Easy holiday cookies that look like you fussed

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I remember a time early in my baking journey when I wasn’t quite as organized. It would be a week before Christmas and suddenly I’d get inspired to bake holiday cookies for friends. Sometimes my cookies didn’t turn out.

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So that it doesn’t happen to you, here are two tried and tested recipes that you can easily make at home. My gingersnap cookies are a snap to make — pun intended. The butter cookies can be as easy or as hard as you’d like them to be. If you’re a new baker, I recommend simply cutting out the dough and dredging the tops with sparkling sugar before baking.

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In case you missed my last column from two weeks ago, the secret to making your homemade cookies look like they came from Martha Stewart’s kitchen is all in the presentation. Package your cookies in clear cellophane bags, then tie them with pretty ribbons before laying them in a pretty box or in a pinch, a gift bag lined with tissue paper. Do not present them in a disposable plastic container or plate covered with plastic wrap or foil unless you’re going for that potluck look.

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Butter Cookies

This recipe for buttery, crumbly, slightly crisp, melt-in-your-mouth cookies is very versatile. I like almond extract because it complements the buttery goodness beautifully. However, if you don’t like the flavour of almond, feel free to leave it out or substitute it with say, lemon zest and you’ve got yourself lemon butter cookies instead.

As versatile as they are on taste, they are equally versatile when it comes to decorating them. As I’d mentioned, you can cut them out with a cookie cutter and leave them as is or decorate them with a little icing. For an over-the-top baking project, pour liquid Isomalt into the middle for a glassy effect before decorating them. Be cautious when working with Isomalt. It’s extremely hot and can burn you. But it does create the prettiest cookies!

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2-1/8 cups (255g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (227g) butter, softened

½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

¼ cup (50g) sparkling sugar (optional, and used only if cookies will not be decorated)

Edible Glass

1 cup (200g) Isomalt

Royal icing

3 oz (6 tbsp) pasteurized egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

4 cups (500g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tsp clear vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a stand mixer, outfitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat for about a minute until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add the flour and mix until dough clumps together. Do not over mix.

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Transfer dough from the stand mixer onto a well-floured working surface. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll each of the portions out to ¼-inch thickness. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. Repeat with the other portion of dough.

Once chilled, working with 1 portion at a time, remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness, use a large 5-inch snowflake cookie cutter to cut out cookies. If adding Isomalt to the middle of the cookies, use a 3-inch snowflake cookie cutter to cut out the middle of the 5-inch cookies. Gather the scraps, roll, and cut out more cookies.

Place the cutout cookies 3 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place the cookies back into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. Repeat for the other portion of chilled dough.

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Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bake for 11-12 minutes until barely golden around the edges.

Remove from the oven. Allow cookies to cool on the tray for 15 minutes before moving them onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

Edible glass:

Line a cookie sheet with a new piece of parchment paper. Do not reuse the ones you’d baked the cookies on. Place cookies right side up, 1 inch apart on the new piece of parchment paper.

Add Isomalt crystals to a 500ml glass measuring cup with a spout. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes until liquefied and mixture is bubbling. Carefully remove the plastic wrap as mixture is extremely hot. Allow the bubbles to dissipate — approximately 1 minute.

Pour the liquid Isomalt into the centre of each cookie, making sure to flood the entire middle before moving on to the next cookie. If the Isomalt hardens, return it to the microwave and heat in 30 second intervals until liquified.

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Allow Isomalt to set, approximately 20 minutes. Although Isomalt will still be sticky, you may start decorating the cookies. However, if you have time, it’s best to wait 24 hours before icing the cookies. Store cookies in an airtight container while waiting for Isomalt to set completely. Do not stack cookies!

Royal icing:

In a stand mixer outfitted with a whisk attachment, whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. With the machine on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, whisking in between until fully incorporated. Increase speed to high and continue whisking until mixture is very thick and forms stiff peaks. Transfer royal icing into a piping bag and pipe snowflake design on the cookies. Allow icing to dry for 6 hours before stacking cookies. Store any unused royal icing in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.

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Makes 1 dozen large 5-inch cookies or 20 regular sized cookies

Bakery-Style Gingersnap Cookies

These bakery-style gingersnap cookies are one of my favourites. They remind me of those crunchy ginger cookies my mom would purchase from Mark’s & Spencer, only better. My recipe creates extra crunchy, extra spicy cookies. The sparkling sugar adds crunch while the black pepper and cayenne pepper adds extra spiciness, but feel free to leave out the peppers if you don’t like the heat. The best part is that this recipe can be made without the use of a stand or hand mixer.

½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil

1 large egg, beaten

¼ cup (60ml) fancy molasses (not blackstrap molasses)

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

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2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground all-spice

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper (optional)

1/16 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

¼ cup (50g) sparkling sugar

¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add butter, oil, egg, molasses, and sugar. Using a spatula, mix to combine. Set aside.

In another bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using. Whisk until well combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 3 separate batches, and using a spatula, mix dough until well combined.

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In a separate bowl, add sparkling and granulated sugar. Mix with a spoon. Set aside.

Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough, roll lightly in the palm of your hands, then roll in sugar mixture before placing balls 3 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-11 minutes until cookies are lightly golden and set around the edges.

Allow cookies to cool slightly on the cookie sheet before moving them to a rack to finish cooling.

Store in an airtight container until needed. Enjoy!

Makes 22 large bakery-style cookies or 36 regular size cookies

Karen Gordon is a food blogger from North Vancouver who shares her recipe creations online at karentology.com, on Instagram at @karen.t.ology, and on Pinterest @karentologyblog.