National Cookie Day

Today is National Cookie Day. A day I can truly get behind. And what better time to slip you a few of my favorite cookie recipes - new and old - just in time for Christmas baking?

Ready?

Sugar Cookies. This is my go-to recipe for sugar cookies. It's the recipe I use to make all my cut-out cookies. I do sometimes switch it up. For the snowflake cookies pictured here, I actually stirred vanilla bean seeds and a little organic vanilla chai tea into the batter before rolling out. Yum. Yum. Yum. No matter what how impatient/unskilled/pressed for time you are, this cookie dough makes the quickest, lightest, most tender cookie. They melt. (Honestly, if I had a daughter, this is the first recipe I'd teach her.) Add these to your holiday baking, and I guarantee it will become an heirloom recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies. I tried Deb's recipe three years ago- the week she posted it- and was immediately converted. Make these, only skip the chocolate chips and double up the peanut butter chips. And, if you can, use crunchy peanut butter. I always use crunchy. Divine.

White Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies. These are amazing. A smidge fancy, a ton delicious. In fact, I'm even adding... um... lime zest... (don't tell) to these to make them red, white and green. Totally Christmasy. These make wonderful gifts!

Lace Trumpet Cookies. If you've never tried this southern favorite, do. Please do. Everyone will thank you. These pretties are fun to make and lovely up a holiday spread in no time. I first made these for a holiday cookie tasting party in 2004 and they were a big time hit. Big time.

Oh. I could go on and on. (And maybe I will, later.) I truly hope you enjoy these. And please, if you have a favorite or family recipe of your own to share, please leave a link or note in the comment so we can all enjoy!

Now if we only could figure out how to do a virtual, National Cookie Day, cookie swap... -Brin