We offer a batch of simple but delicious cookies that require the barest of equipment or skill, reflecting the simplicity of passed-down family recipes. In a year mostly devoid of fellowship, these homestyle pleasures hearken back to a time of togetherness with family and the memories of holidays past.
Photo: ca-times.brightspotcdn.com
We all have pleasant memories tied to holiday cookies. No matter which holiday you celebrate, these small, sweet bites stick out in our minds because they mark good times at the end of the year and remind us of good times with family. It’s with that in mind that I bring you this year’s collection of …
If you want to make all the holiday cookies on our 2020 list, here are all the ingredients you’ll need — organized by sections of the grocery store — starting with the baking aisle and ending on cold items. Flours, starches and thickeners: 4 pounds all-purpose flour (for 13 ¾ cups) 3 pounds bread …
Toasted, chopped almonds and plenty of almond extract give these vegan biscotti a distinct holiday aroma. Be sure to wet your hands while shaping the logs of dough to prevent it sticking to your hands. Once baked, do as the recipe’s Justine Hernandez does and dip them in coffee while watching …
Cardamom shines in these chewy, brown sugar blondies rippled with homemade raspberry jam. Pastry chef Meadow Ramsey’s “refrigerator jam” is meant to be kept cold, not canned, so you use it quickly, especially in these bars. But if it’s easier, store-bought raspberry jam is great too. Just make sure …
These cookies are half a foot in diameter and crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. The amount of molasses and spices may seem overwhelming, but they mellow out once baked for a perfectly balanced flavor, the fresh ginger adding a refreshing hit of spice. Don’t rush these cookies; …
The combination of tahini and halva candy marks these accidentally vegan cookies with an unmistakable sesame flavor. The halva candy melts while baking, forming a delicious, sweet sesame pool on top of the cookies. Chef Zoë Komarin likes to use the Har Bracha brand of tahini, but use any good brand …
Bread flour adds strength to these notoriously crumbly, polvorón-like cookies. Mixed with ground walnuts, the cookies dissolve in your mouth and have a wonderful nutty warmth. Store-bought dulce de leche is great to use here, but the homemade kind below is just as easy as it requires only a …
Dry milk powder adds thousands more bits of browned nutty goodness to the butter in these cookies, an uber-rich chocolate chip cookie. The instant espresso powder adds a depth that plays well with the browned butter and chocolate. Don’t use regular coffee grounds since they won’t dissolve in the …
These simple cookies get most of their flavor from the buttermilk and extracts or spices you use. Swap the nutmeg for cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice or even cardamom, if you like. Once they’ve cooled, you can dust them with powdered sugar or glaze them with a plain white icing flavored however you …
This tart riff on a snickerdoodle gets its distinctive tang from sumac, a spice made from the dried and ground red berries of the sumac plant. Look for it in specialty grocery stores, spice shops or from online vendors like Burlap & Barrel and Penzey’s. Masa harina adds a pronounced corn flavor to …
