Unusual sugar cookie recipes: Give Santa's favorite snack a twist (2024)

Sweeten up Santa’s snacks this Christmas.

Instead of baking the same thing each year, why not serve up a sugar cookie with a twist?

We asked readers to submit recipes to our sugar cookie search, and the response was greater than we had expected. After shuffling through 35 recipe,s we narrowed it down to nine that piqued our interest. They were creative, unique and had what Simon Cowell would call “the X factor.”

We took these recipes to our kitchens to see what it was like to bake the cookies that looked so delicious on paper. The tastiest of those are the ones we’re sharing with you today — along with lessons our cooks learned along the way.

THE TOP THREE COOKIES

Glazed Maple Sugar Crinkles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

How to prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 30-40 seconds.

3. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with mixer until well blended, occasionally scraping the bowl.

4. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until thoroughly mixed.

5. Add in and beat as much flour as possible with the mixer. Then using a wooden or plastic spoon, stir in the rest of the flour by hand.

6. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

8. Transfer to a wire cookie rack to cool. (Note: cookie centers will cave in slightly as the cookies cool.)

9. If desired, drizzle lightly with Maple Icing.

Optional Maple Icing recipe: In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup whipping cream or milk, 1/4 cup melted butter and 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup. Briskly whisk in 3-4 cups of confectioner’s sugar to make an icing of desired consistency.

— Lissy Weirich, Carlisle.

Chef's lessons: "The balls [of dough] cannot be more than an inch wide in diameter," said Donald Gilliland, a reporter, who test-tried the recipe. This is because the cookies are soft when they come out of the oven and are liable to fall apart when you move them. Gilliland noted that the recipe can be made either chewy or crunchy. For a crunchy cookie, allow the cookie to brown on the edges and then collapse in on itself. For chewy cookies, take them out of the oven just after they brown — before they have a chance to collapse. Gilliland also used lard as his shortening. Lard, he said, is under appreciated.

Our thoughts:

“It’s nice and crisp, and not overtly sweet. And it simply melts in the mouth. A winner for sure.” — Arthi Subramaniam, features editor

“A thin wafer of fun.” — Mark Pynes, director of visual journalism

Polish Sugar Ornaments

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 cups sifted white flour (with baking powder sifted into it)
• 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
• Colored sugars and cookie decorations

Icing:

• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
• Milk

How to prepare:

1. Mix the baking soda and anise extract in the milk, until the soda dissolves.

2. Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Gradually add sugar and one egg at a time.

3. Add the milk mixture. Gradually add the flour and mix well.

4. Once all the flour is incorporated, place dough on counter surface and work out the dough by hand for just a bit, without overworking, and shape it into a ball. Place into a bowl and refrigerate overnight, or at least for a few hours.

5. Taking manageable portions of dough, roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Do not roll too thinly. Cut into shapes and place onto baking sheets.

6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake cookies for about 15-20 minutes, until they turn golden brown.

7. Cool on racks.

The icing: Place the sugar into electric mixing bowl and add increments of milk and the anise and blend until you create a soft but not runny frosting.

Frost the cookies, adding the colored sugars and cookie decorations immediately before the icing sets to harden.

Once hardened, the cookies might be stacked or place waxed paper between layers to store.

— Gayle Chrosniak, Carlisle.

Chef's lessons: "A dream to make — this is one simple recipe," said reporter Julia Hatmaker. She baked the cookies for nearly 15 minutes — although when the dough was thinner the cookies could get to the golden level in as little as 12. The best way to spread the frosting evenly over the cookie was to dip the cookie into the icing directly.

Our thoughts:

“I thought they were just the right size. I liked the flavor. I thought it was perfect, it wasn’t overpowering.” — Susan Stine, copy editor

“The icing really complements the cookie.” — Janet Pickel, online content editor

Red Velvet Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese, White Chocolate and Gold Sugar with Pearls Frosting

Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring

The frosting:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Dash of salt
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 4 ounces white chocolate
• Sugar glitter
• Sugar pearls

How to prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. Beat butter at medium speed with mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time.

4. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to the butter and sugar mixture.

5. Add vanilla and food coloring.

6. Beat at low-speed, scraping bowl after each addition.

7. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto parchment paper. Spread dough to 3-inch diameter rounds.

8. Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are set. After five minutes, remove to wire racks to cool.

The frosting:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt at medium speed with mixer until creamy.

2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth.

3. Melt white chocolate in double boiler, then fold into cream cheese.

4. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons frosting onto each cookie.

5. Sprinkle with glitter sugar and pearls.

— Danielle Eby, Lower Allen Twp.

Chef's lessons: "The icing is by far the best part," said Janet Pickel about the recipe. "The icing I would eat out of a bowl with my fingers." When it came to the cookie, the recipe was spot-on when it came to baking time although many of its ingredients are things one wouldn't normally have in the kitchen (glitter, pearls, white chocolate). That being said, Pickel said this is the recipe to use if trying to impress someone with a batch of gorgeous cookies.

