Bite-Sized Gifts

What would the holiday season be without Christmas cookies? An important part of my family’s holiday tradition, and likely yours, is baking and decorating cookies. Every year around this time, we spend hours cutting dough into the shapes of reindeer, candy canes, Santa Claus, holly leaves, etc., and then baking and decorating the festive treats with frosting and candies. All the while laughing, listening to holiday music and getting into the overall Christmas spirit. Then, of course, we eat them, which inevitably leads to a dessert coma. When it comes to indulging in Christmas cookies, I find that resistance is futile, but if you have the self-control to bake without devouring, Christmas cookies make wonderful and inexpensive gifts for the holidays.

Over the years, mostly by trial and error, I’ve uncovered several helpful Christmas cookie-baking tips. For evenly baked and browned cookies, use aluminum pans. If the pans are too thin, the cookies will easily burn. If you don’t own heavy-duty cookie sheets with thick insulation, simply cover them with aluminum foil. It is also a good idea to experiment with your oven’s temperature. I’ve found that my oven is always hotter than the temperature a recipe calls for, so I set it approximately 20 degrees cooler. It is best to roll out the cookie dough on waxed paper, and when using cookie cutters, dip them in flour to avoid the dough from sticking. Always place the cookies on cold sheets because a warm pan will cause the dough to spread from the heat. Run cold water over warm sheets before using them for the next batch to speed up the process. Bake the cookies until they are light brown around the edges and keep in mind that the cookies will continue to bake from the warmth of the sheet even after you remove them from the oven. The cookies are ready to be lifted from the baking sheet when they can be removed with a spatula without breaking.

My favorite Christmas cookie gift giving idea is to prepare an assortment that represents different parts of the world. For example, a United Kingdom themed cookie gift could be comprised of English toffee squares, Scottish shortbread and Irish whiskey cookies all decorated for Christmas. Or a Latin American themed gift could include Mexican wedding cake cookies, Puerto Rican mantecaditos and alfajores to represent Peru. Christmas cookies are a holiday tradition in many countries and cultures, so there is an endless variety to choose from.

Besides the dazzling decorations, the packaging is perhaps the most important part of giving Christmas cookies as gifts. Purchase holiday tins or plastic baggies, and fill them with an assortment of cookies. For your dearest friends and family members, include a bottle of eggnog or a holiday DVD. Other packaging ideas include red and green saran wrap, Chinese take-out boxes and decorated cookie jars. If you are too busy to make a homemade gift this year, give your recipient a gift basket full of ingredients or “cookies in a jar,” which is a standard, 1-quart mason jar filled with the ingredients to a cookie recipe placed in distinct layers resembling sand art. Tie a fancy bow around the basket or jar, or add a personalized tag and your gift is ready to be given.

If you plan to mail the cookies, it is best to send ones that do not break easily. If you are mailing more than one type of cookie, pack each type in a different container to prevent the flavors from changing or blending together. Also, be sure to use sturdy foil-lined containers to package the cookies and place sheets of waxed paper between each layer. Use crumpled newspaper, packing peanuts or another packing material to cushion the containers in the shipping box. After sealing the box, mark it with the word “perishable” to ensure careful handling.

Whether you haven’t yet found the perfect gift for a friend or neighbor, or if you’ve been bad this year and want to persuade Santa Claus, remember that the ideal holiday present may not be in the mall, but in the kitchen.

– Janine Cheviot