but i do a few.

I make Alexa's Eggnog Snickerdoodles every year, and I have always used rum and brandy, as I do not keep those extracts on hand.

Peanut butter blossoms and holiday biscotti are definite possibilities again this year.

As for candies, last year I made eggnog truffles and they were a huge hit so I'll make them again.

Linda

For those of you looking for recipes, you may want to look in the FAQ section. There is a Cookalong: Holiday Cookies & Cookalong: Holiday Cookies II. Unfortunately, the FAQ don't seem to keep the formatting. Here's the link for the first cookalong.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong: Holiday Cookies

Thanks, I'll give them a try!

Bump!

Thought it might be a good time to bump this. Tomorrow I have some nieces coming over to bake & decorate cookies with me. They are 12 & 14, the babies out of 17 nieces and nephews. I am grateful they still want to bake with Aunt Becky. So today its been a flurry of activity to take down Thanksgiving and put up Christmas. Right now I have gingerbread cookie dough, linzer cookie dough, and almond cookie dough in the frig chillin'! I have the ingredients out to make the dough for sugar cookies too.. Last year I could not bake fast enough to keep up with the cookie decorating crew, but I have a couple less coming tomorrow.

It'll be a sad day for me when the nieces outgrow this. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the moment.

Happy Baking!

I usually give jams, salsas etc, but this year I'm thinking of doing a few cookie/candy trays. I haven't decided, other than Russian Teacakes and Turtle Bars are required. Depends on my mood and how much off-time I get.

I'll probably make a batch of the fudge that my mom swore was THE See's Candy recipes (yeahright...but it's great fudge). Maybe Tassies, and I found a Nutella truffle recipe that looks interesting, as do some of the ideas here. And I'll try to find/adapt something gluten free for The Kid.

Bumping it back up....

Me too
I want soo bad to make cookies but im tired from dialysis I need a kidney,hubby is inhospital now theyre gonna stop his heart tomorrow,not sure we're gonna have cookies this year Im tired...I can dream though.