Life
11 Easy Holiday Cookies That You Can Actually Pull Off And Are Still Incredibly Delicious — PHOTOS
A lot of people in this world fear that their friends will use them for their looks or their intelligence or their bodies, but I’ve always known what I’ve been used for: my ridiculous obsession with bringing baked goods everywhere I go. I have a sweet tooth that could rival Cookie Monster’s and no repentance about it, so you can either hop on board the cookie train, or I’ll just eat all the cookies I brought by myself, thank you very much. A lot of my friends mistakenly think that I’m really good at baking because I do it so much, but the truth is I just find the easiest recipes that look the most delicious, and BAM—fabulous artery-clogging junk food for all.
So release all of that holiday baking anxiety you have. If you play your cards right, you might not even have to bake at all. But if you are going to hazard to turn on your oven this holiday season and serve your family and friends gratuitous amounts of cooked butter and sugar, then look no further than this list for advice.
Just to prove how totally doable all of these recipes are, all of these photos are from actual, mortal humans who made them. They're not those fancy, unrealistic, possibly-not-even-real-food cookbook photos. Good luck, fellow lazy bakers, and godspeed.
Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
It sounds super fancy, but this recipe from Betty Crocker is almost foolproof.
Image: Fotolia
Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
These require a little extra effort, but if you remind yourself frequently that you worship at the altar of Nutella you’ll be inspired to see these through to the end.
Image: Fotolia
Mint Chocolate Macarons
I think humanity balks at the idea of making macarons because they think it requires fancy equipment like pastry bags, but they’re actually fairly simple to make, especially if you go rogue and cut a tiny hole in a Ziploc bag.
Feffernous
I’m not sure if I want to make these cookies or just dare people to say the name of them ten times fast. These call for ground pepper, but this is just like many dessert situations: high risk, high reward.
Homemade Thin Mints
I defy you, Girl Scouts! But only because I already ate my way through the seven boxes I had stockpiled in the freezer already. Try this easy homemade recipe and be everyone’s hero this year.
Image: Fotolia
Dulce De Leche Cookies
If you’re feeling super ambitious, enough that you are willing to wait to eat your cookies long enough to make a filling for them, then these are a worthwhile baking adventure.
Image: Fotolia
Maple Pecan Blondie
Yet another legitimate and delicious option for the vegans and non-vegans in your life.
Image: Fotolia
Christmas Doily Cookies
Aptly named for resembling the flatness of a Christmas doily, I can promise you that these are at least ten times more delicious than eating doilies themselves, and surprising uncomplicated to make.
Image: Fotolia
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies With Maple Glaze
DO NOT PRETEND YOU DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS MADNESS.
Image: Fotolia
EXTREME Gingerbread
What makes it so EXTREME, you ask? The man who baked them used an ordinary gingerbread recipe and then added THREE KINDS OF GINGER: crystallized, diced and ground. That’ll clear your sinuses.
Image: Fotolia
Rudolph's Nose Cookies
You leave out cookies for Santa, but how much of the work is he really doing?! Don’t forget to thank your favorite four-legged friends this holiday season with these fruity, nutty, cornflake-baked cookies.
Image: Fotolia
