The Dynamite Shop’s Mix and Match Holiday Cookies

With a few alterations, one dough turns into four distinct, delicious holiday cookies. Even better, the changes help demonstrate to kids about the different roles ingredients play in a cookie batter. Courtesy of Dana and Sara-Kate, we’ve put the basic recipe plus two variations below.

Recipe courtesy of Dana and Sara Kate at the Dynamite Shop.

Ingredients for the basic sugar cookies:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free substitute)

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)

½ cup powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars, and salt on medium speed until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, then gradually mix in the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 20 minutes.

4. Unwrap the dough. Using clean hands, divide and roll the dough into 1-inch balls, you should have about 30.

5.  Roll the balls in granulated sugar, place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans, and press on them lightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool on the sheet pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.

Variations

Lemon-raspberry thumbprints

1.  Add the zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon) to the bowl of flour and baking powder.

2.  After unwrapping the dough, roll 50 balls about ¾ inch in diameter and place them on the sheet pans, 1 inch apart. Use a small spoon to make an indentation in the center of every cookie, fill each with a little spoonful of raspberry jam, and bake for 15 minutes.

Snowballs

1.  Replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour with almond flour.

2.  Use ½ teaspoon pure almond or walnut extract instead of 1 teaspoon vanilla.

3.  Add ½ cup crushed walnuts after the dough is mixed.

4.  After unwrapping the dough, form 50 balls about ¾ inch in diameter and place them on the sheet pans, 1 inch apart.

5. When cool, toss in powdered sugar.