Freezer-Friendly Holiday Cookies
Cookies don't mind waiting around in the cold one bit. Get a leg up on holiday preparations by taking advantage of Christmas cookies' affinity for freezing -- no one will know they weren't freshly made.
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Festive red-and-white-stripe candies dress up these chewy chocolate beauties for a Christmas twist on peanut butter blossoms.
Editor's Tip: Always use airtight storage containers to prevent humidity from affecting cookies' texture. Thaw cookies at room temperature in the container in which they were frozen.
Who wouldn't love to get a Christmas cookie platter with this jolly fellow included? A few rolled balls of sugar cookie dough are Santa's secret.
Editor's Tip: When warm cookies are wrapped, condensation will make them soggy. Keep different varieties of cookies in separate containers. When combined, soft cookies might make crispy cookies limp.
Caramel and chocolate atop a crunchy sugar-cookie base is a guaranteed winner. These cookies store especially well -- layer and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Editor's Tip: If crisp cookies lose crispness after thawing, bake them for 5 minutes at 300 degrees F. They'll return to their crunchy glory.
These bright butter cookies get the perfect kick of light citrus flavor from shredded tangerine peel and orange extract.
With their shortbreadlike texture and mint-chocolate flavor, these two-tone beauties will be the stars of any holiday celebration. Melted dark chocolate drizzled on top sweetens the deal.
Make your freezer-friendly cookies extra tasty by creating your own icing.
Classic oatmeal cookies are even better with delicious mix-ins, such as dark chocolate pieces, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts.
With their distinctive crackled look, these chocolaty treats make pretty additions to your holiday baking repertoire. A layer of powdered sugar perfectly complements the chewy cookie.
From their peanut butter cup hats to their sprinkle noses, these adorable melty snowmen cookies will earn an honored spot in your recipe box.
The secret to these dense, Italian-inspired holiday cookies is dark, strong-brewed coffee. Warming spices such as cinnamon and cloves lend depth, while walnuts add a delicious crunch.
Coffee liqueur-laced drop cookies are dotted with dark chocolate chunks and chocolate-covered espresso beans for chewy, cakelike sweets everyone will love.
Capture the luxury of red velvet cake in airy shortbread cookies that are dipped in creamy white chocolate and covered with chopped pistachios.
These holiday cookies make a great food gift. Combine wafers, chocolate, and German chocolate frosting, then store and freeze for up to 3 months.
Transform a breakfast favorite into a slice-and-bake cookie that's filled with cinnamon goodness. Drizzle with vanilla glaze before or after freezing.
Their scalloped edges and pale pink color make these cute cookies look like petite Christmas ornaments. And, with sweet almond extract and chopped cherries, they're truly a delight.
Move over, gingerbread boys. Real chai tea lends warming spices to delicious cutouts topped with vanilla icing.
Could these lemony, no-bake delights be any simpler? They freeze like a dream (and taste like one, too!).
A delightful combination of three different nuts gives these wreath-shape sweets their name. Their elegant peaks of meringue frosting make them great food gifts, too.
A layer of cinnamon-flavor dough surrounds a generous helping of gooey chocolate-nut filling in these surprisingly easy slice-and-bake cookies.
Toasted almond slices adorn the edges of delectable cookies made with butter and cream cheese for subtly sweet flavor.
Brighten up buttery shortbread with chopped maraschino cherries and white chocolate for extra-moist cookies your crowd will love. Roll in nonpareils or red edible glitter for bonus presentation points.
These adorable cookies please adults and kids alike with their peanut butter flavor and chocolate candy topper.
Editor's Tip: After baking, cookies keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Always cool cookies completely before storing.
These swirled delights, filled with blueberry preserves and finely chopped toasted walnuts, are an attractive addition to your holiday cookie platter.
Editor's Tip: For a different flavor twist, swap out the blueberry preserves with blackberry or raspberry preserves.
Cooling creme de menthe adds a minty infusion to this super sweet holiday treat. White chocolate makes an understated appearance in these cookies.
Please a picky crowd with a Christmas cookie standard. These so-easy peanut butter cookies require just 25 minutes prep time and they'll freeze for up to 3 months.
There's a coffee kick in every bite of these not-so-subtle cookies. Bittersweet chocolate and dark chocolate each get their due in the make-ahead treats.
Crushed gingersnaps are at the center of these log-shape goodies. Dip them in a white chocolate mixture and sprinkle with red decorative sugar for the ultimate Christmas finish.
Light-as-air macaroons take a new twist with finely shredded orange peel. A chocolate drizzle adds a bit of flash.
Get two snickerdoodles in every bite by sandwiching them with a layer of softened cream cheese mixed with honey.
A gooey chocolate-caramel center is the surprise in these cookies; the caramel glaze and sprinkled coarse sea salt are the eye-catchers. Keep your counter mess-free by drizzling the cookies over a piece of waxed paper.
Salty pistachios are the perfect counterbalance for sweet but subtle white chocolate and vanilla bean. Use a food processor to quickly and evenly chop the toasted pistachios.
The subtle, unique flavor of Brazil nuts adds the perfect richness to these java-scented cookies.
Add the filling goodness of rolled oats and almond granola to your indulgent holiday baking. These cookies freeze well, even unbaked.
The aromatic sweetness of a Meyer lemon (a cross between a regular lemon and an orange) gives these crispy-sweet dusted cookies a flavor boost.
Creamy vanilla caramels, finely chopped hazelnuts, and two kinds of chocolate infuse these freezer-ready thumbprint cookies with some of the favorite flavors of the season.
These bite-size beauties pack a flavorful punch. The cinnamon filling features cinnamon, vanilla, butter, sugar, and milk, or you can use apple cider for a sweeter take.
Perk things up with these cookies that bring coffee to the dessert table. Instant coffee crystals and chocolate-covered coffee beans will please any java-junkie.
These sconelike cookies feature slivered almonds, pistachios, and orange and lemon peel. Even more surprising than the flavors is how easy these Italian-inspired treats are to freeze.
These easy-freeze molasses cookies are likely to become a Christmas staple. Basic ingredients match wits with ground ginger, cider vinegar, and molasses for a cookie with real depth.
You likely have the eight necessary ingredients needed for this delicately spiced cookie in your pantry right now. A food processor helps finely chop the walnuts for just the slightest crunch.
Rich molasses and crystallized ginger are at the heart of these crunchy nuggets. Serve them in a cup with a sprinkling of coarse sugar for the ultimate Christmas food gift.
Good things do come in small packages! Wrap up a new Christmas cookie favorite with the sweet tastes of peanut butter, coffee, and semisweet chocolate.
