12 Days of Christmas Cookies 2015 Round Up

“We did it!!!” [I hope you hear that in the voice of Elle Woods from Legally Blonde…No? Am I alone here?]

We finally made it through 12 days of the second annual 12 Days of Christmas Cookies! You will never know what it took to actually pull this off.

11 cookies in 3 days.

3 epic fails. [And I do mean EPIC]

25 pounds of butter; 10 pounds of sugar.

Marathon photography sessions crammed in before sprinting to catch the subway to work.

4 cookies baked in the wee hours of the morning after work.

One very tired and sore individual.

And you know what? It was absolutely and completely worth it!

There were some fantastic cookies this year: some heirloom recipes; some heritage recipes; and some new creations of my own!

Just in case you missed any here is a run through of each delectable one! I’ve added a little comment about how easy or difficult the recipe was, so that you can pick one (or several) that fit your needs.

Because I am sure I don’t need to tell you, but Christmas rapidly approacheth….

[On that note, I haven’t started my Christmas gift shopping yet. I’ve, ummm, been a little busy…]

Day 1: Cranberry Cinnamon Jam Bars 

An easy bar cookie recipe where the same cinnamon streusel is used for the base and topping! Filled with homemade cranberry jam for a tart and sweet treat!

These are easy and fast unless you make your own jam. They use the same dough for the top crumble and bottom crust!

Day 2: Rum Refrigerator Cookies

Taking a turn toward the easy cookies! Just roll into cylinder and slice and bake! A rum glaze brings a little extra holiday cheer.

These cookies are easy but the dough does need to be refrigerated overnight before being sliced and baked.

Day 3: Cardamom Walnut Snowballs 

Everyone's favorite Russian Tea Cookies with a dash of cardamom. Cardamom is my latest obsession. (See above!)

Easy and fast!

Day 4: Spiced Crinkle Cookies

You know I can't resist a good molasses spice cookie. I would make them all year round if it were socially acceptable. These are soft and chewy with a little crunch outside.

Easy but the dough does need at least 2 hours of refrigeration.

Day 5: Coconut Peppermint Pretzel Bark 

Love a recipe I can make in my microwave! Melt, spread, repeat! This bark is just a little extra, which is what the Holidays are all about! Sprinkle on that festive!

Easy, fast, and no baking required!

Day 6: Old Fashioned Date Pinwheels

My Mom's childhood favorite. These are my Great-Grandmother's date pinwheel cookies! Soft, chewy and the perfect amount of sweet from the dates and brown sugar!

These cookies are a bit more involved. The dough needs to be chilled several hours before being rolled out and filled with the homemade date filling. Then the cookies are rolled up and refrigerated overnight before being sliced and baked!

Day 7: Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies

I got this recipe from a winery in Napa Valley somewhere around 2010. I held on to it for half a decade waiting to make these thumbprints. It was worth the wait!

These cookies are easy but it does require an overnight stay in the refrigerator and homemade jam!

Day 8: Nana's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Another no-fail recipe by my grandmother! Chewy and packed with oats and raisins. Make these for the holidays AND all year round!

Quick and easy! You can have cookies in the jar in 30 minutes!

Day 9: Moravian Christmas Cookies

These are a favorite cookie from college that I finally replicated! Papery thin spiced cookies that even the snootiest North Carolinian would be proud of!

Brace yourselves! This dough needs to be refrigerated overnight and then rolled out to the thickness of paper. Bring your patience because it's totally worth it!

Day 10: Orange Pecan Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

An easy, chewy cookie bringing all the flavor! Candied orange, toasted pecans and milk chocolate chip for the perfect trio of goodness.

Easy, fast and insanely chewy!

Day 11: Fruitcake Cookies with Brandy Cream Cheese Frosting 

Don't turn up your fruitcake-hating nose just yet! These are soft, tender and not even a little bit dry! Everything that fruitcake has been dying to be plus a cream cheese frosting.

These seemingly complicated cookies come together quickly and need no time in the refrigerator. Whip up the cream cheese frosting while they cool and you can have an impressive holiday cookie in no time at all! Ok fine. In several hours. But most of that time is waiting for them to cook!

Day 12: Chewy Ginger Bars

Bringing the ginger in another form this year! Molasses gingerbread base with ginger crumble topping. More is in fact more!

These flavorful bars are fast and easy and don't even require a mixer!

And just in case you want more options, there is always last year's 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!!!