Christmas Cookies- Best and worst

[pinkxray]

Every year I make tons of Xmas cookies. I give away boxes and trays to a handful of friends/family but still end up with a ton leftover. I bring about 4 9x13 pans full of cookies to work and put them in our break room, where they are devoured. (Radiology dept in hospital)

I do it because I love baking and have so many recipes/cookies my family requests plus new ones I want to try. As I was doing my yearly weekend bake a thon, I saw an article online about cookies that people secretly don’t like and don’t want to see on a cookie tray! Many regular such as thumbprints, gingerbread, molasses, etc. were on this list. It made me curious.

If you had a Christmas cookie table filled with every cookie imaginable, which one would you grab, which one would you not eat? I did notice molasses cookies seemed to be the last cookies left at work , although they got eaten eventually.

 

[pinkxray]

My first pick of a cookie tray is the magic cookie bar. Love them!

I tend to ignore anything covered in powdered sugar or anise flavored.

 

[neverlandsky]

Grabbing the classics of chocolate chip, chocolate white chocolate chip cookies, or sugar cookies.

Won’t be reaching for peanut butter, oatmeal, or snickerdoodle. Lots of inconsistencies with those types of cookies.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I brought a big platter of cookies to a party last night. Thumbprints went first followed by the two peanut butter cookie, then the peppermint ones, there were only a few left when I was leaving.

 

[imbelle]

I don't like peanut butter or mint in my desserts. If you enclose cookies with these flavors in with other cookies, the other cookies also absorb the odor/flavor. Just me.

 

[leebee]

I'd be skipping any of the "usual" cookies: chocolate chip, m&m, peanut butter, oatmeal/raisin (unless you have an amazing recipe), brownies, molasses. To me, Christmas cookies should be special, different, out-of-the-ordinary cookies. Bring on the thumbprints, peanut butter blossoms, crinkles, frosted butter cookies, snickerdoodles, clusters, etc.!

 

[Toolulu22]

We just had a huge cookie exchange at work. I brought those peanut butter cookies with Hersheys Kisses. First time I’ve made them and they came out great. So each of us were to bring cookies and you could take a small tray home with you, as well as snack throughout the day.

The cookies I brought were popular and devoured after a while. I can’t have almonds, which knocked out a few cookies for me. My favorites at Christmas are the roll-out sugar cookies. They remind me of my mom and are the perfect combination of sweet and buttery goodness. While I’ve made thumb-prints, snickerdoodles, molasses, and gingerbread cookies in the past and like them all - and people brought them this year- none were in my take home box. I went exotic- choclate truffle balls being the winner.

 

[Meriweather]

My favorites are chocolate chip (all year), gingersnaps and chocolate covered cherry cookies.
I skip the sugar (because we make them all year), oatmeal, peanut butter blossoms.

 

[unrequited23]

I skip peanut butter blossoms or any cookie with huge pieces of candy in them like m&m cookies. Plus anything anise flavored. I gravitate toward soft sugar cookies and oatmeal cookies (I usually make an oatmeal pecan cranberry white chocolate chip cookie.)

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I go for the chocolate chip, oatmeal, or M&M cookies.

I skip sugar cookies and the ones that just have the sprinkly stuff on them.

Also snickerdoodle... you could imagine my disappointment when I discovered they are nothing like a Snickers candy bar

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I don't like peanut butter or mint in my desserts. If you enclose cookies with these flavors in with other cookies, the other cookies also absorb the odor/flavor. Just me.

I don't mind the peanut butter so much, but I definitely don't like minty desserts. And yes, the mint flavor leaches into all the other cookies.

I like thumbprints, shortbread, ginger, snickerdoodle, sugar, cranberry white chocolate, cookies with almond flavoring, butterscotch oatmeal. I also like chocolate covered pretzels and those are a really easy addition to a tray of cookies / treats.

 

[Wayland10]

I tend to avoid roll out cookies- not enough interesting flavors. I love peanut butter, gingersnaps, nut tassies, kiffels with apricot jam, and chocolate chip or dark chocolate.
My favorite, most versatile cookie dough is this dense fudge-y chocolate dough. You can add almost any sweet ingredient to it and it’s amazing. Caramel chips and roll it in chopped pecans? Turtle cookie! Sour cherry jam thumbprint and white chocolate drizzle? Black Forest cookie! Make it a disk, roll the edges in graham cracker crumbs and put half a big marshmallow on top? S’mores cookie!
Those always go quick.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Worst cookie that destroys all others - anything with peppermint extract. EVERYTHING ends up tasting like that cookie, b/c the smell permeates other cookies and it's so artificial. So, if you bring that cookie, keep it segregated and far away from the other cookies

Runner up worst cookie - decorated gingerbread or sugar cookies with royal icing or real icing - all look, no taste, and usually overcooked to make sure it won't break in the decorating.

