Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

This is one of the Best Christmas Cookie Recipes I have in my files. It was originally a recipe saved as a holiday cookie, but it's absolutely fabulous anytime of the year.

Don't skimp on the ingredients - the brownie-like texture and rich flavor come from all that good butter and cocoa.

Get an assortment of cookie cutters - look for traditional holiday shapes as well as interesting geometric forms, or delicately fluted and scalloped cutters.

Get the kids involved - they will be the ones who are always asking for more!

Best Ever Chocolate Christmas Cutout Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg

Sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder and the salt into a small bowl. Set it aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and the granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until it is completely incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour in the flour mixture until soft dough forms.

Divide the dough into 2 parts. Line a work surface with a sheet of plastic wrap and place half the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around the dough and flatten it like a large cookie. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Refrigerate both halves for 2 hours, until the dough is stiff.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Lightly flour a work surface and roll out one of the flattened halves of dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Dip your cookie cutter into some flour and cut out your desired shapes. Re-roll any scraps for more cookies. Repeat this procedure with the other half of the dough.

Place the cut out cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the outside edges begin to crisp up. Let the cookies sit a few minutes on the sheet pans, then remove them to wire racks to cool completely.

Good To Know - These cookies will last up to 3 days in a tightly covered container, and up to 3 months frozen. That gives you a 3 month head start on Christmas cookie baking.

Bake up a batch of these cookies just once and you'll add them to your cookie recipe file. And I think you'll agree with me that it's one of the Best Christmas Cookie Recipes that you have.