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Holiday Butter Cookies Three Ways

Simplify your holiday baking and cookie-box-making with one easy cookie dough that can be transformed into a variety of shapes and flavors. All made more delicious and flavorful thanks to a base cookie dough made with real butter.
45 min Prep Time
35 min Cook Time
  • Prep Time: 45 min
  • Cook Time: 35 min

Ingredients

  • For Base Cookie:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • For Thumbprint Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup apricot or raspberry jam

  • For Mix-In Cookies:

  • 1/4 cup diced dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

  • For Slice and Bake Cookies:

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Sanding sugar

Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F.

Step 2

For the base cookie dough: Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, salt and flour. Mix just until dough starts to form.

Step 3

For thumbprint cookies: Continue to mix until dough forms a ball. Roll dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1-2 inches apart. Use a teaspoon to make an indentation in the center of each ball. Fill each indentation with a 1/2 teaspoon jam. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Step 4

For mix-in cookies: Add dried cherries and pistachios; mix until dough forms a ball. Press dough into an 8x8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cut dough into 16 triangles. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. You may need to recut the dough while warm before separating triangles.

Step 5

For slice and bake cookies: Add cinnamon and ground cloves; mix until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Transfer each to a piece of parchment paper. Form into log about 1 3/4-inches in diameter. Roll dough tightly in parchment paper and twist the ends to seal. Chill for 20-30 minutes. On piece of wax or parchment paper, pour a line of sanding sugar for coating dough log. Roll each dough log, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer dough to cutting board and slice with a sharp knife into rounds just less than 1/2-inch thick. Place dough rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Additional slice and bake varieties:
  1. Lemon Poppyseed: Mix 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds into dough. Roll into two logs, chill, slice and bake. Drizzle cooled cookies with lemon glaze (whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice).
  2. Chocolate Peanut Butter: Mix 1/4 cup chopped peanuts into dough. Roll into two logs, chill, slice and bake. Dust cooled cookies with cocoa powder.