4 Christmas Cookies, 1 Dough

This recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published at 365Barrington.com.

Christmas is just around the corner! Have you started making cookies yet? During the holidays everyone loves to put out a big plate of assorted homemade cookies. Having the time to make several kinds of cookies is another story.

Today I’m sharing four cookies my mother makes for Christmas to get your own cookie platter started. All four recipes start with the same base sugar cookie dough. Four different Christmas cookies from one large batch of dough; that changes everything! These are not fancy cookies; they take no special skills to make and require no special tools. They’re rustic but super delicious.

Sugar Cookie Dough

Yield: 4 Batches 

Ingredients 

• 2 1/2 pounds of butter
• 10 cups sugar
• 6 Tbs. baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 10 eggs
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/3 cup vanilla
• 2.3 pounds flour

Method

1. Cream together butter and sugar far until completely blended.
2. Add eggs, milk and vanilla.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
5. Divide into 4 batches. Wrap twice with Saran Wrap.
6. Refrigerate overnight
7. For classic cut out cookies: Roll no thicker than 1/4 inch. Cut and bake approx. 5 to 6 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbs. milk
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Method

1. Combine all ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Pistachio Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 batch sugar cookie dough
• 1 box (4-serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1 cup dry-roasted salted pistachio nuts
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 2 cups white chocolate melting discs

Method

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with Parchment Paper; set aside.
2. Start with one batch of Sugar cookie dough, let sit at room temp.
3. In a large bowl, knead together the cookie dough, pudding mix, pistachios and cranberries; mix well.
4. Using a small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheet. Press with fingers to slightly flatten.
5. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
6. Melt white chocolate discs in a glass bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Stir and repeat until melted smoothly. Drizzle chocolate over cookies. Let cool before covering.
7. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Red Poinsettia Cookies

Ingredients 

• 1 batch of sugar cookie dough
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon red food color
• 1/3 cup red sugar
• 24 yellow gumdrops (1/2 to 1 inch)

Method

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour and food color until blended and color is even.
3. Remove half the dough, and refrigerate the remaining dough until needed.
4. Shape dough into 12 (1 1/4-inch) balls; use a cookie scoop.
5. Roll in red sugar and place 2 inches apart on non-greased cookie sheets.
6. With a thin sharp knife dipped into flour, cut each ball into 6 wedges, cutting 3/4 of the way down into the ball but not through the bottom.
7. Spread wedges apart very slightly to form flower petals (cookies will separate and flatten as they bake). Repeat with remaining dough and red sugar.
8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown.
9. Immediately press 1 gumdrop in center of each cookie. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 10 minutes. Store in a tightly covered container. Can be frozen.

Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 batch of cookie dough (above)
• 1 batch frosting (above)
• 1 bag of Ghirardelli chocolate melting disc

Method

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Using a round cookie cutter cut out an even number of cookies.
3. Cook cookies on a sheet pan covered with parchment. 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Let cool completely. Frost the backside of one cookie and sandwich with another. Repeat until all cookies are sandwiched.
5. Melt chocolate discs in a glass bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Stir and repeat until melted smoothly. Drizzle finished sandwich cookies with melted chocolate.