I give up! I made shortbread cookies for the first time ever. The first batch spread and flattened out. The second batch came out perfect. What ones did my family like? The screwed up first batch, but I don't know what I did to screw it up so I don' t even know how to make them again.

@functionthenlook, it sounds like maybe your flour to butter ratio skewed toward butter. Maybe you mismeasured the flour (like putting in 2 cups when the recipe called for 2 1/2; I've done this).

This time of year: Rum Balls, carrot cookies rolled in powder sugar, Stuffed dates rolled in powder sugar

I’m drooling reading these.

My Mema always made Cathedral Cookies for me at Christmas. Funny because I’m usually not a big fan of marshmallows or chocolate, but I sure loved those cookies.

(Not my photo)

Maybe I should make them this year.

DD and DSIL are vegan, so I’m trying to find vegan sweets they’d like, too.

“Of course, the most fun is to dress them up in snazzy frosting clothes. I have cutters for cookie men, ladies, and toddlers.”

rhizo, those cookies are adorable. I also have the men, women and children cookie cutters. One fun thing I like to do is to squeeze some dough through a garlic press for their ”hair.” You can make it straight, curly, long, short…cute!

Function, I’m glad you ”mistakes” were a big hit with your family.

rhizo, clever idea to make use of the same forms.

I finally came upon a cookie-cracker cutter in the sahpe of a lobster. Obvviously, it’s intricate, so perhaps better for a sugar design.

That chocolate covered toffee recipe I made years ago was very good — sort of like a deluxe Heath bar.

I mainly do sugar cookies, but hoping to do some drop cookies next week, as well. I have a fabulous biscotti recipe I want to try. i see many here I want to try! My favorite ones I did this year.

@deeinohio you are a talented piper indeed!

@Jilly I haven't made those Cathedral Window cookies for a few years, but they were a favourite of one of my daughters for many years. Hmmm, maybe I will surprise her.

@JInx, most marshmallows aren't vegan, since they are made with gelatin. I wasn't sure you realized that from the segue into your DD and DSIL being vegan. You can buy vegan marshmallows, but the big brands in your local grocery store probably aren't.

Thanks, cawaps! Sorry, I should’ve worded my post better. :)

Oh my, I bake each season and haven even started yet for this year. Obviously for our family holiday and gifts for friends. Typically butter cookies, shortbread, thumbprint, date pinwheel, fudge, divinity, peppermint bark, checkmix and cheesecake.

fnmroberts, what beautiful treats, presented in such a lovely way.

NOW that says CHRISTMAS to me!!

The talent among the members of this community never ceases to amaze me!

Both of these showed up on my IG today …

Lynn, the first one made me think of you!

https://www.foodandwine.com/margarita-shortbread-with-tequila-lime-glaze-6826373?utm_campaign=foodandwine&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&utm_content=likeshop

https://www.foodandwine.com/milk-punch-cornmeal-cookies-6828529?utm_campaign=foodandwine&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&utm_content=likeshop

Sorry, I know this is off subject, but has anyone tried to pipe butter? I know you can put butter into molds to get shapes, but I never tried piping it. I usually buy the preshaped butter they sell in the store, but refuse to pay $$$ they want for a few oz of butter shaped into a tree this year.

Cookie decision has been made. I'll be making Baci di Dama...the little chocolate sandwich cookies with hazelnuts in the dough

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/12025-baci-di-dama-italian-hazelnut-cookies

I like the 'unexpected company's coming' choc cake mix cookies. Fast to whip up ... gone in a flash. Roll 'em in balls and sprinkle w/ powdered sugar. Chill after you add eggs, 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup flour. Send the extras home with them ...

Annie, Those are some of my favorite cookies. Heavenly. so much better than their French cousin, the macaron.

Hahaha! Here's the kicker! We're supposed to get snow/ice tonight so the book group will probably be meeting on zoom! No cookies needed!

oh my gosh! well, the quest was fun. Did you make them yet?

No I'll wait...maybe have them on hand for xmas dinner...

I just finished my cookie baking. I've made Italian sprirnkle cookies, double chocolate biscotti, spritz cookies, snickerrdoodles, chocolate dipped shortbread, knock off girlscout tag-alongs, and jam thumbprints. Although I get that a platter of mixed cookies looks wonderful, I know from experience that within a few hours, flavors begin to mingle. If you've made anything with peppermint flavoring, it will dominate all the cookies on the platter. With that in mind, I will place each type of cookie in large cupcake liners and then put the filled liners in a tin.

Our new favorite is Amish Sugar Cookies. It's a shortbread cookie. Buttery, not too sweet. Oh, so good.

