As the days get darker and temperatures drop, Portland is approaching the holiday season. For Ida B. Wells-Barnett (IBW) students who celebrate Christmas, popular activities include spending time with loved ones, wrapping gifts for family and friends and, of course, baking cookies. There are many Christmas cookie recipes out there, but which one is the best? Here are four classic recipes to help you make a decision.
#1 – Chocolate crinkle cookies
Chocolate crinkle cookies are a more modern creation, first baked in the 1950s by Helen Fredell in St. Paul, Minnesota. They are made with a chocolatey dough and dusted with powdered sugar, resembling snow on the streets. This recipe by Sally’s Baking Addiction makes double- chocolatey crinkle cookies that are to die for. These can be eaten as is, or for a more festive twist, consider adding peppermint extract or candy cane pieces to the dough.
These cookies were our favorites. They were super soft, chocolatey and overall the perfect balance of sweet and rich. They are perfect for avid chocolate lovers and definitely fit the winter wonderland theme with their snowy appearance. We recommend complementing these treats with a fresh cup of peppermint tea.
#2 – Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are believed to have been brought to the U.S. by German immigrants in the 1800s, and are a popular cookie year-round. They are made with a sugar cookie dough and rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture, giving them a warm, comforting flavor that pairs well with milk. We used this recipe by Melissa Stadler of Modern Honey, and added edible glitter to give them a holiday silver sparkle.
We thought these cookies were very sweet and delicious. They had a pleasant, soft yet crunchy texture. The cinnamon adds a kick and warmth, which balances out the sweetness, but keeps a mild flavor. The edible glitter made the cookies shimmer like they had been dusted with snowflakes. They would pair deliciously with hot chocolate, and their easy appeal makes them perfect for large gatherings.
#3 – Peanut butter blossoms
Peanut butter blossom cookies, originally called “Black Eyed Susans,” were invented by Freda Smith for the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest, and have remained a fan-favorite ever since. They are made from salty peanut butter dough, which is baked until golden brown, and before they cool, a Hershey’s kiss is placed in the center, allowing it to get a little melty yet retain its shape. This recipe by the John Kanell of Preppy Kitchen is great for peanut butter enjoyers and chocolate fanatics alike.
The cookie is sweet and strong, and the chocolate complements the peanut butter very well. Definitely a good idea if you’re looking for a quick recipe to utilize the ingredients in your pantry. The peanut butter flavor is intense, which can be great for peanut butter fanatics but can also be overpowering if you prefer something more subtle.
#4 – Gingerbread cookies (with a twist)
From gingerbread houses to the gingerbread man, gingerbread cookies have been a Christmas classic since the 1600s. They originated somewhere between Greece and Egypt in 2400 BCE, and still remain a popular cookie for children to make and decorate with icing to leave out on a plate for Santa Claus. To add a little twist, we used this recipe by Pinch of Yum, which includes a recipe for a sweet maple glaze to decorate the cookies with.
These cookies were a rollercoaster. After taking a bite, we were immediately hit with salt, then sweetness, and then a maple aftertaste from the glaze. The glaze is delicious, but make sure not to add too much salt. The cookies themselves were a bit dry, but the glaze softened them up to give them a nicer consistency. They’d pair nicely with black tea to balance out the sweetness.
Happy holidays from The Headlight, and if you decide to bake any of these cookies, let us know what you think.