Our thoughts:

“It’s really good — chewy, creamy, velvety.” — Lorenzo Falcone, assistant city editor

“It’s a good balance between the cookie and the frosting.” — Megan Lavey-Heaton, copy editor

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Chipper Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup shortening
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips to taste (I like half the bag)
• 1 can whipped white icing (I like Betty Crocker)
• 1 tub chocolate Cool Whip (Note: the cookie photographed used regular Cool Whip in its frosting instead of chocolate).
• Sprinkles (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients but the chocolate chips, icing and Cool Whip. Stir until the ingredients are well blended; batter will be slightly lumpy. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Scoop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet (be generous with the scoop size) and bake until golden on bottom and set in the middle, about 10-12 minutes.

4. After cookies have cooled, frost the cookies. In a mixing bowl, combine the white icing with the Cool Whip, folding with a spatula until well blended. Spread onto cookies. Can top with sprinkles if desired.

Note: For more chocolate-y cookies, combine a container of chocolate icing with a tub of regular Cool Whip for the icing and add more chocolate chips to the batter.

— Kelly Martini, Lower Paxton Twp.

French Vanilla Sugar Cookies With Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups vanilla infused sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1½-inch vanilla pod and 1 full vanilla pod
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips

Steps:

For vanilla-infused sugar:

Pour 2 cups of white sugar in a bowl. Cut 1 full vanilla pod in half and scrape out the vanilla bean into the sugar and stir. Put in a mason jar and cover with lid; let it sit for a few days to a week.

For cookie:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter and vanilla-infused sugar.

3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla extract.

4. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

5. Heat the buttermilk on the stove just until it simmers; then stir in the ½-inch vanilla pod and let cool for 10 minutes.

6. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the bean into the buttermilk and stir.

7. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

8. Drop rounded spoonfuls of the dough onto the cookie sheets.

9. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting:

1. Beat butter and brown sugar with hand blender on high speed until creamy and fluffy.

2. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth.

3. Add the flour and salt.

4. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

5. When the cookies are completely cooled frost them and sprinkle them with miniature chocolate chips.

— Melissa Lenker, Grantville

Ginger Apridoodles

Ingredients:

• 1 inch fresh ginger root
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup dried apricots (6-ounce bag)
• ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup light brown sugar, pressed firmly in cup
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, carefully measured by scooping and leveling off measuring cup
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• About ½ cup additional white sugar

Steps:

1. Peel and freeze the ginger root (1 inch will yield a strong ginger flavor, adjust to taste). When frozen, whir it in blender to chop. Add egg and blend until egg is somewhat beaten. Add apricots and blend to roughly chop the apricots. Set aside.

2. Cream butter. Add the sugars and mix until well blended. Set aside.

3. Mix flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in a bowl. Alternately add to the creamed mixture 1/3 of flour, 1/2 of egg mixture, 1/3 of flour, rest of egg mixture, remainder of flour. Mix until well blended (hands work well to finish blending). Chill for at least an hour.

4. Roll firmly with palms of hands into walnut-sized balls (about a level teaspoon of dough per cookie). Roll each ball in the extra white sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and press down gently with bottom of glass to flatten somewhat.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes, until bottom is brown. Cool on wire racks.

— Brigid Grode, Wormleysburg

PNCO Monster Sugar Cookies (Pecan Nuts, Carrot, Coconut, Orange)

Makes approximately 60 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 cup finely shredded carrots
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• Colored sugar or frosting (optional)

How to prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets.

2. Combine sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and beat until sugar is dissolved. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.

3. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to the sugar-butter batter.

4. Add pecans, carrots, coconut and orange to the batter and stir well. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls or with small ice cream scoop onto greased cookie sheets.

5. Bake in for approximately 12 minutes or until lightly brown.

Note: Before baking, sprinkle colored sugar onto the cookies. Or after the cookies are cooled, top with frosting and then sprinkle with sparkles.

— Patricia Zart, Upper Allen Twp.

Snap Crackle Crunch Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup oleo (softened)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup rice krispies
• Colored sugar (optional)

Steps:

1. Cream the sugar, brown sugar, oil and oleo.

2. Add egg and mix until smooth.

3. Add vanilla extract and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking sod, salt and cream of tartar. Slowly add dry ingredients to the sugar-butter mix.

5. Add oatmeal and beat until mixed well.

6. In a separate bowl, combine coconut, walnuts and rice krispies.

7. Fold into the batter and stir well.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes on greased cookie sheet

9. Cool for several minutes before removing from cookie sheet

Note: Top cookies with colored sugar.

— Judy Wood, Cornwall

Tofu Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of tofu (regular or silken)
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup raw sugar or colored sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat tofu with an electric mixer until smooth.

3. Add canola oil, sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat well.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.

5. Form balls with about 1 tablespoon of dough. Press the dough ball to form a disk. Dip the edges in raw sugar and place them on the prepared cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

— Kaori Kelly, Lower Paxton Twp.