Everyone loves the joy of Christmas baking, but let’s be honest—baking for the holidays isn’t always as easy as it seems. Finding the right recipes and making sure everything turns out just right can be a bit overwhelming. To help take the stress out of your holiday baking, we’ve curated together 5 simple, delicious recipes that anyone can make. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just looking for some fun holiday treats, these recipes will have you enjoying the festive season in no time!
Grinch Cookies
Ingredients
3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 Teaspoons baking soda
1 Teaspoons kosher salt
Green sanding sugar
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Teaspoon pure almond extract
Green food coloring
Red heart sprinkles
Directions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Place green sanding sugar is a second bowl.
Step 2. Beat butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in eggs just until combined. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Slowly beat in flour mixture until combined. (The dough will be a little soft.) Beat in two to three drops of green food coloring. Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll in green sanding sugar. Arrange dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Step 3. Bake until crisp around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Press a heart sprinkle on each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
2 Cups white chocolate, chopped
4 drops food-grade peppermint oil
¾ Cups crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Directions
Step 1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan with a few inches of simmering water over low heat (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Gently melt the white chocolate, stirring occasionally, until only a few lumps remain, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until completely smooth. Stir in the peppermint oil.
Step 2. Pour the white chocolate onto the lined baking sheet and smooth it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with the crushed candy. Let set at room temperature (if the room is cool) or in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 hours.
Step 3. Once the bark has completely hardened, break it into pieces.
Holiday Pretzel Christmas “Cookies”
Ingredients
1 bag waffle or holiday-shaped pretzels
1 bag holiday M&M’s plain or peanut butter chocolate candies
1 12-oz bag Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses
Directions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
Step 2. Open the bags of pretzels and remove all the unbroken pretzels.
Step 3. Place them on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets in a single layer.
Step 4. Unwrap Hershey’s Kisses, place one on each pretzel, repeat for an entire cookie sheet.
Step 5. Place cookie sheet in the preheated oven and “bake” for six minutes.
Step 6. Immediately upon removing from the oven, place one M-n-M on top of semi-melted Hershey’s Kiss.
Step 7. Place entire cookie sheet in refrigerator until cookies are set.
Step 8. Place in cute holiday bags or on a cookie tray for your guests to enjoy!
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe {only 3 ingredients!}
Ingredients
1 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 Cup + 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 Cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 Teaspoon vanilla (optional, but recommended)
Rainbow sprinkles or nonpareils (optional, but recommended)
Directions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat together butter and 2/3 cup sugar until combined. (It will be a little gritty – that's ok.)
Step 3. Add in flour and blend well (then blend in the vanilla, if using.)
Step 4. Using a cookie scoop, roll the dough into 1-inch balls.
Step 5. Gently roll the balls in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar until lightly coated; transfer to the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
Step 6. With the bottom of a measuring cup or glass, press down on the balls to flatten. Sprinkle with some nonpareils (if using) and lightly press down again just so they stick. (The dough should end up being between an 1/8-1/4 inch thick, so 3/16 to be exact. They will look pretty small in circumference, but they will spread a bit to a normal size cookie.)
Step 7. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until just slightly golden around the edges and on the bottom.
Step 8. Remove form the oven and let rest on the baking sheets for at least 10-15 minutes (don't skip this step!) Then eat or transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
1 Cup shortening
1 Cup peanut butter
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ Cups white sugar, divided
2 large eggs
¼ Cup milk
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 (9 ounce) bags milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
Directions
Step 1. Gather all ingredients.
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
Step 3. Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup white sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
Step 4. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in milk and vanilla.
Step 5. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into peanut butter mixture until well blended.
Step 6. Shape spoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
Step 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie.
Step 8. Allow to cool completely; the kiss will harden as it cools.