Quickest and easiest holiday cookies

[KungFuPanda]

What if you want your family to have the variety of holiday cookies they've grown used to over the years, BUT you are not feeling the workload?  What if you were willing to set aside one afternoon to knock out as many varieties as possible?  What would your cookie "menu" look like? Who wants to share a list of 4, 5, or 6 cookies you can make quickly and tick 'holiday baking" off your list without committing a full day to the project?   I need the best cheats you have.  Things like palmiers with puff pastry or peanut butter cookies made with a cake mix.  I have zero pride.  Nobody is getting biscotti this year.  

What would you make with just a few hours to crank out a variety platter?

[Carol in Cal.]

Bar cookies are your friend.

In our house that would be chocolate chip bars, 7 layer bars, and cinnamon diamond bars.  

First I would make the chocolate crinkle dough to refrigerate, because those are not optional.

Then the bars.

Then macarons—so easy, so good.

Then the chocolate crinkles.

DONE.

[WildflowerMom]

Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies

 

[rebcoola]

Cake mix cookies:  red velvet and chocolate with peppermint.

[happi duck]

Rice krispie treats with holiday rice krispies

[MooCow]

I would buy the premade refrigerator cookies and bake them. With a pan of Christmas brownies. Make a double batch and sprinkle w/ red and green sprinkles. 

[mominco]

We do semi homemade cookies for a lot of people like my mailman.fed ex,ups and trash/recycle guys.

We make atleast 4 dozen and give 6-8 per person.

 

1 package devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 (6 ounce) bag semisweet choc chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat half of the cake mix, the butter, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon.

Stir in remaining cake mix and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft).

Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

 

 The others I use are refrigerated sugar cookie dough by Pillsbury and buy 1 or 2 packages of Rolo candy,Roll the dough over the candy,Bake as per instructions on the cookie dough pack ,Ghirardelli/Duncan hines brownie mix brownies with extra nuts and chips,

Nestle chocolate chip cookie dough with extra chips.

 

[ktgrok]

My favorite are spritz cookies! No rolling dough, no chilling the dough. And you can flavor them how you like, add food coloring, etc. Kids love doing them. Use the recipe from Land O Lakes butter. 

[Amira]

Start with a couple of trays of bar cookies because they’re quickest to get in the oven.  While they’re baking, make snickerdoodle dough, but instead of rolling them in cinnamon and sugar, roll some in cardamom and sugar and others in crushed candy canes.  You get two traditional holiday flavors with one batch of dough.  You can also do a chocolate dough and treat it the same way.  Roll some in crushed peppermint, others in powdered sugar.  

[barnwife]

Eggwhite cookies (some people call them merengues)
They are super easy and you can fold in different things so you have a variety. 

[footballmom]

Easiest peanut butter kiss cookies: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg.  Mix together, drop dough into cookie size and bake at 350, press a kiss into them when they are done baking.

Fudge is pretty quick and easy - recipe on the back of the Kraft marshmallow fluff jar.

 

[footballmom]

Bark is also very easy - spread out melted white chocolate or whatever chocolate you like, sprinkle on dried cherries or apricots, almonds or pistachios, etc.  Break into smaller pieces once hardened

[busymama7]

I find Russian tea cakes (I think they are also called Mexican wedding cookies or cakes) to be super fast and easy and since they aren't eaten often they are festive.

[Stacia]

Oatmeal scotchies

[thewellerman]

What if you make a huge batch of a  traditional chocolate chip recipe, but go a little heavier on the brown sugar to white sugar ratio.

Then divide the dough and add different mix-ins:

Oreo chunks and peppermint chips

White chocolate chips and macadamia nuts

Dark, milk, and white chocolate chips, and cinnamon.  

Dark chocolate chips and dried cherries

Orange peel and chocolate chunks 

[mom31257]

This is super easy and yummy but not exactly a cookie. https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/saltine-cracker-toffee/ 

 

[Dianthus]

2 hours ago, busymama7 said:

I find Russian tea cakes (I think they are also called Mexican wedding cookies or cakes) to be super fast and easy and since they aren't eaten often they are festive.

