I pretty much love all things Christmas.
I love decorating and Christmas carols. The magic of the season is totally my jam. It is so much fun to create memories around this time of year with my family.
You know one thing I don’t love so much?
Christmas cookies.
Well, scratch that, I love Christmas cookies. I love cookies in general. I just don’t love baking and I think that is in part because I am no good at it.
Every December, I have Cookie Day at my house. My mom comes over and we bake a ton of from scratch cookies together with my daughters. It is the best arrangement– my mom is an excellent baker and she does all the hard work. She teaches my girls different recipes, we get delicious cookies, and all I have to do is buy ingredients and preheat the oven. Everybody wins!
Last year we weren’t able to be together to do Cookie Day, but we still needed cookies. So, what is a subpar baker to do?
Well, good thing you asked.
I scoured the cookbooks, the Googler, the internets, and Pinterests and I found some pretty easy cookies to prep that even the most mediocre bakers (hi, that’s me!) can make and make edible.
So, without further adieu– here are Marisa’s Top Easy Christmas Cookies for the Mediocre Baker in You!
Break and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
It does not get any easier than this! The clever minds over at Pillsbury’s product development kitchen/lab/whatever you call it deserve all the glory. Literally, all there is to do is break apart the dough, bake it, and enjoy! Genius!
Cheater’s Peanut Butter Blossoms
Okay, piggybacking on the break and bake, pick yourself up a pack of peanut butter cookie dough and bake it per the directions. Once the cookies are done, pull them out of the oven, and top with with a Hersey’s Kiss while they are cooling. Who will ever know they technically homemade? I mean, you did bake them at home, right?
Alright, those last two “recipes” were more like cheats and I am pretty positive they aren’t new ideas to anyone–well, except me. When I tell you I am not a baker, I promise you I am not a baker. So, here are some actual recipes that I’ve actually made and they are both easy and delicious.
Simple Shortbread Cookies
Now these Simple Shortbread Cookies are actually from scratch, but with a word like “simple” in the name, they are exactly as advertised.
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups salted butter
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Mix butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add 3 1/2 cups of flour and mix until combined.
- Use the remaining cup of flour to flour your counter or cutting board in order to keep the dough from sticking.
- Knead the dough until it is soft and then divide it into three balls, wrap it tightly in parchment paper, and then chill it for 30 minutes in the refridgerator.
- Roll the dough out and cut it into your desired shape. (I used cookie cutters to make some shapes and also did rectangular strips.)
- Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
Cake Mix Cookies
I love a soft sugar cookie, but I have never been able to keep mine from getting crispy when I bake them. These Cake Mix Cookies stay soft and fluffy and check that sugar cookie box for me. You can mix sprinkles in the batter or frost them once they’ve baked and cooled.
Ingredients:
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix them together.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
Christmas Cream Cheese Mints
Technically, these aren’t cookies, but they round out my list because they are easy to make and yummy to eat. They remind me of those amazing after dinner mints you can buy. You cannot just eat one of these.
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces of softened cream cheese
- 4 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon of milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract
- 1/4 cup of red, white, and green sprinkles
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
Directions:
- Mix together cream cheese and mint extract
- Blend in two cups of powdered sugar and the tablespoon of milk. You just want the mixture to be smooth, but be careful not to overmix it.
- Add additional cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of your chosen sprinkles.
- Add in remaining cup of powdered sugar with your hands and knead the dough until it is smooth.
- Combine granulated sugar and remaining sprinkles.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in sugar/sprinkle combo.
- Place on baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes.
- Remove from refrigerator and flatten with a fork.
Baking = Complete.
These simple recipes will stock your cookie jar for the whole season. If you are a seasoned baker then these recipes might be great to try with little ones. They aren’t too complicated and are sure to be enjoyed by everyone!