3 Hacks To Make the Perfect Christmas Cookies, Plus One Last-Minute Time Saver
With Christmas inching ever closer, I’ve been running around trying to get the last few things done. Luckily, Christmas cookies are one of the few things I can actually make ahead of time and have ready before the big day. But the amount of work that goes into making so many cookies is always a bit daunting to me. To make the tradition a bit easier, I looked for some hacks to make the perfect Christmas cookies. See which one could work for you!
Dip your cookie cutters in flour.
There’s nothing worse than finally getting your dough right, only to fight with the cookie cutter as it keeps getting stuck. It’s hard to get perfect shapes if it doesn’t come off seamlessly! Instead of getting frustrated, grab a plate and cover it with flour. Then simply dip your cookie cutter in flour every so often for better results! The flour will prevent the dough from sticking to the edges of the cutter and give you perfectly-cut cookie every time.
Use a muffin tin for perfectly round cookies.
If you’d rather not deal with a cookie cutter but still want to have a perfectly-shaped result, grab your muffin tin. Spoon a serving of cookie dough into each cup (don’t forget to grease them, or use liners!) and pop into the oven for the usual amount of time. When they’re done, your cookies will have the perfectly round edges of the tin without requiring any extra work. It’ll also make your cookies a bit on the thicker side, which I personally prefer. Play around with how much you want to scoop in, depending on your desired thickness.
Keep cookies soft by storing them with bread.
The only problem with making cookies ahead of time is that they tend to lose their moisture as time goes on. It’s disappointing biting into a dry, crumbly cookie days after baking. To keep that just-baked softness, pop a slice of bread in the container where you store them. The cookies will slowly absorb the moisture from the bread, keeping them fresh and not dry. You’ll have the perfect soft bite every time!
BONUS: In a pinch? Store bought cookie dough is fine.
If you’re reading this the day before Christmas, it’s not too late to have some holiday cookie fun! Just like the great Ina Garten likes to say, store bought is perfectly fine to use. Grab some pre-made sugar cookie dough from the store and add some personal touches to make the end result feel homemade. Once it softens, you can add things like cinnamon, nutmeg, peppermint extract, orange zest, any kind of nut, truly whatever you want! Any flavor you typically use can be added to the plain cookie dough. The cookies will taste delicious — and no one will guess you didn’t spend hours making them. It’s a win-win!
Take the stress out of making perfect Christmas cookies with these simple hacks. Happy snacking!
