The holidays are all about spending time with the people you love, and what better place to gather than in the kitchen?
If you haven't already made baking with the little ones a holiday tradition, start with these cookie recipes to make with the kids. Each one includes a decorating step, whether that means piping icing or rolling the finished cookies in sugar, and kids' eager hands are perfect for the job. So choose from the recipes below, grab your Nellie's Free Range Eggs from the fridge, and get ready to make festive memories that you'll cherish for years to come.
1. Rudolph Stained Glass Cookies
Did you know that you can make stained glass Rudolph cookies with nothing but a little Christmas magic (and a few cherry-hard candies)? Let the kids help crush the candies and sprinkle them onto the sheet pan, then wait for their eyes to light up (always the prime motivation to make Christmas cookies with the kids!) as the candies melt into a shiny red reindeer nose!
2. Egg Cookies for Santa
Don't forget to leave out a little something sweet for Santa on Christmas Eve. A plate of these crisp egg cookies served with a tall glass of milk is the best present the big man could ask for!
3. Hot Chocolate Cookies
It doesn't really feel like the holidays until you've had at least one mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top. And now you can enjoy everyone's favorite cozy beverage in cookie form, too! Complete with an extra drizzle of chocolate and mini marshmallows, these hot chocolate cookies live up to their name.
4. Easy Decorated Biscotti
Have the kids lend a hand once these crunchy pecan-filled Italian biscuits are out of the oven and cooled to room temp. The little ones can help adorn them with an assortment of melted chocolate (try a combination of milk and white!), piped candy melts, sprinkles, and even crushed candy canes. Once they're done, it's time to break out the hot cocoa!
5. Swirled Meringue Kisses
Full of whimsy, these meringue cookies are piped with food coloring for a beautiful swirled effect. They're also easy peasy to make, requiring very few ingredients and not a whole lot of hands-on time. Watching egg whites whip into big white peaks is pretty magical; the kids will love being part of the process.
6. Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
Everyone loves a classic Christmas cookie, but who has time for all that rolling and chilling? These peppermint sugar cookie bars are like blondies, but with peppermint chocolate chips and crushed candy canes in every delicious bite.
7. Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies
Invite Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and friends into your kitchen with this easy to follow gingerbread cookie recipe. The best part? You don't need a reindeer cookie cutter to make this adorable sleigh-pulling crew. Just flip your gingerbread men upside-down, get busy with the royal icing, and watch them come to life!
8. Colorful Sugar Cookie Wreaths
If there are any young budding artists in your family, they'll have a blast decorating these little leaf cookies before arranging them onto parchment paper. To go the traditional route, paint them with green food coloring and add round sprinkles or small red candies after baking to make adorable Christmas wreaths worthy of being left out with a glass of milk for Santa.
9. Swedish Heirloom Cookies with Walnuts
Also known as "snowball cookies," these Swedish heirloom treats are as fun to make as they are to eat. The dough for these easy Christmas cookies for kids comes together in a jiffy, and once they're baked, kids can roll each warm cookie in confectioners' sugar. Take a bite and and they'll melt in your mouth almost instantly!
10. Tri-Color Polvorones
Wait, don't drink that cup of coffee yet! Every warm beverage needs a sidekick for dunking, and we recommend these classic Mexican polvorones. They're slightly nutty with a satisfying crunch; the perfect pairing for your morning joe or the kids' hot chocolate.
11. Star of David Sugar Cookies
No matter what holiday you celebrate this time of year, everyone should have the chance to enjoy some sweet treats! These Star of David sugar cookies are decked out in royal icing and dyed a festive blue color, perfect for your Hanukkah celebration.
