The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook: 60+ Recipes to Bake for the Holidays

by Carroll Pellegrinelli

Celebrate the holiday season with festive, deliciously easy Christmas cookies

'Tis the season to pull out those cookie cutters and get ready to whip up an array of magical, mouthwatering Christmas cookies! From Gingerbread People to Candy Cane Cookies, this standout among Christmas cookbooks is packed with foolproof baking guidance, tons of festive decorating tips, and dozens of super easy recipes for tasty treats—perfect for gifting and simple enough to sweeten any occasion.

This guide is everything Christmas cookbooks should be, starting with the best practices of holiday baking. Find hands-on guidance for decorating techniques like piping icing and adding flair with sprinkles and sugar. Then, bake up some Christmas cheer with simple step-by-step recipes for more than 60 delightful cookies, brownies, bars, and even special treats not found in other Christmas cookbooks.

This top choice in Christmas cookbooks

Christmas cookie kitchen—Go beyond other Christmas cookbooks—this one will show you some essential ingredients you can find in your supermarket, plus guidance on hosting your own cookie swap!Christmas around the world—Discover cookies and traditions across the globe you won't find in other Christmas cookbooks, like St. Nicholas Cookies (Speculaas), and Polish-Style Christmas Cookies (Kolaczki).Yummy Yuletide treats—Enjoy 60+ classic and creative cookies ranging from Christmas Sugar Cookies to sweet and salty Bacon and Eggnog Cookies to giftable Polar Bear Chow and beyond!Deck the halls with a wonderland of Christmas cookies in The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Christmas, Cooking

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2020

Reviews

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cookbook featuring tried and true classic cookies as well as new recipes that I’ve never seen before, like Bacon and Eggnog cookies and German Beer Christmas cookies. My only complaint is that I would have liked more recipe pictures. I thank Callisto Publisher’s Club for the opportunity to read and review this cookbook.

[Lindsay Furan · Rating 2 out of 5]

More pictures would be helpful since not all the instructions are detailed enough

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this cookbook and just knew that I had to have it. I wasn't disappointed in getting it, either. The author started with prep, techniques, tools, etc.; and made it easy enough for even inexperienced cooks. Then she gets into the heart of the book: the recipes.

I've been baking since I was a little girl, and own hundreds of cookbooks. But there are quite a few interesting recipes in here that I'm going to bake, including St. Nicholas Cookies, Cranberry-Orange Chocolate Linzer Cookies, Double Mint Brownies, Orange Snow Bars, and even the author's version of Gingerbread People.

With all these recipes, I'm sure that anyone can find several to try, and there's even a recipe for no-bake cookies for those who are kitchen-challenged! Highly recommended.

[Johanna C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great recipes!

My only wish would be that each recipe had a photo to accompany it. There is good variety, easy to follow recipes, some personal stories makes it an enjoyable read.

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this cookbook! It has all the classic cookies as well as new additions with great photos. I thank Callisto Publisher’s Club for the opportunity to read and review this Cookbook.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a kid, I loved to bake Christmas cookies. We weren’t a big baking family, but there were some cookies that we made every year. I keep the tradition going now, but every year I wish I had more time to bake more types of cookies to share with everyone I love. The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook can help me with that. Not only are there a wide variety of types of cookies, there are also lots of tips about freezing either the baked cookies or the cookie dough, so with a little planning, I can bake a ton of cookies to get ready for the holidays. And you know what that means: gift-giving done!

Author Carroll Pellegrinelli has put together over 60 recipes of holiday treats (or everyday treats, if you want) that you can use for holiday parties, gifts, and for eating. And she has set this up so that even beginning bakers can jump in and get started.

The first chapter is everything you need to get set up for success: lists of the ingredients you need, the equipment that will get your cookies baked, tips for storing and freezing your treats, and lots of ideas for decorating with icings and sprinkles. There is the master recipe for Royal Icing, which isn’t the only icing you can use to decorate your bookies, but it’s one of the classics. And once you’re prepared, with everything in place, then it’s on to the cookies to bake.

