Five Cookies and a Cake

All month long, I've been looking at pics of Christmas cookie boxes and holiday cookie assortments being posted on the baking subreddit. Examples: one, two, three. It got me into an intense cookie-baking mood, and in particular, I wanted to try a few new recipes. 

First, I made these sprinkles cookies. They are fun to make and look festive in cookie boxes, but taste quite dry and boring. I don't think I will make this recipe again. 

Next, I made these double chocolate crinkle cookies. They are a classic Christmas cookie, and I love the look- reminds me of snow melting on the woodland floor. We loved these in every way- they were fun to make, looked beautiful, and tasted fantastic. They disappeared so quickly that we made another batch a couple days after making the first one. Of everything I made this year, this is a keeper and I predict making it every year.

The third cookie was biscotti. I already have this excellent almond biscotti (mandelbrot) recipe that I use, but tried a new recipe this time: Cranberry pistachio biscotti. It turned out well, but I think next time I will use my favorite recipe and just add cranberries and pistachio instead of almonds.

The fourth cookie was one I have made before but not in a few years: Jammy thumbprint cookies. V particularly loves this one, and it is nice to have a vegan cookie with oats in the assortment. The dough is very sticky though, and I might try chilling the dough next time. 

Finally, we made the sugar cookie dough again and made some cute little kitties and doggies. My daughter decorated them with an edible marker after baking. 

This abundance of cookies made its way into trays of cookies delivered to a few friends and neighbors around town. And of course I kept a selection at home for us to enjoy with chai and hot cocoa. 

Other cookies I would like to make in the future: Gingerbread crinkle cookies, Pecan tassies, Italian almond cookies, Chocolate-covered cherry cookies, Unfussy rugelach. 

Finally, in early December, I made a cake recipe that I had been wanting to try for ages: All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake by Dorie Greenspan: "Name your favorite it-tastes-like-Thanksgiving flavor, and you'll find it here: pumpkin, cranberry, apples, pecans and the fall-winter spices cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger." I was so excited to taste this cake, and while it was fine, it wasn't as special or memorable as I expected. I think the multitude of flavors makes it so that no one flavor shines. 

What have you been baking this month? What are your keeper cookie recipes?