Easy Holiday Cookie Recipes

Do your cookies always seem to turn out burnt, lacking flavor, or just… blah? Perhaps you don’t even bother with holiday baking because you feel it’s too time consuming. Never fear. We’ve collected a couple easy recipes that will have your guests thinking you bought a platter at Wegmans this year.

Classic Sugar Cookies

With just six ingredients, we promise this one’s super easy.

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup, plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt

1. mix butter and sugar together until just incorporated
2. add egg and vanilla extract on low speed
3. in a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then add butter and egg mixture on low speed
4. as the dough clumps around the mixing paddle, remedy crumbles with ice cold water 1 tbsp at a time until all dough is combined
5. line two baking sheets with parchment paper
6. turn dough out on wax paper, place another sheet of wax paper on top of the dough ball and roll to a one quarter to half-inch thickness
7. refrigerate rolled dough for one hour, then remove and cut out desired shapes
8. refrigerate cut outs for 30 minutes to help cookies stay crisp while baking
9. bake cookies at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes
10. cool after baking, and frost as desired!

Mexican Wedding Cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
• ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. beat butter until light and fluffy
3. add ½ cup powdered sugar and vanilla, blend well
4. turn mixer to a low setting, add flour
5. fold in chopped pecans with spatula
6. divide dough in half and wrap in plastic
7. chill in refrigerator until cold
8. working with one half at a time, use floured hands to roll a tbsp.-sized piece of dough into a ball
9. arrange balls on parchment-lined backing sheet ½ inches apart from one another
10. bake until golden brown on bottom and pale golden on top (15-18 minutes)
11. cool on baking sheet and then roll in additional confectioners’ sugar to coat