Celebrate in Style! Five Festive Cookie Recipes for Holidays & Parties
The holidays are upon us, and with them comes a whirlwind of merrymaking, gift-giving, and holiday baking! What better way to spread cheer, comfort, and joy than serving festive cookies at your holiday dinners and parties?
But hold on before you reach for the same old sugar cookie recipe. This roundup features five delicious cookies your family and friends will ask for more.
These cookies will surely impress your guests and tantalize your taste buds. They are my favorite go-to five festive cookie recipes.
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1. Rugelach
These crescent-shaped pastries, hailing from the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, are more than just delectable treats. Imagine a delicate bite exploding with a symphony of texture and flavors Yum! The buttery dough is enriched with cream cheese and melts in your mouth, giving way to a sweet or savory filling of dates, nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. They are my favorite cookie during the holidays.
Rugelach is more than just a delicious dessert. It is a cherished piece of Jewish heritage, gracing the tables of Rosh Hashana and Hanukkah. Its presence signifies abundance, celebration, and the warmth of family gatherings.
Rugelach
Equipment
- Standing Electric Mixer
- Rolling Pin for rolling out the dough
- Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter
- Plastic Wrap
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheets (Cookie Sheets)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter Soften to room temperature
- 6 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
- 2 3/4 Cups All Purposed Flour
- 1/4 TSP Salt
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Dates finely chopped Note: Raisins can be substituted
- 1/4 Cup Walnuts finely chopped
- 2 TSP Cinnamon
- 1 Egg Yolk Beaten with 1 teaspoon of water (egg wash)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add flour and salt. Continue mixing until well combined.
- Wrap and chill dough for 2 hours (a must).
- Meanwhile combine 1/2 cup of sugar, dates, nuts and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Divide the dough into 5 to 6 sections. You will form these in to ball.
- Work with 1 ball of dough at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, clean work surface. Careful not to over work the dough.
- Roll the dough in to a flat circle about 6-8 inches.
- Trim to make sure you have a round circle. You can add the trimmed dough to one of the balls to use next.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, slice in half length ways, again sideways and into triangles (like you are slicing a pizza into quarters).
- Sprinkle the filling mixture on top of the circle.
- Starting at the wide end fold over the corners and about ¼-inch of the dough. Gently, roll the Rugelach dough toward the small end like you would a Crescent Roll. Be gentle so that you are not pushing out your filling.Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush the tops with the egg wash then immediately sprinkle with sugar. Continue until all are brushed and sprinkled with sugar.
- Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes until the cookie begins to slightly turn golden. Do not over cook.
- Cookies can be stored in airtight containers after they have cooled. They can also be placed in the freezer.
Notes
2. Shortbread Cookies
These cookies are simple in ingredients and easy to make for the holidays. They look festive, dipped in chocolate and coated with nuts or holiday sprinkles.
These cookies, made with just sugar, flour, butter, and vanilla, are melt-in-your-mouth buttery delights. They are super easy to make, too!
Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup Butter
- 3/4 Cup Granulated White Sugar
- 1 TSP Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 1/2 TSP Salt
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Nuts (Optional for decorating cookies)
- 1/2 Cup Sprinkles (Optional for decorating cookies)
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and egg together until creamy.
- Mix flour and salt together. Slow add to creamed butter and sugar mixture.
- Using your hands, mix until well blended.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop mixture for each cookie.
- Shape into 2-inch logs, 1-inch balls or flat rounds.
- Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cookies cool.
- When cookies are cool enough to handle. Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler.
- Dip half of a log or circle cookie into the melted chocolate. You can also dip the round tops into the melt chocolate.
- Coat or sprinkle with nuts or candy sprinkles.
3. Chinese New Year Cookies
My mother used to bake these for the family at Christmas. She found the recipe in a cookie book or a magazine many years ago. The savory flavors of chocolate and butterscotch, along with the crunchiness of the peanuts and Chinese Noodles, is a party of delight in your mouth.
