Beloved Traditional Christmas Cookies Recipe

As Christmas season approaches, what people look forward to the most are those crispy and tempting holiday biscuits. Whether it's simple butter cookies or biscuits with exquisite frosting decorations, the traditional recipes they contain all engrave the happy reunion times of many families. At this moment, let's work together to present these memories full of deliciousness again.

Ingredients Needed

When mixing and whipping with butter, it is of great benefit to improving the taste and texture of biscuits.

Egg liquid: After being added and whipped in three times, it can make the butter expand and turn white. It not only enriches the nutrition of biscuits but also makes their texture more fluffy and delicate, and enhances the taste level.

Low-gluten flour: It is the core material for constructing the main structure of biscuits. After being mixed and stirred with other materials to form a batter, it can ensure that biscuits have appropriate hardness and crispness and are conducive to shaping.

Cocoa powder: Brings a different taste and visual experience. It can also be replaced with red velvet liquid or matcha powder according to needs to change the taste and color style.

Baking powder: It can help biscuits expand better during baking, making the internal structure more porous and improving the overall softness.

Baking soda: It is conducive to adjusting the acidity and alkalinity of biscuits. Working in cooperation with baking powder, it can make biscuits achieve a better fluffy effect during baking and optimize the taste and appearance.

What tools are needed

Electric mixer: Used for whipping butter and eggs, fully mixing the raw materials and incorporating air to make the cookies soft in texture.

Silicone spatula: Can scrape off the residual raw materials on the bowl wall and gently stir the dough to avoid gluten formation in the dough and ensure a uniform texture.

Baking tray: Used to hold the unbaked cookies for baking. A non-stick baking tray can effectively prevent cookies from sticking and make it easy to take out the finished products.

Oven mat: A silicone mat or baking paper is placed on the baking tray to further prevent cookies from sticking to the bottom and assist in shaping a perfect shape.

Sieve: Used for sifting flour, cocoa powder, etc., to remove lumps and evenly mix the powder to improve the fineness of cookies.

Piping bag and nozzle: Convenient for squeezing out cookies of specific shapes, adding decoration and fun.

Small bowl: Can be used to separate dough of different colors, making it convenient to make Christmas soft cookies of various styles or with color gradations.

Why add egg liquid in three times

First, it is beneficial for butter to absorb eggs. Pouring in egg liquid all at once makes it difficult for butter to emulsify quickly and is easy to separate, making the dough greasy and loose. Adding in three times allows butter to fully wrap the egg liquid and form a delicate texture after whipping.

Second, it helps control the degree of whipping. After adding egg liquid each time, fully whip until the surface of the batter is shiny and the volume expands significantly. In this way, the cookies will be more crisp and have a better taste. Adding a large amount at once is difficult to achieve the ideal whipping effect.

Third, it is convenient to observe the state of the dough. Beginners can adjust the ratio at any time. If the dough is too wet, the amount of egg liquid in the last addition can be reduced, so it is easier to master the best state of the dough, reduce the risk of failure in making, and ensure that the production of Christmas cookies proceeds smoothly and has excellent quality.

What are the skills for drawing Christmas tree patterns

First of all, the choice of piping nozzle is crucial. A small star-shaped piping nozzle is preferred as it can squeeze out beautiful serrated patterns. When squeezing cream, the force needs to be uniform. Follow the inverted triangle trend and start from the top and gradually expand downward to outline the contour of the Christmas tree. This process should strive for smooth and natural lines.

Secondly, build a sense of layering. Squeeze the second layer on the basis of the first layer pattern. The second layer is slightly retracted compared to the first layer. Repeat this 2 - 3 times to present the three-dimensional effect of the Christmas tree. For the trunk part, squeeze in a straight line and control the length properly to avoid being too long and destroying the overall coordination.

Finally, enter the decoration stage. Sugar beads can be cleverly dotted on the branches, and a larger sugar bead can be placed on the top to simulate the star on the top of the tree. Different colored creams can also be used alternately, or small chocolate chips can be added to the branches. These decorations can make the Christmas tree pattern more festive and full of vitality.

What is the spacing for placing on the baking tray

There should be a spacing of 4 - 5 centimeters between cookies. As their volume will increase by about 1.5 times during baking, if the spacing is too small, they are easy to stick together, which will damage the appearance and cause uneven baking on the edges. It is advisable to place 9 - 12 pieces on a standard 40x30 centimeter baking tray.

Leave 2 - 3 centimeters empty near the edge of the baking tray to facilitate the even distribution of heat. And place the cookies in the middle of the baking tray. Uneven temperature at the edge is easy to burn. For example, when making Christmas cookies, following this rule can ensure that each cookie is heated and formed well.

If using multiple baking trays, it is best to bake only one tray at a time. Baking multiple trays at the same time will interfere with the heat circulation, resulting in uneven heating of cookies, poor taste and damaged appearance. Reasonable placement spacing and baking methods are important guarantees for making delicious and beautiful Christmas cookies.