by freelance writer Riley Herder
Christmastime is all about traditions. In our house, the hanging of the Herrnhuter Stern, or Advent Star, dusting off the “Charlie Brown Christmas” LP, and taking a drive to the Christmas tree farm are all part of it. But perhaps the biggest tradition for us has become making Christmas cookies. For at least a week or two, our kitchen becomes something like a cross between a cookie assembly line and a scientist’s lab before all the different cookies have been prepared, baked, decorated, and placed in bags to share with friends and family.
No matter what your Christmas traditions include, we’re betting it includes making cookies. If not, maybe this is the year to start! I’ve gathered my top five favourite cookie recipes for the holiday season. Enjoy!
>> Do you need help in the kitchen? Find a housekeeper here.
Before I met my wife, who is from Germany, I had never heard of Lebkuchen. Now it is the single cookie that represents Christmas the most to me! It is packed full of delicious spices and candied citrus or orange peel and is by far our favourite on this list. The trick with this recipe will be finding good candied citrus or orange peel. Where we live, finding them at the grocery store is hit or miss. But for sure there are a lot of recipes for homemade candied peel on the web.
Click here for a yummy Lebkuchen recipe!
2. Jam Thumbprint Cookies
These little jam thumbprint cookies are not technically Christmas cookies and are lovely to make the year round. But somehow for my family, they have become an essential part of our holiday baking list. I love the splash of colour they add, especially if you use a brightly coloured marmalade like peach or raspberry. The recipe is super fun for kids to make. You won’t be disappointed!
Click here for the full recipe.
3. Grandma’s Raisin Delights
Every Christmas my grandma makes a plate of Christmas cookies for all her grandchildren. It is one of the things I looked forward to the most as a kid! My favourite cookie in the mix was always her raisin filled sugar cookies, or Raisin Delights.
Click here for a nice Raisin Delights recipe.
4. Authentic Pfeffernüsse
These spicy, light-as-a-feather little cookies are another favourite from Germany. You can often find them imported at a specialty store, but I have found that those are nothing like homemade. Called Papernoten in the Netherlands, these spiced and iced ginger cookies are very popular across Europe. This year try making your own!
Click here for the full recipe for Pfeffernüsse.
5. Classic Sugar Cookies
If you have little ones, these cookies are a must. Along with their favourite cookie cutters, this is a simple recipe to make with them, and they are perfect for dunking in a cup of cocoa or tea. This particular recipe, courtesy of ChristmasCookies.com, is an original Betty Crocker recipe from the 1960s.
Click here for the link!
>> Do you need help in the kitchen? Find a housekeeper here.