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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Conn chapter.

The holiday season is in full swing! With all of the excitement and weird circumstances this year, it is important to remember what really matters…THE COOKIES!!! I’m kidding- kind of. But let’s be honest, who doesn’t love cookies. Below are some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes that you should make this year! 

 

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookes

 

Ingredients:

Cookies

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp. Baking soda

  • 1 tsp. Baking powder

  • 1 – 1 ½ tsp. Ground cinnamon

  • ½  tsp. Ground nutmeg

  • ½ tsp. Salt

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

  • ½ cup butter (1 stick) softened

  • 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

 

Glaze

  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

  • 3 Tbsp. milk

  • 1 Tbsp. melted butter

  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets. 

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in optional chocolate chips if desired. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the edges are firm. DO NOT BROWN. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

For the glaze, combine all ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies. 

 

 Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz.)

  • 1 stick butter, melted (8 Tbsp.)

  • 1 egg

  • ½ tsp. Peppermint extract

  • ½ tsp. Vanilla extract

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 cup Oreo cookies chunks

  • 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces, or crushed candy canes

  • ½ cup dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts. Beat until a soft dough forms. Add cream cheese and beat in gently until combined. Stir in the peppermint crunch pieces and chocolate chips first. Then gently stir in the cookie pieces by hand being careful not to break up cookies more. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. 

Roll the dough into 36 balls. Bake for 9 minutes. Do not overbake! Cookies will look soft and underdone. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then gently remove them with a spatula to a piece of wax paper on the counter. Very gently tap on the tops of the cookies with the bottom of the spatula to even out the tops. Let them sit until completely cool. Store in a sealed container.

 

Hot Cocoa Cookies

 

Ingredients:

Cookies

  • ½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter

  • 1 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • 1 ½ cup flour

  • ¼ cup cocoa powder

  • 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder

  • ¼ tsp. Salt

  • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 ½ tsp. Vanilla extract

  • 12 large marshmallows cut in half

Icing

  • 2 cup powdered sugar

  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted sweet cream butter

  • ¼ cup cocoa powder

  • ¼ cup hot water

  • ½ tsp. Vanilla extract

  • Christmas sprinkles (optional)

 

For cookies:

  1. In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring frequently. Once melted, set aside to cool

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

  3. In a standing mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla on low speed until combined.

  4. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until combined.

  5. Gradually add in the flour ingredients and mix until combined.

  6. Scoop the dough (will be brownie-like in texture) into a bowl and cover with foil and place into the fridge for four hours.

  7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

  8. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop batter into your hands and roll into a ball.

  9. Place cookies about 2 inches apart.

  10. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.

  11. While cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half.

  12. Once cookies are baked, place a marshmallow into the center of the cookies and lightly press down.

  13. Place cookies back into the oven for another 2-3 minutes.

  14. Place a wire rack over another cookie sheet to allow the icing to drip off.

  15. Once cookies are done baking, let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack while you make the icing.

 

For icing:

  1. Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix until combined.

  2. If the icing is still too thick, add about 3 tbsp. of hot water to it to thin it out.

  3. Using a spoon, spoon some icing onto the marshmallow on the cookie.

  4. Repeat step three onto a few more cookies.

  5. Sprinkle a few sprinkles onto iced cookies before icing sets.

  6. Repeat this process on the remaining cookies. Remember to only put icing onto a few cookies at a time. The icing dries fast!

  7. Once all cookies have icing and sprinkles, ENJOY!

 

 

Kallan Doyon

U Conn '23

Kallan is a senior at the University of Connecticut studying Psychology, with minors in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Sociology. She plans to pursue her Masters in Social Work after this year. She loves writing! Like, genuinely love it, and rediscovered her love of writing just recently!
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