One of the first Christmas decorations that goes up is the wreath on the door. It’s first because decorating the door only involves two minutes. But once the wreath is in place, the holidays can begin. The wreath says “Come inside...Christmas is happening in here!”
“I just want to listen to Christmas music & bake cookies all day.” Kasha
Baking and decorating Christmas Wreath Cookies brings the theme inside and these dainty and delicious bites make the house smell lovely. I take my basic sugar cookie recipe and add a hint of cinnamon to the dough. I roll them on the thin side, cut a hole in the middle, and bake them to a golden brown. When they’re completely cooled, I dip half of each wreath in melted semisweet chocolate and add berries and greenery to the other side. I like to use a teeny-tiny Christmas tree for the hole in the cookie, but have also used other small shapes, like flowers, geometric designs, and hummingbirds. It’s all part of making the holidays extra special.
Cookie specifics
Classic Sugar Cookie. This classic sugar cookie brings back memories of the Christmas cookies my mother made during the holidays...with a bold vanilla flavor and slightly soft texture, they make me smile every time I eat one. For these Christmas Wreath Cookies, I added 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon to give them a warm spice flavor.
Shapes
2½-inch round cookie cutter with a fluted edge, and mini Christmas tree cookie cutter for the center of the wreath, plus other tiny shapes for variations.
Sizes
Sizes range from 2½ inches for the cookie to very small minis (approximately ¾ inch) for the center holes. 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
My Family Recipes
Classic Sugar Cookie. A recipe based on one from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed. It makes a sturdy, tasty sugar cookie that can handle a lot of icing and bling.
Icing & Frostings
Royal Icing: Green and red royal icing for the greenery.
Semisweet Chocolate Baking Wafers: Melted semisweet chocolate for dipping. I prefer the flavor of Guittard, but any quality chocolate will work.
Cookies
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, granulated sugar, egg, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, food coloring
Semisweet Chocolate Baking Wafers: cocoa beans, evaporated corn syrup, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin
Plate, Box or Bag?
Paper Plate. The cookies I gave to my neighbors were placed on a decorated Christmas plate, which was wrapped in clear plastic wrap. They didn’t have far to travel, so this option worked perfectly.
Bags. For the cookies that I mailed, I wrapped them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This ensured that there would be no damage to the delicate greenery on the wreaths.
Mailing. I mailed several dozen cookies to my family and friends throughout the U.S. I sent them Priority Mail through the U.S. Post Office and used the boxes provided by the Post Office and lots of bubble wrap. The cookies arrived undamaged and in time to join the Christmas party. I know the packages were appreciated when they arrived because of the texts I received with all those smiling faces.
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in a small batch of two dozen. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
NOTE: Garland & ornament illustrations in the following image were based on free illustrations downloaded from Christmas Garland Vectors by Vecteezy and Ornament Vectors by Vecteezy
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