The Christmas season is by far my favorite season of the year. Along with the season of giving comes millions of cookie exchange parties, and given my competitive baking spirit, I like having obscure cookies to trade. So, here is a compiled list of my three favorite cookies to make for cookie parties that your friends probably haven’t heard of.
- Oatmeal Butterscotch
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This one is by far my favorite on this list, and is the easiest of all the recipes.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup brown sugar packed
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups large rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir with an electric mixer or by hand until completely combined. Stir in butterscotch chips.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls (if you’re using a cookie scoop, you’ll want to use a 2 TBSP scoop) onto parchment paper 2 inches apart (I do 12 per pan). If you like thinner, chewier cookies, press down slightly (this step is optional).
Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-9 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown and the centers are almost set (a tiny bit of glossiness in the center is okay, as they will continue to set on the hot pans).
Let sit for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely. Store in an air tight container.
- Eggnog Cookies
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Ingredients
1 c. softened butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. eggnog
1 egg beaten
3 and 3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. nutmeg
Frosting:
1 and 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 c. eggnog
1 tsp. light Karo Syrup
Instructions
Mix together butter and sugar.
Add in eggnog and egg.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
Chill for at least one hour.
Drop by teaspoonfuls (I rolled mine for a second) onto greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
When you pull them out of the oven, push tops with the bottom of a greased flat bottom glass to flatten a bit.
Cool on drying rack.
- Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups (17.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Filling:
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For Sugar Cookie Dough:
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for about 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and mix.
In a medium bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients, mixing well until completely mixed in.
Cover cookie dough completely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to a week in advance. To speed up the process a bit, I sometimes stick the cookie dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Assembling the Cookies:
Flour the counter and rolling pin well. Divide the dough into half and roll each half into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle about 14-inches by 9-inches.
In a small microwavable bowl, add filling ingredients: butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Melt in 30-second ingredients in the microwave stirring in between until butter has completely melted. Stir well and pour half of filling over sugar cookie dough. Spread filling evenly over cookie dough, using your hands, if needed to spread evenly.
Starting with one long end, roll up dough tightly like a cinnamon roll. Moisten the lower 1/2-inch border of dough using your fingers dipped in a little water and press to seal into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes. Repeat with other half of dough.
Baking the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Using a sharp knife (I use a serrated knife), slice the dough into 1/4-inch slices, making about 24 cookies per log.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies are barely set but not brown. If you wait until they brown, they will be overbaked.
Let the cookies cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Icing:
Prepare the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, the vanilla, and the milk until smooth. The icing should be thick, but still pourable. Add more powdered sugar or milk if necessary to reach thick, pourable consistency. Using the whisk or a fork, drip icing over cooled cookies. Let icing set for about 10 to 15 minutes to harden.
Recipe Notes
1. I like to ice the cookies on the cooling rack with something underneath to catch the drips.
2. Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. They also freeze well for up to a month.
I hope you all love these cookies and have a great time baking!