Chapter two is all about Holiday Favorites. This is the Christmas Sugar Cookies, the Butter Spritz Cookies, the Gingerbread People, the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, and (my personal favorite) Chocolate Crinkles. There are also Holiday Pinwheel Cookies, Snowballs, Chocolate-Dipped Almond Cookies, and Peanut Butter Blossoms. Then you can step it up a notch with chapter three, Classics with a Twist. Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies, Ultimate Snickerdoodles, Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups, Minty Chocolate Chip Cookies, Red Velvet Crinkles, and Smooth Irish Whiskey Brownies are just a few of the exciting treats that take your recipes just one step higher than the usual ones your family and friends expect.

Chapter four is filled with New Creations, like Bacon and Eggnog Cookies, Sharp Cheddar Cheese Butter Cookies, Brie and Fig Jam Thumbprint Cookies, German Beer Chocolate Cookies, and “Eat Your Vegetables” Christmas Cookies (made with zucchini and carrots). And then the final chapter is filled with Not-Quite-Cookies, which include recipes that are perfect for gift-giving or for impressing friends and family at holiday gatherings. There are Slow-Cooker Nutty Chocolate Clusters, Polar Bear Chow, Truffles, Easy English=Style Toffee, Flavorful Fruity Popcorn, Crispy Holiday Trees, and No-Bake Chocolate Cookies.

Each recipe is also packed with extra information. There are tips for storage, serving, ingredients, techniques, and even troubleshooting. There are notes for variations or traditions. And there are notations signifying bar cookies, molded cookies, rolled cookies, and drop cookies as well as for recipes that are freezer-friendly and icebox cookies (cookies that need time to chill before baking). Pellegrinelli sets her readers up for success every step of the way, making this a great cookbook for beginning bakers who want to build fun holiday traditions with cookie baking, decorating, sharing, and gifting.

I love the breadth and creativity of these recipes, but I can’t help but wish there were more photos. The festive nature of these recipes call out for more photos, and I would have loved to see more pictures of decorating techniques and ideas. But that being said, the recipes are tempting, and I think anyone baking from The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook will make the holidays a big hit for their family and friends.

Egalleys for The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook were provided by Rockridge Press through the Callisto Media Publisher’s Club, with many thanks.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an opportunity, via the publisher, to read The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook: 60+ Recipes to Bake for the Holidays. I voluntarily chose to review this cookbook and my opinion is freely given.

This cookie cookbook starts out with an introduction, a baking 101 with everything you need to know from tools to techniques. Separated out into logical sections, readers will be able to make old favorites and soon to become new classics.

Here are the different chapters, along with some of the standout recipes:

Holiday Favorites: Butter Spritz Cookies; Aunt Wanda's Ginger Cookies; Neapolitan Cookies; Linzer Cookies; Snowballs; Chocolate Crinkles

Classics With A Twist: Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies; Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups; Red Velvet Crinkles; Smooth Irish Whisky Brownies

New Creations: Brie and Fig Jam Thumbprint Cookies; German Beer Chocolate Cookies; Christmas Cookie Pizza

Not-Quite Cookies: Truffles; Easy English-Style Toffee; Blondies; Dreaming of a White Christmas Bars; No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

Every other recipe has a photograph, which will definitely inspire baking. The only problem that I have with the cookbook is that the first section includes recipes that are easily found in other places. I want to be inspired with new recipes, twists and creations like in two of the chapters. Overall, The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook: 60+ Recipes to Bake for the Holidays is a good collection of both new and old recipes and one that I would recommend to others.

[Melanie Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I think this book is lovely to look at and most of the recipes are easy to make, I think the author and editor need to take a second round of proofing and testing the recipes on it.

I read this for my book club and we decided on a cookie exchange with recipes from this book. A few of us found errors in our recipes.

