Description
A beautiful assortment of buttery, chocolatey, and spiced cookies packaged together for the perfect homemade gift. Ideal for holidays, thank-yous, or any sweet occasion — this recipe creates a stunning cookie box variety.
Ingredients
Base Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Flavor Add-Ins (choose any combination)
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips + ½ cup chopped nuts
- ½ cup dried cranberries + ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon + ½ cup rolled oats + ½ cup raisins
Optional Toppings
- Melted chocolate drizzle
- Festive sprinkles
- Sea-salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step helps to incorporate air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly to combine all wet ingredients.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually blend this dry mixture into the wet ingredients until the dough is just combined.
- Divide and Add Mix-Ins: Divide the dough into portions based on the number of cookie varieties you want to make. Stir in your chosen flavor add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, cinnamon, oats, or raisins into each portion.
- Scoop and Shape: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, form 1-inch dough balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly to help them bake evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Avoid overbaking to keep the centers soft and chewy.
- Cool Completely: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheets or wire racks before decorating.
- Decorate: Once cooled, optionally drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies and sprinkle festive toppings such as sprinkles or sea-salt flakes for an attractive presentation.
Notes
- Cookies keep up to 5 days at room temperature or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- For gifting, arrange 2–3 different cookie varieties in a decorative box lined with parchment paper.
- Add handwritten tags or notes to personalize your homemade cookie gift.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert / Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
