Abigail's Holiday Cookie Guide
Add butter and sugar to your grocery list...
The holidays are here! With this year’s late Thankgiving, it feels like December is moving at turbo speed. Office parties, holiday cocktails, gifts for friends and neighbors are among the many reasons I am turning on my oven on this season and not showing up to any event empty-handed. You probably already know that I LOVE baking cookies, and it’s even more fun around the holidays.
The baking question I get most is: “Do you have a good (fill in the blank) cookie recipe?” Nothing brightens my day more than being asked this question, and I start immediately browsing my Pinterest to find the best recipe for each scenario. Cue the subject of today’s newsletter. There are SO many recipes online right now; it’s overwhelming. But I’ve done the research (a.k.a. baked A LOT of cookies), and I’ve got you covered. I’m sharing some of my top recipes for any given situation this holiday season that are vetted with the G.B.G. stamp of approval. Let’s get into it…
A cookie that comes together in an hour or less: Baked by Rachel’s Funfetti Blondies. If I had a dollar for every time I recommended these blondies, I could probably take myself to a nice dinner. These blondies are so easy and quick to whip up. Throw in holiday M&M’s and/or red and green sprinkles, and you have a festive treat.
If you want a true cookie, I will steer you towards Cloudy Kitchen’s Funfetti Sugar Cookies. In general, Erin has amazing recipes so it’s hard to go wrong on her site. These sugar cookies come together with ease, and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen.
A cookie to win a cookie swap: The Palatable Life’s Gingerbread Coffee Cake Cookies. I went crazy for these last year. They are such a fun and unique way to make a gingerbread-flavored cookie. They’re great for a cookie swap because they’re unusual, have a couple of components, and still evoke that classic gingerbread flavor. Pro tip: I had success making the cookies smaller for a higher yield — just adjust your baking time because they’ll bake faster.
A cookie to bring to the office: What’s Gaby Cooking’s M&M Cheesecake Cookie Bars. When it comes to the office, my feelings are to go classic with a twist. These cookies will stand apart from chocolate chip cookies but are not so funky that they are polarizing. The recipe is perfect for all skill levels. Gaby suggests chilling for 2 hours in the fridge before slicing. I only waited for about one and had no problems. Pro tip: Per Gaby’s instructions, I do recommend cleaning your knife between slices.
A cookie to send in the mail: Betty Crocker’s Peanut Butter Blossoms. A straightforward option where you can’t go wrong. These cookies are ideal for all baking skill levels and will travel well. Pro tip: Instead of hershey kisses, I highly recommend using mini Reeses cups. The added peanut butter bite is pefection.
A cookie to impress your in-laws: NYT Cooking’s Ginger Cheesecake Cookies. When I saw that Samantha Seneviratne developed this recipe, I knew we were in for a treat. These cookies are so full of flavor and, yet, not too fussy. Ginger molasses cookies are a crowdpleaser so this elevated version will be sure to wow. I recommend for anyone slightly above beginner level. Pro tip: For ease, I made a few tweaks by omitting the candied ginger and grating the ginger instead of chopping to great results.
A cookie that’s gluten free and actually good: Averie Cook’s Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies. Factor in time to chill but, otherwise, these cookies are quick, gluten and dairy free. I’ve added some chocolate chips in the past too when I want to zhuzh them up. Pro tip: There are some great gluten free flours on the market now that you can use in place of regular flour: Cup4cup, Bob’s Red Mill, and King Arthur.
I can’t stop talking about… my favorite books of 2024. We still have a couple more weeks but here are a few books that I loved.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Yes, this absolutely lived up to the hype.
Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez. This was a slow start for me and then halfway through I couldn’t put it down. This book had so much: academia, art, multiple timelines, a little magical realism, and themes around power, privledge, race, and gender. It was so thought provoking. I highly recommednd.
The Magnificent Lives of Majorie Post by Allison Pataki. I didn’t know much about Majorie Post before reading this but I am glad now I do. While this was definitely a narrative version of her life, she was incredible. She was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and an icon with extravagant taste. It was amazing to read how she moved through the 20th century’s biggest moments.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides. I couldn’t turn the pages faster. It was so grounded in the setting that the book transported you to Greece.
Happy baking and happy holidays! See you in 2025!