That is what I was going to suggest and what I made today! 3 batches, but it still wasn't enough. I make them first because they are good and taste fresh for a long time. Very simple recipe.

[KatieJ]

Mexican wedding cakes get my vote every time. They mix up quickly, you can put several dozen on a cookie sheet at a time as they spread and are very festive with all that powdered sugar.

 

Last year we made cookies from Girardeli brownie mix.(buy the big box at Costco..much cheaper)

I don’t have the recipe,  but it was quick and easy.

I made several batches, altering them slightly . Some were plain, some I sprinkled with colored sugar or powdered sugar and one batch we chopped up some mints we had. They were similar to Andes mints.

You can add any kind of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips etc to add variety. They went over well! 

[marbel]

Cookie breakup is a super fast/easy chocolate chip cookie:  https://www.marthastewart.com/1154168/cookie-breakup

Magic cookie bars - also called 7 layer bars and other name. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/63959/magic-cookie-bars-from-eagle-brand/

Ghirardelli brownie mixes are awesome.  Years ago I had a recipe for a fancy sort of cookie that was really just a brownie baked in a mini-muffin in, then stopped with ganache and stuff like shredded coconut, or a pecan, or almond, you get the idea. They were really pretty but quite simple to make and even simpler with a brownie mix.

Dorrie Greenspan's almond crackle cookies:   https://food52.com/recipes/67683-dorie-greenspan-s-3-ingredient-almond-crackle-cookies

[KungFuPanda]

10 hours ago, ktgrok said:

My favorite are spritz cookies! No rolling dough, no chilling the dough. And you can flavor them how you like, add food coloring, etc. Kids love doing them. Use the recipe from Land O Lakes butter. 

I meant to replace my cookie press, but I got decision fatigue and just didn’t choose. My last one had a battery, but it quit on me so I want to replace it with something easy to use that lasts forever. Do you have a recommendation? I’m thinking I may just pipe them out of a pastry bag unless someone gives me a reason why that won’t work. 
 

Thanks for all the ideas. Keep them coming. This helps tremendously. 

[plansrme]

Brownies from a box (the only baked product I do no make from scratch), cut into triangles, and decorated like reindeer or Christmas trees. Here is an example. It is a lot of bang for your Christmas baking buck. I did reindeer a bunch when my kids were small and have Christmas trees on the list for this year.

That mix with melted almond bark and Chex mix + add-ins is also a lot of bang for your buck, and addictive.

[marbel]

This chocolate orange hazelnut bark is really delicious and super simple, though it's candy not a cookie.  We make it with almonds due to a hazelnut allergy.   https://www.marthastewart.com/317965/chocolate-orange-hazelnut-bark

[WildflowerMom]

Just look on the picture on this link, ignore the recipe.   Get a cheesecake from the grocery store, slice, put in sticks, put in freezer to get really cold, take out, pour melted chocolate on and Christmas colored sprinkle, fridge to set. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-covered-cheesecake-trees/5cc349e6-23b5-4667-ad3e-91d31470da98

[Granny_Weatherwax]

1 cup peanut butter

16 oz blanched peanuts

12 oz butterscotch chips

Melt peanut butter and butterscotch chips in double boiler. Stir in peanuts. Drop by spoonfull onto waxed paper lined trays and place in refrigerator to chill.

Makes about 48 cookies.

 

or make it a brittle and pour it onto wax lined trays and let harden. Cut or break into desired sizes.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Granny_Weatherwax

[Farrar]

My easiest options would be...

Chocolate bark
Box brownies with Christmas M&M's
Chocolate chip cookies with Christmas M&M's
Cake mix cookies (agreeing that red velvet looks festive)

If I wanted to kick it up just a little...

Other bar cookies (lots mentioned above)
Shortbread (honestly, I don't think it's that hard)
Peanut butter blossoms
Mexican wedding cookies

[Beth S]

Grinch here. 😉

My family just loves our Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.
They prefer it to having a variety of not-really-fantastic Christmas-themed cookies.

Easy to mix in mini M&Ms or white/cranberry chips, dough can be made ahead of time, cookies frozen, etc.

Technically, you could COLOR some of the dough to make it red, etc.

ETA = I also dip small pretzels in almond bark.  Very quick.

