Christmas cookies traditionally have been made with sugar. It is the shape of the cookies, which often makes the Christmas cookies special. The cookies are shaped into various things related to Christmas. The tradition of modern Christmas cookies is said to have started in Medieval Europe. It was then, that ingredients like cinnamon, ginger, almonds, other dried fruits, black pepper, were used in cookies. It was around the 16th century, that Christmas cookies became popular in all parts of Europe with different names.
Lebkuchen became popular German Christmas cookies, while it was
pepparkakor in Sweden and
Krumkake in Norway. With a number of cookie recipes available, you are confused, as you want easy Christmas cookies recipes. You will not have to look any further. This write-up will give you some easy Christmas cookie ideas. Scroll down for the same.
Quick and Easy Christmas Cookies Recipes
If you are planning to be a part of
Christmas cookie swap, then the recipes mentioned below will be of help to make easy Christmas cookies.
German Christmas Cookies
Time Required to Make → 60 to 70 minutes Makes → 25 to 30 cookies |
| Like I have mentioned previously, Lebkuchen is the special Christmas cookie made in Germany. We will see an easy Christmas cookie recipe to make German Christmas cookies. |
Ingredients Required
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup candied mixed fruit
- 1 tablespoon light sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
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Steps to Follow
- Before we start the actual recipe, preheat the oven to 325 ºF and spray cooking spray on the sides and bottom of a baking pan.
- Heat brown sugar and honey in the microwave for about a minute and pour the mixture in a large mixing bowl.
- Sift 2 cups of all-purpose flour with baking powder and baking soda together.
- Then add the flour to the honey sugar mixture and mix well, ensuring no lumps are formed.
- Now, add candied fruit, sesame oil, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to the mixture.
- Knead the mixture well.
- Add the remaining flour to the mixture and knead the dough.
- Once the dough is well kneaded, spread it on to the baking pan evenly.
- Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, till the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- After baking, let it stand for 20 to 25 minutes before you cut it into desirable shapes and sizes.
- If you want, you can frost it using sugar glaze or eat it plain itself.
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Healthy Christmas Wreath Cookies
Time Required to Make → 30 to 40 minutes Makes → 20 to 25 cookies |
| If you are looking for Christmas cookies for kids, then you want to try this Christmas recipes. This recipe uses corn flake cereal, which also makes them healthy. Without any more explanation, let's see this Christmas cookies recipe. |
Ingredients Required
- 4 cups corn flake cereal
- ½ cup butter
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (2.25 ounce) package cinnamon red-hot candies
- 1 teaspoon green food color
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Steps to Follow
- Place marshmallows and butter in a double boiler and boil it, till it melts.
- Without wasting any time, add food color, almond extract and vanilla extract to the marshmallows mixture, followed by corn flakes.
- Stir well and then drop one spoonful of the mixture on a wax paper.
- Place three cinnamon red-hot candies on each of the 'wreath' and let it cool.
- Once the cookies cool down, lightly grease your fingers, before you transfer the cookies. The easy Christmas cookies for kids are now ready.
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Christmas Sugar Cookies
Time Required to Make → 30 to 40 minutes Makes → 40 to 45 cookies |
| Sugar cookies are one of the favorite Christmas cookies. Making them is not as difficult, as you would assume it to be. At the same time, the list of ingredients are easily available at home in every kitchen, during the festive season. |
Ingredients Required
- 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Colored Icing
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Steps to Follow
- Sift all-purpose and baking powder together and keep it aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar, till the mixture is fluffy and light.
- Then add one egg at a time and continue to beat till the mixture is fluffy and light.
- At last add vanilla and mix well.
- Now add the sifted flour, but divide the mixture into four parts before you add it.
- Mix the mixture well, till the dough is stiff.
- Divide the mixture into 4 parts and roll out the mixture to make a cookie about quarter-inch thick.
- Place the cookies on greased baking pan.
- Place the baking pan in an oven preheated to 350 ºF for about 10 minutes.
- Do not forget to rotate the baking pan half way through the baking process.
- Once the cookies are light brown in color, let it stay on the cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes, till they cool down completely.
- After they cool down completely, use icing to decorate the cookies.
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Gingerbread Cookies
Time Required to Make → 25 minutes Makes → 20 to 25 cookies |
| Gingerbread cookies have always been the traditional Christmas favorites. The combination of spices used to make these cookies, it not only delicious, but the fragrance will waft your house. The best part of these cookies is that they are very easy to make and children also love making these cookies, rather they love helping |
Ingredients Required
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ brown sugar
- ½ cup golden syrup
- 1 tbsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp allspice
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- 1 egg (separate the white from yellow)
- 1 tsp sodium bicarbonate
- plain flour for dusting
- melted butter for greasing
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Steps to Follow
- While you get the dough for the cookies ready, preheat the oven to 180ºF.
- In a bowl beat butter and sugar together, till it has a creamy texture and is pale in color.
- Then add golden syrup, followed by egg yolk and continue to beat till it is well combined.
- Now add all-purpose flour, sodium bicarbonate, ginger and allspice to the mixture and continue to mix till the dough has a smooth texture. You will have to knead the dough on a floured surface.
- Use a wrapping film to wrap the dough and leave it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
- Roll out the dough between 2 baking powder sheets, till the dough is about half centimeter thick.
- Using a gingerbread cookie cutter, cut the cookies and place them on greased baking trays.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, till they are slightly brown in color.
- Once the cookies are done, place the tray on the rack to cool. You may choose to use icing on the cookies, if so desired.
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These were some of the easy Christmas cookies that you will certainly enjoy. You may want to take a look at Christmas cookies recipes from around the world for some more ideas. With these recipes, you will not have to spare a lot of time to make cookies. Wishing you a happy festive season! Have a blast!
