HOW TO BAKE FRESH COOKIES EVERY DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Originally published by Tramontina USA

There is no better smell than a house full of fresh-baked Christmas cookies. But not just any cookies—the holidays are no time for sliced neon santa clauses or squared chocolate imitations. With all those preservatives and a disappointing finish that fails to satisfy the toasted homemade butter and sugar harmony you’re really craving, there’s just no place for packaged dough during the holidays.

But how do you get those warm homemade treats on the table and a house filled with sweet smells during the most chaotic time of the year? Roll your own slice n’ bake and mix up your own break n’ bake. The freezer becomes your best friend and it’s far easier and more delicious than you ever imagined. Here’s how:

Find your favorite cookie recipe.

There are two sorts of cookies that work well for what you’re about to do. The first is a recipe similar to the basic chocolate chip: cookies you scoop and drop onto a cookie sheet. It could be anything from peanut butter to oatmeal raisin. You could throw in Christmas candies or spices, and even a chocolatey, cocoa-based dough will work. We’ll call these the “break n’ bake” cookies. The other is a rolled cookie recipe—those denser batters similar to shortbreads (often eggless) that you roll into a log, chill, and slice into rounds. We’ll call these the “slice n’ bake.”

Make the dough.

Make your favorite cookie recipe using some sturdy mixing bowls. If it’s a rolled dough (the slice n’ bake), wrap it as directed and place in the fridge.

 Snack, because you deserve it.

The slice n’ bake dough will generally need time in the fridge before baking, as the chill keeps the dough from spreading in the oven. For a break n’ bake dough, you can bake a few now for some cookie-prepping fuel.

 Wrap and freeze.

Tightly wrap the chilled roll of slice n’ bake cookies in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. For the break n’ bake, drop recipe-directed sized scoops onto a baking sheet or a few plates, and line the surface with parchment paper. Make sure the dough scoops are not touching but are packed close enough that you can fit them in the freezer. Cover with plastic wrap and place the tray or plate in the freezer. Once the break n’ bake are frozen, place the dough balls in an airtight bag or container and then back into the freezer.

Slice and break .

Turn your oven on. Pull out the cookies from the freezer. You may need to pull out the slice n’ bake an hour ahead of time to soften, or use your sharpest and strongest knife to cut through the frozen log. Slice off the directed width of cookie from the slice n’ bake roll or pull our a few balls of the break n’ bake (no, you’re not really “breaking” because nobody wants square chocolate chip cookies).

Bake.

Bake the cookies according to the recipe instructions. You will likely need to bake them 1-3 minutes longer, as you’re baking them from a frozen state.

 Cool and enjoy.

Take the cookies out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet a few minutes and then place onto cooling racks. In the meantime, brew the coffee or pour a few glasses of milk, plug in the tree, and turn on the Christmas Spotify playlist. Repeat steps 5-7 every day until Christmas. Or New Year’s. Or until it’s time to make a few more batches of dough.