Anonymous wrote:This is a total cheat, not a cookie recipe, but people went ape for it.

https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/marshmallow-yule-log-church-windows-stained-glass/

Festive and delicious:

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/peppermint-chocolate-whoopie-pies/ (you can also roll in red or green sugar instead, or in addition to)

I've made all three recipes from this. I didn't care for the second one, but the first one is A-MAZING! and the last one is gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6mIxsz8Ew&t=208s

I made the stain glass also and they were a hit!

I haven't read the whole thread, but I made the NYT shortbread dough that you can do a couple of different recipes with this year and they were great (and easy). Especially the marble ones. Both slice and bake:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023712-sparkling-shortbread-cookies

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023714-spiced-chocolate-marble-shortbread

Anonymous wrote:And don’t underestimate the no-bake options. Rollo pretzels, candy cane bark, heck I just add a bowls of red and green m&ms to the Christmas cookie tray and they always disappear.

This. They may not look "festive" but these are delicious, everyone LOVES them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a good spritz recipe? I have tried several recipes and they always turn out flat, tasteless, and greasy.

Op here…same thing here…recipe and cookie press please

Get a Marcato cookie press. OXO Good Grips is an okay alternative. Use chilled sheets and no parchment paper.

Old Spritz Recipe

2 cups salted butter (you can do unsalted butter, and add 1/4 tsp per stick to the dry ingredients)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp extract (original recipe calls for almond, but I hate almond extract and use vanilla instead)
4 1/2 cups AP flour

Mix everything together by hand (not a mixer). Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

This next recipe is NOT a spritz recipe, but can be used in a press, and is IMO delicious.

4 cups flour, sifted
4 sticks of unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and mix. Add in salt and flour, do not overmix. The resulting dough is soft. If too soft, add in more flour. Bake at 300 for 12-15 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet and remove to wire rack.

Anonymous wrote:This is a total cheat, not a cookie recipe, but people went ape for it.

https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/marshmallow-yule-log-church-windows-stained-glass/

Festive and delicious:

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/peppermint-chocolate-whoopie-pies/ (you can also roll in red or green sugar instead, or in addition to)

I've made all three recipes from this. I didn't care for the second one, but the first one is A-MAZING! and the last one is gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6mIxsz8Ew&t=208s

That marshmallow Yule log looks so fun!

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a good spritz recipe? I have tried several recipes and they always turn out flat, tasteless, and greasy.

Op here…same thing here…recipe and cookie press please

This is a total cheat, not a cookie recipe, but people went ape for it.

https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/marshmallow-yule-log-church-windows-stained-glass/

Festive and delicious:

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/peppermint-chocolate-whoopie-pies/ (you can also roll in red or green sugar instead, or in addition to)

I've made all three recipes from this. I didn't care for the second one, but the first one is A-MAZING! and the last one is gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6mIxsz8Ew&t=208s

Mexican wedding cookies.
Several recipes online, this is one of them

https://www.iheartnaptime.net/mexican-wedding-cookies/

Anyone have a good spritz recipe? I have tried several recipes and they always turn out flat, tasteless, and greasy.

Too late for the OP but this is a super helpful thread so I just want to add another vote for spritz. My SIL makes them every year and people go bananas for them.

Anonymous wrote:Op here….im a baker and this is what I’ve made so far…chocolate chip with salted pecans, peanut butter/banana chip crunch, chocolate cookie with peanut butter chip and pumpkin spice soft cookie with maple glaze. All of these were by family request.

Please recommend what you would add to make the cookie tray a bit more holiday…thx!

Ok, well these aren’t necessarily festive, they belong on a holiday cookie tray. I bake a lot too, but these are just so good (no bake).

Sandwich some peanut butter between two ritz crackers. Dip in melted chocolate. Don’t use all natural peanut butter as it can be too runny or quick to melt.