Christmas cookies of all shapes, sizes and flavors have one thing in common: the holiday season wouldn’t be the same without them. From cinnamon and spice to chocolate and nuts, our Omni chefs have shared their favorite holiday cookies for you to make at home and pass along to your family and neighbors.
Omni’s Christmas 2020 Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ c butter
- 1 ⅓ c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 Tb molasses
- 2 c flour
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cloves
For Royal Icing:
- 2 c powdered sugar
- ½ c water or milk
- 2 drops food coloring
Directions:
- Sift together all dry ingredients and set aside
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add eggs and molasses until just combined
- Slowly add dry ingredients until just combined
- Divide dough into two equal portions and form into flattened disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least two hours
- Whisk all ingredients for royal icing in a bowl until. Use powdered sugar to thicken and water or milk to thin if needed. Spoon icing into decorated bags fitted with a medium round tip.
- Unwrap and roll out on a floured surface until dough is evenly 1/8-inch thick
- Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes, and re-roll as needed to cut more
- Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet
- Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are crisp around the edges. Let cool.
- Decorate with royal icing and let stand 5 minutes or until icing sets. Then enjoy!
Reindeer Print Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 c butter
- 1½ c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 Tb molasses
- 2 flour
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cloves
For Dusting:
- 2 T sugar (or Maple sugar)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For Filling:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (or store bough Dulce de Leche sauce)
- 1 c pecans, crushed
- 20 whole pecans
Directions:
• Boil can of sweetened condensed milk in a small stockpot for 3-4 hours to make Dulce de Leche sauce. Combine the Dulce de Leche with crushed pecans and put in a piping bag. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300◦
• Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla bean in a stand mixer.
• Slowly sift in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Mix sugar and cinnamon separately, set aside.
• Form the dough in 2-inch balls. Roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.
• Bake on an ungreased baking sheet 2” apart.
• Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and ‘dent’ each cookie with your thumb. Pipe 1 oz of Dulce de Leche/pecan mixture into the dent, and top with one whole pecan.
• Return cookies to the oven for another 5-7 minutes.
Peanut Butter Butterscotch
Ingredients:
- 1 c butter
- 1 c sugar
- 1 c light brown sugar
- 1 ⅓ c peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 ⅓ c flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 c butterscotch chips
Directions:
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars.
• Mix in peanut butter. Add eggs one at a time. Then, add vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Fold in butterscotch chips.
• Bake at 330◦ on parchment-lined sheet pan, see cook times below.
• 52 1-oz cookies (14-16 minutes) or 10 5-oz cookies (15-20 minutes)
Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Marshmallows Christmas Cookies
From Kendall at Omni Nashville Hotel
Ingredients:
- 1 c butter
- 1 ½ c chocolate chips
- 1 ¼ c light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ c flour
- ¼ c cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 bag peppermint marshmallows (or regular marshmallow)
For Decorating:
- 8 oz white chocolate
- 1 jar holiday sprinkles
Directions:
• Melt chocolate and butter together. Bring to room temperature.
• In a stand mixer, blend sugar, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add melted chocolate.
• In a separate bowl, blend flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.
• Scoop dough to a cookie sheet and bake at 325◦ for 9 minutes.
• Remove from oven and top with a peppermint marshmallow, then bake an additional 4 minutes until the marshmallow is melted.
• Cool cookies, then decorate with white chocolate drizzle and holiday sprinkles.
White Chocolate Cherry Nutella Christmas Cookies
From Omni Charlotte Hotel
Ingredients:
- ½ c unsalted butter
- ⅔ c light brown sugar
- ¼ c sugar
- ¾ c Nutella
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ c flour
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ c dried cherries
- ½ c white chocolate chunks
Directions:
• In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugars and Nutella.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined.
• Stir in dried cherries and white chocolate chunks.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours.
• Scoop dough on a prepared cookie sheet at least 2” apart.
• Bake at 350◦ for 10 minutes.
Groovy Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 c shortening
- 3 c brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 Tb water
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 4 ½ c. flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- 4 c rolled oats
- 1 c raisins (or Chocolate Chips)
Directions:
- Cream together shortening and sugar.
- Add eggs, water and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, blend flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Fold in oats and raisins.
- Roll out to ¾” thick, and cut with a 3” diameter cookie cutter.
- Bake at 350◦ for 7-10 minutes.
If you like tradition or you’re wanting to shake things up this year, find the perfect Christmas cookies and enjoy it alongside a kid-friendly cup of hot chocolate or an adults-only cocktail. Plus, here are 5 more holiday cookie recipes. If you’re looking for a festive drink to pair your cookies with, check out our Sugar & Spice holiday cocktail menu.