We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Sandy from Everyday Southwest, joining us today for a very special guest post. Having known Sandy for some time, our bond truly strengthened when we shared a room at EVO this past summer. Without hesitation, she graciously volunteered to contribute a guest post, offering invaluable support to ease my workload during this exciting new chapter with our baby. I couldn’t be happier to kick off the festive baking season with her delightful recipe today. And believe me, I absolutely cannot wait to bake these incredible cookies! For an abundance of fantastic Southwest-inspired recipes, be sure to visit Sandy’s blog. You can also connect with her vibrant culinary community on Facebookand Twitter. A heartfelt thank you, Sandy, for sharing your passion and expertise with us!

Elevate Your Holiday Baking: Cream Cheese Cookies – Four Delightful Ways!

Hello, wonderful bakers! I’m Sandy, and it’s an absolute pleasure to be here, lending a helping hand to Deborah as she cherishes precious moments with her newest addition. Isn’t he just adorable?

Before we dive into the magic of holiday baking, there’s something rather unique you should know about me: I genuinely adore doing the dishes after Thanksgiving dinner! While it might sound unconventional, especially with the monumental pile of plates, platters, and pans our family accumulates, there’s a secret reason behind my enthusiasm. The moment the very last dish, with the final lingering cranberry stain, is sparkling clean and the steam from the dishwasher begins to fill the kitchen, a switch flips. That’s my signal. Until then, I diligently practice self-restraint, allowing my mind to wander only to the creamy perfection of pumpkin pie and my mom’s legendary crescent rolls. But as soon as the post-Thanksgiving cleanup concludes, the gloves come off, and I wholeheartedly plunge into full-scale, high-production holiday baking mode.

Every minute is precious during this glorious time of year. December is the one month when I can unapologetically, and without a single shred of guilt, bake an astounding array of cookies, delectable candies, and magnificent cakes of every conceivable kind. Of course, this isn’t solely for my own indulgence – you understand, it’s primarily for thoughtful gifts and various festive gatherings. The truth is, throughout the year, I collect an impressive arsenal of cookie recipes, meticulously cut from magazines and tucked into every cookbook imaginable. I envision grand plans for elaborate cookie platters, brimming with diverse flavors and intricate designs. However, as the holidays inevitably descend, bringing with them a whirlwind of children’s concerts, frantic shopping excursions, and the quest for the perfect outfit for that dreaded corporate Christmas party, time quickly becomes a scarce commodity. My ambitious baking plans often need to be drastically scaled back, a fact I’d rather keep under wraps.

Unlock the Secret to Stress-Free Holiday Cookie Baking

This challenge led me to develop what I affectionately call my “super secret holiday cookie making method”—a brilliant strategy that allows me to present an entire platter of beautifully assorted cookies, all stemming from just one foundational recipe! Instead of dedicating my limited holiday hours to meticulously shopping for countless different ingredients and painstakingly measuring out numerous individual recipes, I simply triple the batch of my absolute favorite cream cheese cookie dough. This generous foundation then becomes my canvas for creativity. I delight in adding various delicious touches and embellishments, transforming a single dough into an impressive array of distinct cookies. The result? When I elegantly arrange them on a festive plate for friends and family, what was once a simple batch of cookies magically appears as a diverse and incredibly special assortment, without any of the usual stress.

The particular recipe I favor for this method is a traditional rugelach dough. Its inherent flakiness and lightness make it an ideal base, holding up beautifully to a wide spectrum of holiday flavors. However, the beauty of this technique is its versatility; you can absolutely adapt any of your preferred cookie dough recipes. Classic sugar cookies, for instance, work exceptionally well. The key is to simply double or triple your chosen recipe, then divide the large batch of dough into several smaller sections. Each section can then be uniquely customized – perhaps cut into a different festive shape, or infused with distinct flavors like fragrant orange peel, crunchy nuts, or rich chocolate. The possibilities are truly endless. Just let your favorite holiday flavors inspire you; whether you choose to mix them directly into the dough or add them as a delightful dip or topping after the cookies have cooled, you’re limited only by your imagination.

Featured Flavors: Southwest-Inspired Chocolate & Orange Delights

This year, I’ve decided to inaugurate the cookie baking season with a flavor combination that holds a special place in my heart, one that perfectly embodies the vibrant spirit of the Southwest: chocolate and orange! This pairing offers a delightful balance of zesty citrus brightness and deep, comforting cocoa, making it an irresistible choice for any holiday celebration. To help you recreate these festive treats, I’ve generously provided a double recipe of my cherished cream cheese cookie dough, along with detailed instructions for crafting these specific shapes and adding the unique flavor elements.

