25 Days of Christmas Cookies
Whether you serve them at parties, leave them out for Santa, or mail them as gifts, it's just not Christmas without cookies. We've chosen our 25 favorite recipes, one for every day from December 1st through the 25th. From chocolate hazelnut crinkles to five-spice gingersnaps, each one is unique, beautiful, and delicious. Looking for inspiration?
Tips for perfect cookies:
* Release with Ease
Delicate sugar cookies or jam-filled ones like rugalach can sometimes stick to the baking sheet, making them tough to remove without cracking. In the past few years, many bakers have begun using silicone baking sheet liners to solve this problem. Silicone conducts heat, so it gets just as hot as the metal sheet underneath it, but its rubbery surface prevents sticking. Silicone liners are available at housewares stores. Silpat is one popular brand.
* Chill Before Shaping
Most types of cookie dough or batter can benefit from a stop in the fridge before they're formed. For rolled or slice-and-bake cookies, this firms up the dough, which makes it easier to roll out or slice. For drop cookies, the resting time allows the ingredients to fully meld, which creates better flavor and texture. Dough and batter can be refrigerated for as little as 30 minutes but can also be chilled, tightly wrapped, for several days.
* Store Snugly
Once cookies are baked and cooled, they should be stored, layered between sheets of wax paper, in a covered container. In general, cookies do not need to be refrigerated, but if you plan on keeping them for longer than a few days, you might want to consider freezing them. Most cookies will hold up well during freezing as long as they're tightly wrapped to prevent freezer burn. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
