3 Ultimate Christmas Cookie Recipes

3 Ultimate Christmas Cookie Recipes, we guarantee  will be showstoppers. Ginger Molasses, Lemon Cranberry & Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Baking and Christmas go hand and hand. We at Cuisipro love to bake and we are always up for new recipes by our home chef, Chef Oliver Li.  We have no doubt these will be your favourite go to cookies and not only for the holidays!

 

Tips for the Perfect Cookies

Baking Time

  • Cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly browned. The top centers can look slightly underbaked if you want a softer cookie. For a crispier cookie, bake the batch a little longer until the centers appear “set.” But always keep in mind that cookies continue to cook for a couple minutes as they cool on the baking sheet.
  • We recommend baking 1 batch of cookies at a time on the center rack. If you absolutely need to bake more than one batch at a time for an event, holiday baking, etc– rotate the baking sheets from the top rack to bottom rack once halfway through the baking process. Ovens have hot spots!

Take the time to chill the Cookie Dough

  • Chilling your cookie dough in the refrigerator will help to firm up your dough in turn, decreases over-spreading. It not only helps provide a more solid cookie, but it also helps to enhance the flavor (the longer you chill the dough will help to develop the flavour. 
  • Min 30 min to max 72 hours depending on the recipe. Cold cookie dough is also easier to handle and shape. After chilling, let your cookie dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes or so, depending how long the dough has chilled – do this before rolling into balls and baking.

Avoid the Spread!

  • Chill your cookie dough as mentioned – do not skip that step.
  • Do not use excess oils on the pan. Get a good non-stick baking sheet. Cuisipro Baking pans are triple coated and have wave bottoms so you do not need extra oils. Coating your baking sheet with non-stick spray or butter creates an overly greasy foundation which leads to excess spread. Cuisipro Baking pans  will ensure your cookies easily slide off the pan.
  • Never place cookie dough balls onto a hot baking sheet. When baking in batches, let the baking sheets cool to room temperature first.
  • Butter may have been too warm. Room temperature butter  is actually cool to the touch, not warm.
  • Make sure you are correctly measuring your flour. Less flour means there’s less to absorb all the wet ingredients in your cookie dough. Spoon and level that flour or, weigh your flour.
  • Don’t over-mix the cookie dough. Cream the butter and sugar according to the recipe – which usually specifies the amount of time. Whipping too much air into the dough will cause your cookies to collapse as they bake.

Baking & Ingredient Temperatures

  • Oven temperature: Unless you have a regularly calibrated oven, your oven’s temperature could be inaccurate. Which can greatly affect your cookies such as over-browning, excess spread, underbaking in the centers, and/or uneven baking. Purchase an oven thermometer and place it in the center of your oven. While inexpensive, they’re irreplaceable in a baker’s kitchen. Place it in your oven so you always know the actual temperature.
  • Butter and egg temperature: If a cookie recipe calls for room temperature eggs, butter, or any dairy ingredients, make sure you take the time to bring these ingredients to room temperature. Recipes don’t just do that for fun– room temperature ingredients emulsify much easier into batter, which creates a uniform texture. Eggs: they add more volume to the dough when they’re at room temperature. room temperature butter is cool to the touch, not warm. When you press it, your finger will make a slight indent. To get that perfect consistency and temperature, remove butter from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to beginning.

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Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Yield 3 dozen cookies 

Ingredients

  • 115 g finely shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 310 g all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 165 g dark brown sugar
  • 165 g sugar, white
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 eggs, large
  • 10 ml vanilla extract
  • 335 g bittersweet chocolate chips, or roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C.
  2. Spread the coconut on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
  3. Sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside.
  4. Put the butter, both sugars, the salt, and cooked toasted coconut into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time, ad then add the vanilla. Turn the mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture. When incorporated, add the remaining flour, and mix until no traces of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips. If you have time, cover the dough tightly and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days, before baking.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, if not using Cuisipro baking sheet.
  6. Scoop the cookies dough into 1-inch balls and put 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until brown and crisp, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Yield: about 48 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 2 eggs
  • 4½ cup (639 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger
  • 1 tsp salt 

Method

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Using a separate mixing bowl, either with a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and a pale-yellow color, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally as needed. Mix in the eggs (one at a time) and molasses and beat on medium-low speed until each is combined. Gradually add in the dry ingredient mixture and beat until it is evenly incorporated.
  3. Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the dough is completely chilled.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  5. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Fill a separate small bowl with sugar and roll each ball in the sugar until it is completely coated. Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, if not using Cuisipro baking sheet.
  6. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, until the cookies begin to slightly crack on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 4-5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Cranberry Lemon Cookies

 Yield:  about 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp lemon zest
  • 1 egg, large
  • 1½ cup pecans
  • 1½ cup chopped fresh cranberries

Method

  1. Cream butter, sugars, and lemon peel.
  2. Beat in egg and vanilla.
  3. Gradually beat in flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  4. Stir in pecans and cranberries.
  5. Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
  6. Bake 18 to 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F, or until golden.
  7. Let cool slightly before removing to cooling racks.

Optional Icing

Whisk together 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, 2 tablespoon of milk, and ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest.