Christmas Advent Calendar, Day 3: Bake Christmas Cookies

Christmas and baking go hand-in-hand, so when Day 3 of our Christmas advent calendar said to "bake Christmas cookies" I headed straight to the kitchen. This year, I was determined to make a healthier cookie recipe my family and I could enjoy without the guilt. I've been trying to eat better since the end of September and I'd hate for the holidays to ruin all the progress I've made. I asked around for favorite "healthy" cookie recipes and looked on Pinterest to find the perfect one. Ultimately, I decided to make Chocolate Peppermint Macaroons and Gingersnap cookies to be served at my annual holiday cookie party.

Guess what?

They were a flop. Or technically, they were like hockey pucks. I'm not saying the actual recipes were bad, but something I did when baking them must've went terribly wrong. The chocolate peppermint macaroons were made of finely shredded coconut and cacao powder (among other things), but tasted like nothing. Weird texture; no flavor. They looked like reindeer poop, and I thought about calling them that before I eventually chucked them into the trash can. FAIL.

The gingersnaps looked fine out of the oven, but turned super hard after they cooled. I used almond flour and perhaps I over baked them? I followed the recipe though.

Sigh. At 10:30pm that night, after an entire afternoon baking cookies, I started over. I decided to make "regular" gingersnaps using butter, sugar, flour, molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves ... and wouldn't you know it? They turned out perfectly the very first time.

I also made spritz cookies using the cookie press my mom gifted me a few years ago. I'd never made them before, and decided now (aka: 11:30pm that night) was the perfect time to try. The spritz cookie dough was super simple to throw together and came out easily once I got the hang of using the press.

At least I wouldn't be embarrassed to serve these cookies to my friends!

Tory's been begging to make gingerbread man cookies this year, so we'll probably do that before Christmas Day. I've never made them before, so I might make sugar cookies and hope she doesn't notice the difference.

We did make a (paper) gingerbread man banner to hang as decoration for my holiday cookie party. I cut out gingerbread man shapes and she decorated them using stickers and markers. The banner turned out so cute! I think I'll leave it up all month long.

Bake Christmas cookies - check!