Get out the cookie sheets; it’s time to start baking the Holiday cookies and treats. Nothing feels and smells like Christmas as much as Holiday baking. Many of you know that I am not a baker…it is much to precise of a science for me.so the recipes you will see in this cookie baking article will be very easy and almost foolproof!

Enjoy!

Turtle Grahams

Ingredients

• Approximately 14 graham crackers (if each graham cracker is 5″ x 2.5″)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 12 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
3. Put the butter, brown sugar, pecans, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the graham crackers and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl placed over simmering water. Pour the chocolate over the toffee-covered graham crackers and spread evenly. Chill completely in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Basic Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
3. Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Walnut Meltaway Cookies

(This is a Mexican version of our traditional Wedding Cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup ground walnuts
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Using an electric mixer beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, and then the ground and chopped walnuts. Divide the dough in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Working with half of the chilled dough at a time while keeping the rest in the fridge, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2-inch apart.
4. Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Transfer the sugarcoated cookies to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature). Sift additional powdered sugar over the cookies, if desired, before serving.

The Best Basic Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups (12-ounce package) chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking sheets or spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Put the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and stir it with a whisk to combine. Set aside.
4. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter until it is lighter in color. Slowly add in sugars and beat until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time and beat until they are incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture using low speed, then stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by heaping tablespoonful’s about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sugar Topping

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Then add molasses and vanilla and beat on low until combined.
4. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap refrigerate for 2 hours, up to overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
7. Transfer coarse sugar into a small bowl. Then, use a cookie scoop to scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of cookie dough at a time, and roll into 1-inch ball. Roll the cookie ball into the bowl of sugar to fully coat it. Place on the lined baking tray, spaced 2-3 inches apart. You will have to bake in multiple batches, or freeze some uncoated cookie balls to bake later.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool down completely.
9. If the cookies have a dome to them and are not very crinkled (this can happen if your cookie dough has been chilled for too long), just before transferring to a wire cooling rack, gently press down on them using the back of a spatula so flatten them out a bit and create the crinkle effect. Then, transfer to the cooling rack to cool down completely.