This holiday cookie is an easy no-bake recipe. It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It’s sure to please the holiday guests on the dessert tray.
Chinese New Year Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Butterscotch Chips
- 6 ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 3 ounce can Chow Mein Noodles
- 1 cup Salted Peanuts
Instructions
- Melt the chips in a double-boiler.
- Mix in Chow Mein Noodles and peanuts. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
- Drop by teaspoon on to wax paper in stacks.
- Allow to completely cool. The chocolate will harden and you will be able to place in storage container or cookie tins.
4. Potato Chip Cookies
If you love Pecan Sandies, you will love this crispy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. Yes, it is made with crushed potato chips. These cookies are so delicious that you cannot just eat one of them.
Potato Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Kitchenaid Mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Pans
- Parchment Paper
- Measuring Spoon
- Cookie Sheets (non-stick baking pans)
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 Sticks Salted Butter
- 1 1/2 Cups Granulate White Sugar
- 2 Large Egg Yolks
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 Cups Crushed Potato Chips Use a gallon Ziplock bag to pour the potato chips in and crush with your hands by squeezing the bag. I usually will leave a corner unzipped so the bag does not burst.
- 1 Cup Chopped Pecans
- 1 TBSP Sugar Set Aside
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In Kitchenaid cream together butter, sugar and vanilla.
- Separate egg yolks from whites. You will only be using 2 egg yolks. Beat yolks and add to butter mixture. Scrap the sides of the bowls with a spatula.
- Add the flour, one cup add a time. Scrap the sides of the bowls with a spatula in between each batch of flour. Continue until all flour is combined into the butter mixture.
- Slow pour in the crushed potato chips. Your mixer should be on a medium speed until well mixed.
- Add chopped pecans and mix well.
- Roll the cookie mixture into 1" balls and place on baking sheets that has been lined with parchment paper.
- Using the tablespoon of sugar that you set aside, place in a bowl on plate. You will use this to dip your fork in to keep the cookie dough from sticking to your fork. You will need to make a criss cross mark across each cookie.
- Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes. Until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
5. The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Of the five festive cookies, this one is a family favorite. They refer to it as the best chocolate chip cookies ever!
The secret ingredient of ground-up dried oatmeal added to the flour mixture makes them incredibly scrumptious. I get more requests for these cookies during the holidays, and they disappear fast!
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 Cup Oats (not instant) 1/3 Cup should be after you grind the oats in a blender, Nutribullet or food processor.
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract No imitation vanilla. Use a good quality vanilla extract.
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Cup Salted Butter (not substitution) (Two Sticks Soften)
- 3/4 Cup Granulated White Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Light Packed Brown Sugar
- 2 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Use good chocolate chips such as GhiGhirardelli
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- Line the baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid Mixer), cream butter, granulated white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy.
- Add eggs to the mixture and mix until all ingredients are creamy.
- Add flour, salt and baking soda.
- In a food processor grind the oats to a powder. Then add to the cookie mixture.
- Stir in chocolate chips and mix until all are distributed into the cookie mixture. Do not over mix.
- Stir in chopped nuts and mix (optional).
- Using a medium size cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded tablespoon of cookie mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Using a cookie scoop will produce cookies of the same size.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes (depending on your oven) or until golden brown.
- Cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes and remove to wire racks or plate to thoroughly cool.
- Cookies can be stored in air tight containers. Cookies can also be made ahead and store in the freezer. Remove 1/2 hour before serving to thaw.
Notes
I hope you give some of these recipes a try for the holiday. These five festive cookies are the top requested cookies that I get from the family each year.
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With these five festive cookie recipes in your recipe file, you are prepared to celebrate any occasion in style! From classic favorites to unique twists, these treats are sure to impress your guests and satisfy your sweet tooth. Your family and friends will enjoy them.
Happy Holidays!
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