My favorite Christmas Cookie recipes

I’ve received a number of really wonderful Christmas presents over the years - but the one I look forward to the most is the GIANT platter of homemade cookies our neighbor always brings over. I can’t think of anything I enjoy more than diving into the variety of sweet treats she takes the time to prepare! As an adult, I’ve always felt consumables make a better gift than any THING. I’ve got to store stuff, dust it, make use of it, but cookies? I can indulge in them, savor them, and when I’m done, there’s nothing left to do! And so, without further ado; here are my six favorite Christmas cookie recipes (in no particular order!)

Anisette Cookies:

This recipe is from my Aunt Linda, as she always arrives to Christmas Eve with a plate full of these adorable cookies topped with rainbow sprinkles! The cookie is incredibly simple to make but it’s the frosting that completes it! Worried about giving your kids anisette? Use Orange juice instead, that’s what my mom used to do when we were little!

Ricotta Cookies:

These come from my Aunt Mary, a self described “non-cook”. But these she can do, and does! Every year these light pillows of delicious land on the Christmas Eve dessert table, topped with any and everything! My three cousins used to load them up with every sprinkle imaginable when they were kids! Now we try to keep it a little more civilized, but with new baby cousins, I imagine they’ll get pretty wild again!

Struffoli:

Technically not a cookie, I know. BUT - a STAPLE at an Italian Christmas (they come with a few other names too!). This is my Grammy’s recipe that she passed on to my Mom. We still make them every year - and I mean PLATES of them, to keep and give! Gram used walnuts to stretch the recipe a bit but those are optional.

Snowball cookies:

God how I love a butter based cookie! These little delights double down on the fat because they’re essentially butter and nuts! Several cultures make some version of this cookie, but my family has always used walnuts. A quick roll in powdered sugar gives the cookie it’s “snowball” name.

Gingerbread Cookies:

Not at all Italian; but I LOVE them. The spicy sweet flavor of gingerbread has always been a favorite of mine! This is a recipe I developed after working off of several other recipes. It’s mildly sweet, packed with holiday spice, and bakes up to what I consider the perfect consistency, crisp outside, soft and chewy inside. You won’t be able to build a house with this recipe, but they roll and cut out beautifully!

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

I think chocolate chip cookies are seasonless. They go with everything, all the time, always. Everybody loves them and my version takes the extra step of browning the butter for more deliciousness in every bite! You can add nuts, or not, up to you (as always!). Either way, you’ll turn to this cookie recipe again and again!