Best cookie - chocolate snowballs or hot cocoa cookies
Runners up - thumbprints, pfefferneuse, snickerdoodles, plain old chocolate chip (or a junk food chocolate chip)

 

[design_mom]

My husband and I have an on-going debate about whether chocolate chip count as "christmas cookies" or not. In my opinion, no... chocolate chip are "everyday cookies" (although I do enjoy them), but we make them at Christmas because my husband's family always did.

My least favorite -- 7 layer bars, or anything with coconut
My favorite -- pizzelles (I like the traditional anise flavor but usually make mine with vanilla instead because nobody else in the family likes the anise ones.)

 

[mjkacmom]

I like ricotta cookies and pignoli. Not a oatmeal raisin fan.

 

[CGB]

About 12 years ago, I started a Christmas tradition of bringing a different cookie each work day starting December 1. Our different workplaces enjoyed it so much, between easing the stress of December and guessing the next day's cookie. So, I've continued it. It's hilarious to hear coworkers tell new hires "...but wait until December!" And it has also gotten hard to plan because coworkers will beg "I'll be gone Thursday, please don't make the Ooey Gooey ones!" I've also experimented to create a few non-gluten cookies from the same batters (usually) so everyone can participate. Over the years, I've tried new cookie recipes; some stayed and some were not repeated. Ooey Gooey Butter, Praline Crack, Kitchen Sink, and Cranberry Bliss Bars are the hands-down favorites. Ooey Gooey Butter almost caused a rumble between the PE teachers and the JH teachers this year. I brought more molasses cookies home, but immediately was asked for them by a coworker who missed that day.

This was the line-up this year:
(1) Snicker doodles (2 ) Chocolate Crinkles (3) Kitchen Sink (4) Praline Crack (5) Cranberry White Chocolate Chip (6) Magic Cookie Bars (7) Molasses Cookie (8) Ooey Gooey Butter (9) Peanut Butter Cookie cups w/Chocolate icing (10) Chocolate-dipped (or drizzled) Orange Shortbread (11) Cranberry Bliss Bars (12) Chocolate snickerdoodle cups w/salted caramel cream cheese icing (13) Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip (14) Gingerbread bars w/cream cheese icing (15) Kitchen-Sink

Edit: Here's a link to see almost all the recipes listed above: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YC-DxbMtYDrbh-nt8MsNLiNXXNrCtr_TEZ2Sg6rq7XE/edit?usp=sharing

 

[dizneegirl]

Another thread worthless without recipes for best cookies...

 

[CGB]

Another thread worthless without recipes for best cookies...

And I thought no one would ask! I'll add the link to my post.

 

[TwoMisfits]

https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/hot-chocolate-cookies/

Inspiration recipe. I halve the recipe, but for my 2 cups of powder, I use 1/2 cup ghiradelli sweet ground chocolate and cocoa mix (dairy free) and 1 1./2 cups flour.

I also use dark chocolate chunks (b/c I up the sweetness in my dough with more cocoa mix and the dark sweet combo works) and don't decrease vanilla, b/c who decreases vanilla. And I use a mix of lard and vegan butter for the butter.

Becomes dairy and nut free that way...but I'm sure it also works as a regular cookie - I just never tried them before I had allergies...

 

[happybaker]

If you had a Christmas cookie table filled with every cookie imaginable, which one would you grab, which one would you not eat? I did notice molasses cookies seemed to be the last cookies left at work , although they got eaten eventually.

I love molasses, gingerbread, and gingersnap cookies. I still haven't found the perfect gingersnap recipe, so those are probably one.of the first I'd try.

I'd be skipping any of the "usual" cookies: chocolate chip, m&m, peanut butter, oatmeal/raisin (unless you have an amazing recipe), brownies, molasses. To me, Christmas cookies should be special, different, out-of-the-ordinary cookies.

Same here. I especially want to try new to me cookies.

I'm not a peppermint or marshmallow fan, so those would be the ones I would leave on the tray.