7 Red and White Christmas Cookies to Deck Your Holiday Table
Because red and green aren’t the only Christmas colors!
There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than baking some Christmas cookies. Chances are sugar cookies and jelly-filled thumbprints are already on your holiday baking list — they're beloved classics for a reason! But, if you’re looking to change things up a bit this year, we recommend adding a pop of holiday color to your cookie plate. Give one of these brightly colored (and flavored) red and white cookies from Food Network Kitchen and Food Network Magazine a try. Not only are they totally stunning to look at, we’re pretty positive they might just become your new all-time favorite Christmas cookie too. Happy baking!
Red and White Checkerboard Cookies (pictured above)
Forget decking the halls with boughs of holly — this year, we’re decking our kitchen counter with platters and plates of these buttery checkerboard cookies. Just like a traditional Battenberg cake, these delectable treats are made up of a mesmerizing pattern of repeating red and white-colored squares. Though it'll take a little bit of elbow grease to put them together — dividing your dough into nine 1/2-inch strips and pinching them together is key — the end result is sure to win you a spot on this year’s nice list. Santa, are you listening?!
Teri Lyn Fisher
One of our favorite parts of Christmas morning is watching all the surprised expressions our family members make while they open up their presents. These dual-colored sugar cookies are sure to bring that same look of surprise thanks to a ull-sized York Peppermint Patty nestled inside each one of the muffin-shaped mounds. The cookies also have a refreshing hint of minty flavor thanks to the peppermint extract you’ll use while making the dough. It’s a great recipe for those looking for a new way to tackle traditional peppermint bark or those who just love candy canes.
Everyone will be dancing merrily around your kitchen when you pull a tray full of these boldly-colored red and whites out of the oven. They taste exactly like the traditional black and white cookies New York is known for, but the inclusion of red icing gives them the perfect pop of holiday festivity. You can even use this same exact recipe to make these cookies for Hanukkah — just replace the red gel food coloring in the icing with a bright or light blue one.
Teri Lyn Fisher
Okay, okay, so these cookies are *techically* red, white and green, but we still like to think of them as the “new old-fashioned way” to make and eat traditional sugar cookies. If you’re wondering where the “smashed” part from the recipe’s title comes in, allow us to let you in on a little Christmas miracle — er secret; once your dough is adequately formed into 18 cookie balls, covered in sprinkles and refrigerated, you’ll take the bottom of a measuring cup and press down until the cookie’s edges begin to crack. Not only are you left with a batch of uniquely shaped cookies as a result, forming them via this approach is also a great way to relieve all that mounting holiday stress. A simple matte white glaze finishes the treats off. The cookies can also be stored in an airtight container for up for five days, so if you’re looking to start your Christmas baking a few days early, these are the ones to start with!
Something tells us old St. Nick would much rather find these glistening meringues hanging on the Christmas tree for him rather than a peppermint stick… Holiday jokes aside, these swirled peppermint-flavored treats are truly breathtaking in person. To create the signature swirled look of each one, you’ll paint four stripes of red food coloring on the inside of a pipping bag before filling it with your homemade meringue.
Not all Christmas sweaters need to be ugly. In fact some, like these icing-covered, edible versions can be super cute and delicious! Though the design of them is completely up to you, we just love the fuzzy collars and sleeves found on this one, which are made from shredded coconut. For an even more personalized touch, pipe the first initial of each one of your family member's names across the front or try your hand at piping out their entire name.
You and yours might just get a sentimental feeling when you bite into one of these zesty and tart cranberry-lemon cookies from Food Network Magazine. Each cakey round is studded with plump cranberries and features tangy bites of freshly grated lemon zest scattered throughout them. They’re super sophisticated and so much better than a fruitcake, if you’re looking for something that’s not covered in sprinkles, melted chocolate or crushed up candy canes. The cookies are also covered in a delectable glaze made from lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar, so there’s just the right amount of sweetness for kids too!
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