Perfect cookie recipes for the holidays
By Hannah Marszalek
December 7, 2021
Baking cookies during the holiday season is a well-beloved tradition for many people. As an avid baker, I am no exception to this, as I will find any opportunity from November to January to try a new cookie recipe.
Fifth-year animal science major Bryan Haines said he too is a big fan of baking during the holiday season.
“During the holidays, me and my mom usually get into a baking frenzy for a weekend or so,” Haines said. “The house ends up smelling wonderful but sometimes the baked goods don’t live up.”
Haines said he is a “sucker for snickerdoodles,” and enjoys eating them alongside some eggnog or hot chocolate. He unfortunately said he could not share his recipe since it is a family secret.
Luckily, I found a great recipe for gluten-free chai-spiced snickerdoodles that I recently tried with some friends. They are a fun twist on a classic cookie and are perfect for any chai fans. Here is the link to the recipe.
Fifth-year animal science major Bryan Haines said he too is a big fan of baking during the holiday season.
“During the holidays, me and my mom usually get into a baking frenzy for a weekend or so,” Haines said. “The house ends up smelling wonderful but sometimes the baked goods don’t live up.”
Haines said he is a “sucker for snickerdoodles,” and enjoys eating them alongside some eggnog or hot chocolate. He unfortunately said he could not share his recipe since it is a family secret.
Luckily, I found a great recipe for gluten-free chai-spiced snickerdoodles that I recently tried with some friends. They are a fun twist on a classic cookie and are perfect for any chai fans. Here is the link to the recipe.
Image Credit: Hannah Marszalek for The Campus Trainer
Rachel Tievy, a sophomore kinesiology major, said she always does plenty of baking at her mom’s house during the winter months. Her favorite thing to bake is pumpkin bread, although she said she is also a big fan of snickerdoodles.
One of my favorite types of holiday cookies is peanut butter blossoms, which are peanut butter cookies topped with Hershey’s Kisses. Here is one of my favorite recipes I have tried.
One of my favorite types of holiday cookies is peanut butter blossoms, which are peanut butter cookies topped with Hershey’s Kisses. Here is one of my favorite recipes I have tried.
Image Credit: Hannah Marszalek for The Campus Trainer
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Image Credit: Hannah Marszalek for The Campus Trainer
My final pick for best festive cookies is candy cane cookies. For these, start with a basic sugar cookie dough and split it into two parts. Add peppermint extract and red food coloring to one half and coconut extract to the other. Then, take a piece from each and twist them together so that they look like candy canes.
If you like hands-on recipes, this one is a great choice. Here is the link to the recipe I use.
If you like hands-on recipes, this one is a great choice. Here is the link to the recipe I use.
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Image Credit: Hannah Marszalek for The Campus Trainer
If you are not a big cookie person or maybe just do not have the time to bake something, another delicious option for a holiday treat is Texas trash, also known as white trash. My friends and I filled a bowl with pretzels, popcorn, M&Ms and Cap’n Crunch cereal. We then folded in melted white chocolate and laid the mixture out on a large sheet of parchment paper to harden. It was super easy and tasted great. Here’s the link to a good recipe:
Image Credit: Hannah Marszalek for The Campus Trainer
Baking is a surefire way to get in the holiday spirit, whether you’re the one doing the baking or the one receiving the fresh goods. ‘Tis the season to try a new cookie recipe!