The Best Holiday Cookies (and movies to match)

Two of my favorite holiday traditions are: baking with my boys and cuddling up and watching Christmas movies together. Today I am sharing a collection of some of our favorite cookie recipes, along with a list of our favorite Christmas movies that you can enjoy on Netflix while the tasty treats are baking in the oven.

First, let me share my top 5 holiday cookie recipes to bake with your kids:

1) Soft and chewy ginger cookies - These are my youngest son's favorite cookies, and they are fun for kids to roll in balls and dip in sugar. Click here for the recipe.

2) Double chocolate cake mix cookies - If you love chocolate, you need to try these rich and delicious cookies. You can't go wrong with chocolate and cream cheese. Click here for the recipe.

3) Make-ahead gingerbread cookies - These cookies are soft and full of flavour, and they make your house smell like Christmas. Kids have fun rolling out the easy-to-work-with dough and cutting out all their favorite cookie shapes. Click here for the recipe.

4) Butter cut out cookies - Orange juice is the secret ingredient in these wonderful holiday cookies. They taste delicious, and the dough is easy to work with. Click here for the recipe.

5) The best chocolate chip cookies - Sometimes you just need an old fashioned staple that everyone loves. Click here for the recipe.

While the cookies are baking, why not check out some fun holiday movies?

Here are our top 5 holiday Netflix movies to watch with your kids:

1) How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Jim Carey and a Dr.Seuss classic. You can't go wrong with a combination like that.

2) The Search for Santa Paws - My boys love movies about animals, and this is a cute one.

3) Dreamworks: Happy Holidays from Madagascar - This collection of holiday movies includes a couple of Christmas shows.

4) Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas - My youngest son loves Curious George, and I have a soft spot for him too... even when he is a little too curious. 

5) The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about Christmas - Dr. Seuss is always entertaining, and The Cat in the Hat makes this show a lot of fun.

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe or holiday movie? I hope you check out our families favorites. Enjoy!

♥ 

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: As part of the Netflix #StreamTeam, I am given special perks and gifts, but all opinions in this blog our 100% my own.

The BEST Butter Cut-out Cookie Recipe

I love baking cookies with my boys, and these simple and delicious cut out cookies are always a hit. They are easy to make, they taste fantastic, and they are fun to decorate. Orange juice is the secret ingredient that makes them so great!

To make these fantastic cookies, you'll need:

2 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla
3 to 4 tbsp orange juice
1 cup softened butter

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Then, add all the other ingredients, and beat at low speed until well mixed. 

You can use the dough immediately, but I like to wrap it in wax paper and refrigerate it until it is firm. (Cold dough will hold the cookie shape better when you bake it.)

Roll out the dough on a well floured surface to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out with a cookie cutter, and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees (until the edges are lightly browned).

Allow to cool slightly on the cookie sheet, and then move to a cooling rack. 

These cookies are fantastic plain, but they are great with icing too. Decorate as desired.

I have been baking these cookies with my boys since my oldest son could stand. We love using it with fun cookie cutters for every occasion. Here are some we baked for Halloween:

And we use them for birthday parties too!

This is a fantastic recipe, but if you want the cookies to keep their shapes, make sure you: refrigerate the dough before you roll it out, don't overwork the dough, and ensure that you always place the cookies on a cool cookie sheet before baking.

I hope you have as much fun with this recipe as my boys and I have. Enjoy!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Make-Ahead Gingerbread Cookies

When the holiday season hits, I am always looking for sales, shortcuts, and a good cookie recipe. This classic make-ahead gingerbread cookie recipe fits two of my three criteria, and today I am sharing it with you.

I love this recipe because it tastes fantastic, you can make the dough ahead of time, and you can freeze them for later. Also... they make the house smell fantastic when they are baking!

To make these simple (and delicious) seasonal favorites, you'll need the following:

Dry ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Remaining ingredients:
3/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:
1) Whisk the dry ingredients together, and set aside.
2) Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3) Combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together, and beat until combined.
4) Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a couple of hours. (I left mine overnight.)
5) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, roll dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a cookie cutter, and bake on an ungreased (cool) cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.

6) Let cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days... though I doubt they will last that long unless you hide them!

I find it a real holiday sanity saver to do things as far in advance as possible, don't you? I like to make the dough ahead of time. Then, I do the cookie cutting, baking and decorating with my kids the next day. I also like to bake cookies early and pop them in the freezer. This time of year, you never know when you are going to need a homemade sweet treat.

These gingerbread cookies pair well with hot chocolate, and I know Santa would love them too!

Do you have a "go to" holiday cookie recipe? If you give these make-ahead gingerbread cookies a try, let me know what you think. 

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You can find more easy and inexpensive Christmas ideas here.)

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Tart

Yesterday was my boys' first day of school, and I promised to make them a special after school snack. They LOVE chocolate chip cookies, so I thought it would be fun to make them a giant chocolate chip cookie. Today, I am sharing my recipe for a delicious, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie tart.

To make this easy and impressive cookie tart... start with my favorite soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe (which you can find here). Then, scoop out a dozen cookies, and press the rest of the cookie dough into a well-greased tart pan. I cooked my chocolate chip cookie tart for at 325 degrees for 45 minutes... but I would suggest 40-50 minutes (depending on your oven).

This giant cookie was a huge hit with my boys. It makes a fantastic after school snack, and is perfect with a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of tea or coffee.

I highly recommend giving this yummy treat a try in your house. It will not disappoint. (My boys have already requested that I make it again.)

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Double Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Some days you just need a double dose of chocolate in order to make it to bedtime.  Am I right?  If you ever find yourself in need of a chocolatey "pick me up", this is the perfect recipe for you... double chocolate cake mix cookies.

My version of these easy to make chocolate cookies is adapted from one I found here.

You'll need:
1 (8oz) block of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 egg
1tsp pure vanilla extract
1 box Duncan Hines extra moist chocolate fudge cake mix (or another high quality cake mix)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2)  In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Then, beat in the egg, the vanilla, and the cake mix.
3)  Use a wooden spoon to mix in the chocolate chips.
4)  Refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
5)  Scoop tablespoons of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for approximately 12 minutes.

Trust me... if you are a chocolate lover, you will not be disappointed by these soft and delicious cookies.  They are perfect with a glass of milk!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)