I didn't make the book group but others did, so I missed out on the goodies. One made Swedish dream cookies that makes use of baker's ammonia as a levener. It got rave reviews. Apparently her husband is Swedish and it's traditional in their family. (an example, not necessarily her recipe) https://letsdishrecipes.com/swedish-sugar-dreams-cookies-drommar/

I'd not heard of baker's ammonia before but learned more here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos/6284-what-is-bakers-ammonia

Next week at work, we're all supposed to bring home made cookies. They call it a "swap". I call it cookie day because it's not a swap. LOL We're eating them there, not swapping them. I'm making Peanut Butter Cup cookies. I hate peanut butter cups. I don't get why people like them. Yuck! BUT: a friend baked a couple dozen and gave them to me as a gift and I couldn't stop eating them.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP COOKIES

very interesting Annie!

I never had the swedish dream cookies but I love swedish rosettes which seem to be gaining popularity again. I have a vintage set of irons so I really should make them one of these days soon.

Also, I am semi-hesitant and a little self conscious to share these holly cookies which are hardly gourmet lol.. but a nostalgic family favorite. The tiny teaberries are no longer made-- and I have what may be the last lb of them in existance in my pantry. They are basically marshmallow rice krispy treats-- but made with cornflakes.

First few tins are packed and ready to be delivered

Does a Christmas cake sitting among cookie containers count. Tomorrow's dessert. 4 layer chocolate cake with butter cream icing.

Pretty! Buttercream is so much better than a lot of the newer decor. The lore is that cookies started as oven testers for baking cakes, so, yeah, it counts. :)

Pillog, I didn't know that. I don't like fondant. Sure it makes a smooth and firm surface and handles like play dough, but why put something on a cake that doesn't taste very good.

Totally! And have you ever seen a kid peel every shard of royal icing off a cookie before eating the bare cookie?

Jojo those are magnificent!

Wittynickname all I can say is thankfully I don't have 40 mini reese's peanut butter cups around. That looks like a very dangerous recipe for me to be reading.

@petalique, thank you! That was so nice of you to track down the lemon cookie recipe. I'm going to bake them tomorrow or maybe Wednesday. A friend is stopping by Thurs for tea and Christmas cookies. They look scrumptious.

ETA: I was drooling over the thread photos so I have to post this photo I found from an online christmas cookie compilation. It was captioned "Don't these cookies scream Christmas?". Lol, no not really.

Some last minute cookies — vegan Mexican Wedding cookies for my DD and SIL. They taste great.

I;m sure they're delish Jinx- you sure have a beautiful presentation there! That is for sure.

Salon, thank you! :)

This is my family's recipe for molasses cut-out cookies. Mom made dozens of them each Christmas, she and Dad frosted each one. Took them forever. Me, I like the cookie but don't care for the icing or sprinkles so I "engrave" mine instead. They aren't nearly as attractive as the wonderful treats already posted, but they taste great and make me smile:

I'm hoping to make cookies tomorrow.

Can't believe my baby is coming home tomorrow!

Yum! to everyone's pics. I've gained weight just reading this post... Jojoco, please let me give you my address -- I want that gorgeous batch of yours, and love the presentation!

I don't really do cookies anymore, but back in the day there would be at least a dozen different ones for the season. One year, when the boys were 5 and 3, I made large (each the size of the entire cookie sheet) cutout cookies in little boy shapes, iced with the clothes they wore and as much looking like each of them as I could manage. These were full-figured standing cookies, which I wrapped in cellophane and I put them on the sofa upright against the cushions for the boys to find on Christmas morning. LO! Overnight, one of them decided standing all night was too exhausting, and sank into a sitting position... Still tasted good, and the boys loved them!

nickel, those are lovely!

Speaking of making cookies...

Made these today. This is about all I ever do. I don’t want too many leftovers.

We have a crowd of 13 here unti the 28th. This helped sweeten everyones mood.

Just lovely, Jojo!

We did a cookie "exchange" day at work this week. But to me it wasn't so much an exchange as it was bring cookies so we can eat them at work day. I made peanut butter cup cookies and they were a hit! I don't even like peanut butter cups but eat these like they're going out of style.

I"m baking more today: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Jojo! 13? wow! Have fun. Your cookies are gorgeous.

I had leftover meringue from y pavlova (because I didn't pipe enough) and i threw in choc chips and dropped them in the oven. They will prob be more popular than the main event!

I had egg whites left after separating the yolks to make lemon crème puff filling so I baked these almond meringue cookies last night.

I made the baci di dama https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/12025-baci-di-dama-italian-hazelnut-cookies

Highly recommend. They are delish. Small, meant to be a treat with espresso, I can see why. Melt in your mouth with that snap of dark chocolate and heavy on the hazelnut.