Count Down To Christmas Cookie Recipes

*Christmas*

One, simple word that brings so much anticipation and joy wrapped up in wonder.  I love everything about this season.  The swirling snowflakes that dance outside my window, the smell of balsam and cinnamon that fill the house, twinkling lights, familiar carols, the gathering of family, the celebration of my Savior's birth, decorating my home, our annual party and the plethora of goodies we bake up to pass out to those who grace our lives whether it be the mailman, the teller at the bank, our neighbors, or our best friends.

As we prepare for another wonder-filled season I wanted to share with you some of my favorite cookie recipes.  Enjoy filling your home with sweet smelling scents and your bellies with decadent goodness.

Photo from Recipe Girl

*Candy Cane Kiss Cookies*
If you are like me, you do the happy dance when the new Kisses come out for the holiday season.  I have a passion for the Candy Cane kisses.  Not only are they adorable... adorned in red and white stripes thus making a pretty centerpiece when placed in a candy dish at the center of your table, but they are insanely addicting.  The bits of chocolate in the batter are wonderful.  These cookies pair nicely with a hot cup of cocoa piled high with whipped cream.  Mmmmm.

*Big, Soft Ginger Cookies*
If you like a good ol' ginger cookie then do yourself a favor and make up a DOUBLE batch of these.  As always, I substitute butter for margarine in any recipe.  Serve these up with a tall glass of milk and It's A Wonderful Life!

* Pretzel Turtles*
Okay, so technically they are not a cookie but these little bite sized goodies are too easy to make and too yummy to pass up.  We make large batches of these to have at our annual Christmas Eve party.  If you don't have Rolos you can use Kisses (the peppermint ones are wonderful in this recipe too) and top em' with a Christmas colored M&M if there are any nut allergies you are concerned of.  Put a bunch in a clear bag and tie with a festive bow for a gift for your mail carrier.  :)

* Classic Chocolate Chip *
This is by far my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I use Ghirradeli 60% cocoa chips and keep the batter in the fridge between cooking batches and they come out perfect every time.  Make ice cream sandwiches and take two cookies and fill them with peppermint ice cream (or whatever flavor you want) and roll in mini chocolate chips or crushed candy canes.  Um, yes please!

* Snickerdoodles *
Not only are they fun to say, they are also fun to eat!  Snickerdoodles will always remind me of my sweet Aunt Julie who would whip these up for us when I would spend the night.  This buttery cookie melts in your mouth as the cinnamon and sugar bring back memories of yesteryear.  Great with your favorite cup of coffee.  Make the dough up ahead of time, scoop onto cookie sheets and freeze, then once dough is frozen pop into a ziplock freezer bag so when unexpected company stops by you can bake up a batch of "mmm, mmm, good" in a matter of minutes.

What are some of your favorite cookie recipes?

Happy Baking!