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Home Β» Recipes Β» Christmas Cookies Recipes

Christmas Cookies: One Dough - Five Kinds

Published: Oct 9, 2012 Last Updated: Sep 17, 2020 by Marye 1164 words. | About 6 minutes to read this article.

An easy slice and bake foundation dough that allows you to create several different types of cookies from one easy recipe.
Total time 25 minutes
Jump to Recipe

 

cookies

I hope you have some time because this may end up being the longest post on this blog. Go get a cup of coffeeΒ β€” I'll wait.

One of the things I love about Christmas is the baking. I used to give a cookie plate to just about everyone in town from the mailman to the fire department, not so much any more because of time. Anyway, it can take an entire day to make a decent assortment of cookies to put on the plates, right?

christmas cookies

This is a foundation refrigerator cookie recipe. I am giving you five types but you can come up with your own variations. Included in this recipe are:

  • Butter cookies
  • Pecan cookies
  • Cherry pecan cookies
  • Rolled sugar cookies
  • Chocolate pinwheels

But, here's the thing. I am giving you the skills you need to create an infinite number of recipes from just this one. Need ideas? How about theseΒ β€”

  • Dried cranberry and walnuts
  • Raisins
  • Mint and chocolate pinwheels
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Mini M & Ms
  • Lemon, lime, or orange zest
  • Candied ginger
  • Candied fruit
  • Chopped white chocolate
  • Use two of them and sandwich ganache in between
  • Dip them in melted chocolate - white or milk
  • Decorate the tops with icing
  • Coconut
  • Maple flavoring

Seriously. Hundreds of possibilities.

The other cool thing about these is that they are basically homemade slice and bake cookies. You make up a batch in an hour on a rainy Saturday, roll the dough into cylinders, wrap in waxed paper, and freeze them for up to three months. When you want a dozen cookies or six cookies or the whole batch you can just thaw for a few minutes, slice them, and bake them.

Really, does it get easier than that?

A really cool way to give a cookie assortment is to give the cookies on a vintage plate or platter. You can get red and green baking cups and use them to keep the cookies in one place. It sounds like an expensive gift but it's really not. Keep your eyes open at thrift shops and garage sales and you may be able to pick up pretty plates for a few dollars. eBay is another possibility.

christmas cookie mix

Don't limit it to plates. Choose vintage tea cups for small gifts, casseroles, whatever catches your eye. Not only does the recipient get some rockin' cookiesΒ β€” they have the plate to keep forever. Wrap them with cellophane or plastic wrap, add a ribbon and it's a fabulous gift for less than $5.

Here are the step by step imagesΒ β€” Skip to the recipe if you are in a hurry.

ingredients

This is what you are going to need plus whatever additions you plan Β on making. Not much is it? Simple is good. Make sure that you do bring the butter and the egg to room temperature before you use them it will make your dough go together much easier and the flavor will be better because everything will blend better.

cookie dough

 

Once you have the dough made you'll divide it into equal parts. I started with four and then decided to split some of the dough up again so I could make both pecan and pecan cherry cookies.

chocolate dough

For pinwheels take ΒΌ of the dough and divide it into two parts, one a little bigger than the other.Β To make the chocolate dough you will melt chocolate and knead it into the dough you are using. Just keep kneading it with your hands until the chocolate is completely blended in.

cookie dough

Knead your chosen ingredients into the different doughs. The one above is the pecan cherry and dang it was good.Β Chill the dough for about 30 minutes or until it is easy to work with.

pinwheel cookies

For the pinwheels roll out both the chocolate and vanilla dough. Put the largest sheet of dough on a lightly floured counter. Put the smaller sheet on top and then roll the two up together. Easy, right?

Shape the rest of the dough into cylinders and then roll them up in waxed paper. Chill the rolls at least and hour freeze it up to three months.

cookies

For shaped cookies omit the cylinder step. Roll the dough out flat on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Add sugar, sprinkles, or leave them plain until after their baked so you can frost them.

cookie dough

When you are ready to bake them you only need to unwrap the dough (let it thaw a little before slicing if it has been frozen) and slice it into β…›Β β€” ΒΌ inch thick slices. I like using a serrated knife but try several knives to determine what works best for you.

pinwheels

Bake the cookies on a lightly greased baking sheet for about eight minutes and let them cool.Β That's it.

I'll be sharing my foundation drop cookie recipe soon. With these two recipes you can have a huge variety of Christmas cookies.

christmas cookies
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Christmas Cookies: One Dough – Five Kinds

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An easy slice and bake foundation dough that allows you to create several different types of cookies from one easy recipe.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings:72 cookies depending on size
Calories:
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups of flour
  • Β½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking poweder
  • β…“ cup half and half
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • Β½ cup of pecans, , mini chocolate chips, and whatever other ingredients you want for the cookies

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Cream the sugar and butter together until well blended.
  • Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  • Mix the dry ingredients together.
  • Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
  • Beat until it becomes a soft dough.
  • Divide the dough into four equal parts.
  • Divide one of the parts into two parts. Add the melted chocolate, Kneading in until the dough and chocolate are completely blended.
  • Divide a second part into two parts. Add chopped pecans to one and chopped pecans and chopped candied cherries to the other. Knead in until well mixed.
  • Chill for about 30 minutes or until it is easy to work with.

For the pinwheels

  • Roll out both the chocolate and vanilla dough n rectangles keeping the vanilla a little bigger than the chocolate.
  • Place the chocolate rectangle on top of the vanilla one and roll up into a cylinder.
  • Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until it is chilled, or up to a week. You can also keep the dough frozen for up to three months.

For the other cookies

  • Take each of the flavored doughs and form into a cylinder.
  • Roll the cylinder in colored sugar, sprinkes, chopped nuts, or whatever you like.
  • Wrap in waxed paper and chill.

To Bake

  • If dough has been frozen let it sit for about 15 minutes to soften a little.
  • When you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 375F.
  • Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
  • Slice discs from the cylinder β…› to ΒΌ inch thick.
  • Place on the cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Let cool.

Notes

Nutrition information is not given with these because the counts will change depending on what ingredients you use. You can freeze the cylinders for up to 3 months. Just slip the waxed paper covered cylinders into freezer bags.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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    Comments

    1. Sue

      December 12, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      Every year I wonder the same thing. When is it the best time to bake the cookies. My family likes them fresh out of the oven, but my time sometimes runs out. I've bought tins, trying to get away with fooling them. No success. HELP!

      Reply
      • Marye

        December 12, 2019 at 3:58 pm

        Sue, what I do is make the dough, cut it out or shape it and then freeze on the cookie sheet without baking. When I want cookies I just take a few out of the freezer and bake.

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