‘Tis the season for holiday cookies and bars! Whether they’re dipped or filled, crisp or soft, there’s nothing we love more than an epic cookie—especially around the holidays. We’ve teamed up with our favorite bakers from around the world (and added in few of our own top recipes) to create the ultimate holiday cookie collection. From Laura Kasavan’s Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies to our minty take on Nanaimo bars, we’ve got every recipe you need to win your next cookie swap or simply fill your cookie jar with holiday cheer.
Becky Sue Wilberding, the blogger behind Baking The Goods, elevates classic Linzer cookies with a rich and toasty hazelnut cookie base, filled with wine-infused jams to toast the spirit of the season. Find more of her holiday cookies in our Holiday Cookies 2018 special issue!
2. Spiced Chinese Almond Cookies
These Spiced Chinese Almond Cookies by Rebecca Firth are your new favorite holiday cookie that you didn’t know you needed. The classic, crisp Chinese takeout almond cookie takes on an updated, soft-batch vibe in these super spiced-up renditions. Be sure to add a thorough coat of the cream-egg wash—it’ll give it that über nostalgic, lacquered appearance.
It doesn’t get much richer than Millionaire Bars. Also called millionaire’s shortbread, it traditionally consists of a shortbread base topped with a layer of gooey caramel filling and chocolate. For a sophisticated holiday spin, we added a homemade Chestnut Praline Paste to the caramel. A final sprinkling of cacao nibs and fleur de sel over the velvety ganache creates an ultra-crunchy topping to offset the sweetness. Find more shortbread recipes in our 2018 November/December issue!
4. Cardamom Honey Cutout Cookies
This recipe is inspired by the holiday honey bread cookies of Croatia known as Licitars. Since the 16th century, these brilliant red cookies have been displayed as ornaments and edible gifts during the Christmas season. Our warmly spiced adaptation pairs mellow honey with bold cardamom and swaps the traditional gelatin glaze with an easier-to-maneuver and tastier Vanilla-Almond Royal Icing.
