Two Easy Holiday Cookie Recipes

Need a last minute holiday cookie recipe? These two easy and delicious holiday cookies are classic and festive – and don’t take long to make. Peanut butter blossoms are dressed up by rolling them in cinnamon sugar and topping with caramel kisses, and a basic drop cookie is adorned with chocolate and crushed peppermint candy. Perfect treat for family or friends–or Santa!

Peanut Butter Blossoms with Caramel Kisses

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, milk and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder until dough forms.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in additional granulated cinnamon sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 caramel kiss candy in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.

Basic drop cookie with chocolate – mint dip

8 tablespoons (113g) butter, room temperature
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (85g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (71g) brown sugar, light or dark, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups (177g) unbleached all purpose flour
1 T (28g) milk, optional

Chocolate mint coating
6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 T coconut oil
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.
• Beat together the butter, sugars, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda till well combined.
• Add the egg, beating till smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and beat again till smooth.
• Add the flour, mixing it in completely.
• If you’re making cookies using chips, nuts, etc, beat in the milk, then the add-ins.
• If you’re making plain cookies, without add-ins, omit the milk.
• Drop the cookies by the traditional “tablespoonful” (actually about 4 measuring teaspoons) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2″ apart. A tablespoon cookie scoop works well here.
• Bake the cookies for 10 to 14 minutes (or up to 16 minutes; ovens may vary). The cookies should be a light golden brown, and a bit darker around the edges. For softer cookies, bake the shorter amount of time; for crunchy cookies, bake longer.
• Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool right on the baking sheets.

Once cookies are cool, melt chocolate in coconut in microwave, 10 seconds at a time until melted and smooth. Dip cookies into chocolate and then place on parchment paper and sprinkle on mint. Chill in fridge or freezer about 10 minutes until chocolate is hardened.