Best wishes on your Streamlined Goal!

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Beth S

[Terabith]

Sugar cookies depicting Biblically accurate angels with edible eyes are always a hit, and are super easy.  

[happi duck]

Those pretzel, rolo, m&m things are delicious!

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/rolo-pretzels-with-pretzel-m-and-ms/

[happi duck]

6 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Sugar cookies depicting Biblically accurate angels with edible eyes are always a hit, and are super easy.  

Fear not!

[happi duck]

Peppermint puppy chow https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/peppermint-crunch-puppy-chow/

Homemade thin mints https://www.averiecooks.com/homemade-thin-mints/

[TechWife]

Do you have a cookie press? These angel whispers are my go to every year. I use the icing as filling between two cookies sometimes, which makes it more like this recipe.  Another option is to use the cookie press recipe and dust them with powdered sugar instead of making the icing.

[TechWife]

10 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Sugar cookies depicting Biblically accurate angels with edible eyes are always a hit, and are super easy.  

Wait a minute. I have a lot of edible "googly eyes" left over from some monster cupcakes I made last year. I am going to have to give this a thought.

[Terabith]

[teachermom2834]

I used to do a ton of cookies of all varieties. As I have cut back I have found that the biggest bang for the buck as far as effort vs. payoff is the peanut butter blossoms. It isn’t the easiest cookie but it isn’t hard and yet it is the one my boys don’t want to go without and the one that seems most special. If I was only going to do one that would be it. 
 

I bet pre made peanut butter cookie dough would also fill in just fine. 
 

Not as easy as pan of brownies but the lowest effort vs. highest payoff cookie in my repertoire 🙂

[ktgrok]

14 hours ago, mom31257 said:

This is super easy and yummy but not exactly a cookie. https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/saltine-cracker-toffee/ 

 

Those are SOOOOOOOOOOO good. I've heard them called "crack" before as they are so addictive. NOM. 

5 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I meant to replace my cookie press, but I got decision fatigue and just didn’t choose. My last one had a battery, but it quit on me so I want to replace it with something easy to use that lasts forever. Do you have a recommendation? I’m thinking I may just pipe them out of a pastry bag unless someone gives me a reason why that won’t work. 
 

Thanks for all the ideas. Keep them coming. This helps tremendously. 

I like the OXO one. 

[skimomma]

I always have a large percentage of spritz cookies.  It is so easy to make many different variations, colors, and decor.  We do some chocolate, some almond, and some cream cheese, then vary the decor of all.

My cookie shooter is a Hamilton Beach brand from the 1980s that I picked up at Goodwill in the 1990s.  It is possessed.  It sometimes will not turn off and you have to flip the battery lid to make it stop.  Very festive!  It makes such a mess!  It just would not feel like Christmas if I went a bought a new one for a whopping $20.

We also love thumbprint cookies.  Easy and tasty.

 

[Idalou]

2 hours ago, Farrar said:

My easiest options would be...

Chocolate bark
Box brownies with Christmas M&M's
Chocolate chip cookies with Christmas M&M's
Cake mix cookies (agreeing that red velvet looks festive)

If I wanted to kick it up just a little...

Other bar cookies (lots mentioned above)
Shortbread (honestly, I don't think it's that hard)
Peanut butter blossoms
Mexican wedding cookies

Beware the red velvet cake mix cookies! If the box makes 2 dozen cookies, and your kids eat them all day, just inform them that the red going in also looks a deep red exiting.

[prairiewindmomma]

Chocolate dipped pretzels, with sprinkles or crushed candycane or white chocolate puff corn: https://www.creationsbykara.com/white-chocolate-puff-corn-crack/

peanutbutter kiss cookies

lemon cookies from a cake mix: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10776/easy-lemon-cookies/

microwave fudge

 

 

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

19 hours ago, Stacia said:

Oatmeal scotchies

I have a very similar recipe called butterscotch oaties.  It doesn’t have any cinnamon though.

[Drama Llama]

5 hours ago, Terabith said:

You need to put a trypophobia trigger warning on those.  

[Carol in Cal.]