I’m an avid baker, so I was ok with figuring out what needed to be done, but some others may not have. One friend, who will write her own more detailed review, found in her recipe a step to include something from another recipe - candy canes into peanut butter cookies. Again, she knew how to proceed and her cookies were delicious.

I think the recipes are great, we all found them easy to make and the ingredients were mostly things were all already had in the house, so minimal shopping, and great to be able to make on a whim, but was a little disappointed with the lack of care that seemed to go into the production. Also, pictures for every recipe would be very helpful, and there is ample room within the recipe pages to include one.

[Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose if I wanted one of those edgy, hipster, Christmas cookie books I would have ordered this. It really should be renamed. I mean Sriracha cookies no.

Bacon and eggnog cookies?

I will say, however, the recipes for butter Spritz and chocolate dipped macaroons and peanut butter blossoms are really good.

[Sharon K Beaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good first cookie cookbook.

This book contains some very good cookies for both new and experienced cooks. There are some hard to find recipes. Worth a look.

[Margaret Gerberding · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is full of lovely photographs and recipes to make Christmas cookies. Good basic recipes.

[Carrie Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just wish the cookbook had photos of each cookie/ recipe but overall great book!

[Eunice Coorlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many delicious cookies with great recipes. A few more pictures would have been a bonus. Enjoy baking? This book is a definite must have.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook, 60 recipes to bake for the holidays by Carroll Pellegrinelli
Book starts with a dedication page.
Table of contents divides the cookies into categories: favs, new, and others.
Introduction talks about the authors experience in her own family on how the holidays effected their baking.
Great book for starting your own Christmas traditions.
Book contains many full page color photos of baked and decorated cookies.
First chapter explains what things you will need: pantry items, equipment and what different phrases mean: sifting, creaming, folding, etc.
Royal icing recipe is included.
Tips are color coded in a darker shade throughout the book.
Notes on the best gift ever and about the recipes. Love hearing of the labels placed on the recipes. Like the idea of a cookie swap and have participated in them many years ago. My problem is I mail my cookies the first week of December and most swaps aren't even til 20th of the month.
Each chapter of the book has a title, summary and index of recipes included.
Not every recipe has it's own color photograph.
Recipes start with a title, servings,, prep and cook times and other labels: freezer friendly, icebox cookies, etc
Summary of the cookies are described.
List of ingredients are included and you probably can't substitute for your healthier dietary needs as some chemical reactions have to take place in order for the cookies to come out perfect.
Directions are given and there is NO nutritional information.
Technique tip and tradition information are commented upon.
What I like about this book is that all my favorite recipes are in this book, rather than scattered hand written pieces of papers in my recipe box.
Can't wait to try Eat your vegetables Christmas cookies-I make muffins similar and they are a big hit.
Conversion tables are listed at the end. List of resources are also included. Ingredients split up by categories and list of equipment.
Index, acknowledgements and about the author are also included.
I received this review copy from The Callisto Publisher's Club and this is my honest opinion.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook starts with instructions on some basics and how to perform many of the decorations on cookies. Then, of course, are the Christmas cookie recipes. There are also some recipes for not-quite-cookies, such as truffles (yum). After the recipes is a conversion chart which is always helpful, a list of ingredients that should be bought early if possible, and equipment you may need.

I don’t do a lot of baking except for during the Christmas season. There are certain cookies I have to make every year, and then I usually try one or two new recipes.

Some of these recipes are classics. There are several that I already bake that are just a little different from the ones I usually make. For example, the Spritz is one that has been handed down for a few generations and are a little different than the ones in this book, but close enough! I always make a recipe similar to the Snowballs, but mine doesn’t have almond extract (guess what I’m going to try this year).

I found one that I’m going to try this year. The Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups are adorable, and they sound delicious. The one thing that would make this cookbook even better would be more pictures of the recipes.

This book has me ready for the Christmas season now! The author explains how you can whip up cookie dough to use later. I think I may do that in the next week or two.