This post is sponsored by Sweets on a Stick.
It’s the most magical time of the year! Our kitchens are filled with that sweet warm aroma as cookies bake, Christmas music hums throughout the house, and children merrily frost creations reminiscent of the Impressionist era.
Unless you live in the REAL world. Then, some of our Christmas cookie sagas play out more like that scene in Home Alone when the family dinner descends into chaos. Sprinkles? Plenty on the floor. Frosting? Too watery, or as thick as a brick. Confection artistry? Mmmm, is that a reindeer or a puddle?
Although we can’t promise you a picture-perfect holiday, we can certainly point you to some experts who will help make your December baking experiences more fun and less sticky!
The best Christmas cookies are those whose recipes are easy and quick to execute and produce treats that looks festive, can be mailed, decorated, or eaten straight out of the oven.
5 Cookie Recipes that Make the Cut
Basic Sugar Cookies: These elusive bits of goodness will transform your holiday singlehandedly once you find the right recipe. The Kitchn’s Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are quick to whip up, require no special ingredients, and maintain their shape (thanks, cream cheese!). Not only are they fun to decorate, but they’re also delicious (and slightly tangy)!
Big Fat Ginger Cookies: These soft, slightly spicy cookies are just grown-up enough for any cookie exchange and won’t crumble when mailed.
Gingerbread Men: This basic gingerbread recipe is guaranteed to satisfy that craving for the most classic of Christmas cookies.
Dipped Pretzels: We love these glamorous dipped pretzels featured by the gorgeous Instagram feed of Sweets on a Stick. For a similar glamorous twist, create some dipped pretzel rods with this recipe.
Cake Pops: We adore the cake pops that made Sweets on a Stick famous. To make your own at home, try this recipe.
Creation Tips
Maybe, though, you’re already equipped with fabulous family recipes and just need some inspiration to motivate you to pull out the baking bowls. A few easy hacks can help.
Roll out cookies between sheets of parchment paper. Smitten Kitchen suggests this hack and team members at Lifestyle Frisco tried it successfully on several different recipes (including the Basic Sugar Cookies and Gingerbread recipes listed above).
Cook with cold butter. Rather than waiting for butter to come to room temperature, Lifehacker suggests cooks simply cut the butter into small pieces and add to the sugar cold. While it may take a few extra minutes to whip smoothly, just knowing that it’s acceptable to use cold butter may be the difference between producing a batch of cookies and not starting at all.
Use Cheap Squeeze Bottles. Those red and yellow plastic bottles that ketchup and mustard come in at old-school diners? A clear version of these can be found in craft stores and they’re the perfect solution when it comes to creating elaborate, professional-looking designs on Christmas cookies. Simply fill several with different colors of icing – they can be used to conveniently store icing temporarily or be used immediately.
Further Sweets-piration
Sweets on a Stick, a custom sweets shop in downtown Frisco has a beautiful Instagram feed showcasing some of its most gorgeous creations. Owner Nicki Cooley is a professional baker and decorator just as passionate about teaching and inspiring home cooks as she is about producing amazing creations.
Her gorgeous cookies and cake pops are sure to inspire you to try new designs and color combinations in your own kitchen.
Better yet, sign up for one of Cooley’s classes, or place an order for gorgeous custom creations for one of your holiday or winter gatherings. Follow Sweets on a Stick on Facebook and Instagram to be alerted when “extras” or new creations are on hand.
Related Articles:
The Art of Creating Custom Confections
