Holiday Cookie Recipes

The holidays are definitely a great excuse to treat yo self, and that includes indulging on the sweets! Whether you’ve got a holiday party with friends or family, showing up with some delicious cookies in hand is sure to make you the guest of honor. Kristy spent some serious time baking treats for her whole family, and these cookie recipes are definitely drool-worthy. And everyone knows dessert goes straight to the soul, so go ahead and enjoy guilt-free. See Kristy’s holiday cookie recipes below.

Cool Whip Cookies

These cool whip cookies are fluffy and a fabulous treat for the family! The best part? You can use any kind of cake mix to tailor them to your favorite flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of cake mix – any flavor (I used red velvet)
• 8oz cool whip 
• 1 egg 
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
• Drop by spoonful into powdered sugar 
• Place on cookie sheet (I lined with parchment paper) 
• Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes and cool before removing from cookie sheet

Cinnamon Nut Palmiers

These flaky cinnamon-tastic Palmiers are a little sweet, a little nutty, and a whole lotta yummy.

Ingredients:

• Frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (I used candied pecans)
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided 
• 1 large egg 
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400° 
• Sprinkle 2 tbsp of sugar on work surface, unfold pastry sheets and roll into 16″x12” rectangle 
• Whisk together egg and 1 tbsp water, brush the tops of pastry sheet with 1/2 the egg mixture 
• Combine cinnamon, pecans, and 2 tbsp of sugar and sprinkle over pastry 
• Starting at each shorter end, roll the pastry up tightly, jelly roll fashion to meet in the center – brush each pastry with remaining egg mixture
• Cut each roll into 1/2” thick slices and place 2” apart on lightly greased baking sheet 
• Bake for 10 minutes or until golden
• Cool cookies for 5 minutes before removing them from baking sheet
• Cool for an additional 10-15 minutes

Cherry Truffles

A fruity, rich treat for all of your holiday parties! These cherry truffles are creamy and chocolate-y and are sugary with a slightly tart twist.

Ingredients:

• 8oz cream cheese 
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
• 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup cherry preserves (I used Bonne Maman) 
• Powdered sugar 

Directions:

• Beat cream cheese at medium with an electric mixer until fluffy
• Add in melted chocolate, beating until smooth
• Stir in cookie crumbs and cherry preserves
• Cover and chill for one hour
• Shape mixture into 1” balls and roll into powdered sugar 
• Store in airtight container in refrigerator or freeze for up to 2 months

Chocolate Chip Cookies

A must-have classic! The chocolate chip cookie is the accountable cookie that always tastes delicious and always feels like home. Make sure you have a good supply of these on-hand for the holidays!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter 
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (I swear by Watkins clear vanilla) 
• 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 4oz milk or semisweet chocolate chunks 
• 4oz dark chocolate chunks 

Directions:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, salt, and butter until a paste has formed
• Whisk in the egg and vanilla, beating until light ribbons fall off the whisk.
• Sift in the flour and baking soda, then fold mixture with a spatula (be careful not to over mix) 
• Fold in the chocolate chunks 
• Chill dough for 30 minutes 
• Preheat oven to 350° 
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper 
• Scoop dough with ice cream scoop and place on baking sheet 4” apart (2” from edges so cookies can spread evenly) 
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges have started to lightly brown 
• Let cool completely and enjoy!