photo by Collin Anderson

Cookies are a popular tradition throughout the holiday season. They’re easy to serve, travel well and make wonderful gifts. Most everyone has a favorite to bake. The most common cookie requests I receive are for cookies that aren’t too sweet and go well with coffee or tea, sugar cookies that hold their shape and casual cookie desserts that are crowd pleasers.
Here are a few recipes to cover those requests.

Sugar Cookies (for cut-outs)

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Gradually mix dry ingredients into butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together. Chill for 1 to 2 hours Roll to desired thickness and use cutters to cut into shapes. Bake on parchment paper on an ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes or until just cookies are beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Royal Icing

3/4 cup warm water
5 tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2-1/4 pounds powdered sugar

Using a stand-mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Hand mix it using a whisk for about 30 seconds or until it is frothy and thickened. Add the cream of tartar and mix for an additional 30 seconds. Pour in all the icing sugar at once, and place the bowl on the stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment on the lowest speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy. Cover the bowl with a damp towel to prevent hardening. Tint with food color. Thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency. — Y.G., Maine

Cookie Salad

1 cup buttermilk
1 large package vanilla instant pudding
1 large tub (16 ounces) whipped topping
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 package fudge striped cookies or chocolate-covered graham crackers, broken into pieces

Mix buttermilk with dry instant pudding. Add whipped topping and mix well. Fold in mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple. Scoop into parfait glasses. Crumble cookies on top before serving. — Sarah, Illinois

Wedding Cookies

1 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 cup crushed pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter, sugar and salt. Add flour and pecans. Shape in small round balls. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar immediately after removing from the oven. You can reroll them again in powdered sugar after they are cooled if you like. — Dixie Jean, e-mail

Chocolate Cookies

1-1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix. In separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Fold in chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool about 1 minute, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely. — Darlene B., New York
Note from Sara: This recipe is perfect for using up any leftover chocolate Halloween candy.

What is your favorite cookie recipe?

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