The point to the bar cookies is, you get the equivalent of an entire recipe worth of cookies from essentially no shaping time and 20 minutes of baking instead of sheet after sheet.  Then you cut them up when they are still warm, and you’re done with that kind.

Also, my absolute favorite trick for getting a wide variety of homemade cookies in the house is to go to a cookie exchange.  Everyone brings 7 dozen cookies and they are laid out on a table.  Then everyone circles with their containers, taking 2-3 of each, until all is gone.

[mlktwins]

22 hours ago, rebcoola said:

Cake mix cookies:  red velvet and chocolate with peppermint.

Where do I find the recipes for these?

[mlktwins]

7 hours ago, happi duck said:

Those pretzel, rolo, m&m things are delicious!

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/rolo-pretzels-with-pretzel-m-and-ms/

These are also really good using Hershey's Hugs (the white and milk chocolate mix) instead of the rolos.

[KungFuPanda]

I wanted to let you all know that I leaned in HARD with the spritz cokies.  I tried piping a batch, but my nozzle was too small.  So,  I ordered a cookie press from bed bath and beyond for in-store pickup in an hour.  Then, because I was still in my pajamas, I made DH go get it.  😆 I ended up making oatmeal raisin and oatmeal cranberry from the same dough.  I also did butter-almond spritz cookies and ginger snap spritz cookies in about 7 different shapes with different sprinkled decorations.  Some have a dot of jam.  It looks like I made 10 different kinds of cookies and the time commitment was low. (I also didn't have to buy ingredients because everything was in the house.

Now I have enough stashed in the freezer for a Christmas Day platter for us and Dd's house.  I also have a selection in the cookie jar for grazing this week.  I may do one more baking push and do the palmiers, chocolate fudge, and coconut macaroons.  A good friend is obsessed with my chocolate zucchini bread (it's cake) so I will probably do one more baking session and call it a season. Either way, people are munching away on a decent selection and everyone is happy. 

Thanks for the motivation!  I cook all the time, but I don't really bake sweets that often so the variety of cookies is special to my family.  I work part time now, which I love, but I do my entire 20 hours on Wednesday and Thursday so I have to be extra organized this week.

[Idalou]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:08 PM, mlktwins said:

Where do I find the recipes for these?

Any flavor cake mix. Add 2 eggs and half cup of oil. Some recipes call for half cup of butter instead of oil. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

You can add anything to the mix, nuts, chips, candy. My mom always seemed to get more cookies from it than I did, until I learned she added an extra half cup of flour to hers.

For me, the national brand mixes taste better than the stores brand mix. Sometimes I'll add almond flavoring to the plain vanilla mix or coffee to the chocolate.

[mlktwins]

29 minutes ago, Idalou said:

Any flavor cake mix. Add 2 eggs and half cup of oil. Some recipes call for half cup of butter instead of oil. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

You can add anything to the mix, nuts, chips, candy. My mom always seemed to get more cookies from it than I did, until I learned she added an extra half cup of flour to hers.

For me, the national brand mixes taste better than the stores brand mix. Sometimes I'll add almond flavoring to the plain vanilla mix or coffee to the chocolate.

Thank you!  Yummy!!!

[DawnM]

On 12/17/2021 at 6:27 PM, Baseballandhockey said:

You need to put a trypophobia trigger warning on those.  

I will admit it, I had to look that word up.....

[DawnM]

On 12/16/2021 at 9:13 PM, Carol in Cal. said:

Bar cookies are your friend.

In our house that would be chocolate chip bars, 7 layer bars, and cinnamon diamond bars.  

First I would make the chocolate crinkle dough to refrigerate, because those are not optional.

Then the bars.

Then macarons—so easy, so good.

Then the chocolate crinkles.

DONE.

And buckeye bars......taste just the same but with very minimal effort.

[KungFuPanda]

7 hours ago, DawnM said:

And buckeye bars......taste just the same but with very minimal effort.

Buckeyes come in bars?!?! I might actually attempt that. I rarely bake sweets, but my candy-making efforts are even rarer. I do have a SERIOUS peanut butter weakness. 

[Sharpie]

7 hours ago, DawnM said:

And buckeye bars......taste just the same but with very minimal effort.

Recipe, please? 😊.