While I’m sharing my favorite Southwest-inspired variations, I wholeheartedly encourage you to unleash your own culinary creativity. Use your imagination to invent new shapes, experiment with different flavor infusions, and truly make these cookies your own. That, after all, is the most rewarding and enjoyable part of baking! Whether your beautifully decorated cookie platters are destined to be cherished gifts for loved ones, or left out with a glass of milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, this efficient baking method will ensure you have plenty of precious time left over to fully immerse yourself in the joy and wonder of the holiday season this year. Say goodbye to kitchen stress and hello to more memorable moments.

Tips for Crafting Perfect Holiday Cream Cheese Cookies

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Always ensure your cream cheese and butter are at proper room temperature. This is crucial for a smooth, creamy dough that incorporates ingredients evenly, preventing lumps and ensuring a tender cookie texture.
• Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix on low speed just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough cookies.
• Chilling is Key: Don’t skip the refrigeration step. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to handle, preventing it from sticking and spreading too much during baking. It also helps the flavors meld and deepen.
• Even Thickness: When rolling out your dough, aim for consistent thickness. This ensures all cookies bake evenly and prevents some from burning while others are still undercooked.
• Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Lining your baking sheets with parchment paper prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup. It also promotes even baking.
• Cooling Rack Essentials: Transfer cookies to a wire rack immediately after removing them from the oven. This stops the baking process and allows air to circulate, preventing them from becoming soggy.
• Storage Savvy: Store your cream cheese cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer freshness. If decorated with chocolate, ensure the chocolate is fully set before stacking.

Happy Holidays!

Sandy Hoopes

Holiday Cream Cheese Cookies – 4 Ways

Author: Deborah Harroun

Yields: 4-6 dozen cookies

Take the stress out of holiday cookie baking by using one versatile dough to make 4 different, delicious cookies!

Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) regular cream cheese, room temperature
• 16 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or any flavoring you prefer; spiced rum works wonderfully with citrus notes)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup finely chopped macadamia nuts (or nuts of your choice, such as pecans or walnuts)
• ½ cup finely chopped candied orange peel (optional; dried currants or chopped dried cranberries can be substituted)
• ½ cup orange marmalade (or jam of your choice, like apricot or strawberry)
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate candy melts
• 12 ounces white chocolate candy melts

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
2. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for another minute until well incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract or your chosen flavoring and mix thoroughly.
3. Measure the flour precisely by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling off the top with the flat side of a butter knife. Sift the measured flour, then gradually add it to the cream cheese mixture, a little at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
4. Divide the cookie dough into three equal sections. Take one-third of the dough, form it into a flat disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. To the remaining two sections of dough, add the citrus peel and macadamia nuts (or your chosen nuts) as desired, distributing them evenly. Shape each of these flavored dough sections into separate disks, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes. This chilling process is crucial for easier handling and better cookie shape.
5. On a lightly floured cutting board, roll out each chilled dough disk to approximately ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to create various shapes. For example, cut one disk into 1 ½ to 2-inch circles and another into 1-inch by 2 ½-inch rectangles. Shape the remaining disk of dough into small 1 ½-inch balls. Gently press your thumb into the center of each ball to create an indentation, forming classic “thumbprint” cookies.
6. For some of the thumbprint cookies, roll the sides in additional finely chopped nuts before filling. Spoon a small amount of orange marmalade or raspberry jam into the center of each thumbprint indentation.
7. Arrange the different cookie shapes on separate baking pans, ensuring they are adequately spaced. Baking similar shapes together helps them cook more evenly due to consistent size and thickness.
8. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, adjusting the time based on the size and thickness of your cookies. Begin checking for doneness after 12 minutes. The cookies are ready when they are lightly golden brown around the edges. Carefully remove them from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
9. Once the cookies are cool, prepare your chocolate coatings. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate candy melts and the white chocolate candy melts in separate heatproof bowls, following the package instructions (usually in a microwave or over a double boiler).
10. Dip the cooled circle cookies into the melted dark chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off. Dip the rectangle cookies into the melted white chocolate. Place them back on the wire racks or on parchment paper to allow the chocolate to set.
11. For a decorative touch on the thumbprint cookies, transfer the remaining melted chocolates into separate plastic zip-top bags. Snip a tiny hole in one corner of each bag. Drizzle the chocolates artfully over the thumbprint cookies. Allow all the chocolate coatings to fully set and harden before arranging the cookies on festive plates. These beautiful assortments are perfect for gifting or sharing with your family and friends during the holidays!