THE PEPPERS SALES TEAM'S FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPES

Our Sales Team shares their favorite recipes to bring to a holiday cookie exchange. Enjoy and happy baking! 

holiday cookie recipes

Jody: Old Fashioned Ginger Cookies
Ingredients

  • ½ cup shortening
  • ½ cup sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 cup mild molasses
  • 2 TBSP milk
  • 1 TBSP ground ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 2 & ½  cups all-purpose flour  

Steps

1. Prevent oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with  parchment paper.

2. In large mixing bowl beat shortening with electric mixer for about 30 seconds.

3. Add sugar, beat until light. Add molasses, milk, ginger, salt, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until combined

4. Beat in flour until combined.  

5. Shape dough into about 48  1 and ¼ inch balls, roll in the additional sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.

Flatten slightly. Bake  10 – 12 minutes until edges are firm. Cool on wire rack.
*perfect compliment to our Holiday Moscow Mule Recipe! 

Melissa: Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
Steps                                                                                                  
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar & white sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg.
  2. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and pinch of salt in a seperate bowl then beat into the mixture in the stand mixer until combined.  
  3. Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate. 
  4. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. You can chill it overnight if you'd like, but one hour chill time is mandatory to prevent cookies from spreading and to create that light, soft and chewy texture.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicone liners or mist lightly with cooking spray. Remove chilled dough from fridge and roll into tablespoon sized balls. Place onto the cookie sheets about 1-2" apart from one another.
  6. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure an even cook. Cookies may appear slightly undone but they will continue to set as they cool. After 10 minutes transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. 

 

Patricia: Triple Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup crushed candy canes (about 10 miniature)

Steps
 
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

2. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten to 2-in. rounds with the bottom of a glass. Bake 6-8 minutes or until set (do not overbake). Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

3. In a microwave, melt white chocolate with 1 teaspoon oil; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Repeat with semisweet chocolate and remaining oil. Sprinkle tops with crushed candy canes; let stand until set. Yield: about 3 dozen.

Liz: Oatmeal White Cranberry and Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
  • 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well.

3. Combine oats, flour, aking soda and salt in a seperate bowl. Then add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well. 

4. Stire in fried cranberries and white chocolate chunks

5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes then cool on a wire rack. 

Dianne: Chocolate Dipped Florentine Shortbreads

Ingredients

Pastry
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch dice and chilled
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch dice and chilled
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Topping
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup chesnut honey
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 3 cups sliced blanched almonds
  • 2/3 cup finely diced candied orange rind
  • 3/4 pound buttersweet chocolate, chopped
Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter the bottom and sides of an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch overhanging at the short ends. Butter the parchment.

2. In a food processor, pulse the diced butter with the sugar and the salt 6 times. Add the flour and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Spread the crumbs on the baking sheet and press them into a thin, even layer. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, or until firm. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack. Increase the oven temperature to 425°
 
3. In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the orange zest over moderate heat just until bubbles appear around the edge, about 5 minutes. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar with the corn syrup and water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook the syrup over moderately high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until a medium amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the honey, the infused cream and the butter and stir until the butter melts. Cook the caramel topping over moderately high heat until a candy thermometer registers 255°, about 4 minutes. Stir in the almonds and candied orange rind and immediately spread the caramel over the pastry with a wooden spoon.
 
4. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake the pastry for 10 minutes, or until the topping is bubbling. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
 
5. Run a knife around the edge of the baking sheet to loosen the pastry and slide the parchment paper onto a work surface. Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut the pastry into 2 1/2-inch strips. Cut the strips into 2 1/2-by-3-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half.
 
6. Line 2 large baking sheets with wax paper. Melt two-thirds of the chocolate in a bowl in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Add the remaining chocolate and stir until completely melted. Dip 1 corner of each cookie into the chocolate and transfer it to the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until the chocolate is just set, about 5 minutes.