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This is it. These are the cookies that make MDK readers very, very happy.

Thanks to our resident archivist/curator of deliciousness Cristina Shiffman, what you have before you is an index to 31 recipes for a world of cookies, all kinds of cookies.

This all came about last month when we asked readers for their favorite holiday cookie. We got 480 answers, superfun to read because it’s like sitting around the kitchen table with everybody as they share their favorites.

Lori left a complete recipe in the comments, so you’ll find it at the very end. I love that one of the instructions is “sift (I don’t sift) flour.” The great cookie recipes are like that: full of renegade moments, alterations, ancient traditions.

Love,

Ann and Kay

32 Cookies to Love, by the Readers of MDK

(Some of these links require a subscription, the New York Times in particular.)

411 Shortbread

Pepparkakor

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Italian Fig Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

PBJ Danish

Classic Spritz Cookies

Raisin Molasses Gems

Thumbprint Cookies

Buttermilk Bars

Buckeyes

Holiday Hermits

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Toffee Squares

Rum Balls

Hungarian Butterhorns

Nankhatai Cookies

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Spiced Orange Crumble Cookies

Gingersnaps

Rugelach

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Rolled Sugar Cookies

Maida Heatter’s Supremes

Springerle

Ina Garten’s Coconut Macaroons

Christmas M&M Cookies

Fruitcake Cookies

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Chrusciki

Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies

Paintbrush Cookies

Lori’s Grandmother’s Butter Cookies

1 c. Butter
2 c. Sugar
2-3 eggs
3 1/2 c. Flour
2 tsp. Full baking powder
1 tsp. Scant cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Beat eggs and mix well. Sift (I don’t sift) flour, baking powder and mix together. Chill 5-6 hours. Roll thin, cut, brush tops with yolk of egg mixed with a little milk and bake in medium oven.

File it!

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411 Shortbread illustration by Hannah Jones

14 Comments

  • Just when I thought I couldn’t eat another cookie! I see some new to me recipes here that I have to try today.

  • That 411 Shortbread recipe is my go-to ‘bring something to the gathering’ cookie now. Never met anyone who doesn’t rave over it. I sometimes add cocoa nibs, or finely diced crystallized ginger if I’m feeling really fancy.

    • Subbing 1/4 to 1/2 c of the flour for matcha powder turns these into amazing green tea sweets. I also have used all whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 and 1/2 white and brown sugars.

  • Due to unforeseeable circumstances in my family, I was not able to do my holiday baking this year. I always make about 5 or 6 different cookies and give them out to neighbors and friends. Two of them being Russian tea cakes and peanut butter blossoms. I may have to make some after Christmas cookies.

  • When does the first 2023 issue arrive? Can’t wait!

    • Subscriber copies of Field Guide No. 23 will ship in a few short weeks! Official launch is February.

  • So if I test out one a week or so, I’ll have narrowed it down to the ones I want to repeat for Holidays 2023!

    • That’s the spirit! You can do it!

  • So fun to read through this list — there’s the cookies I make, the ones my sister served us last night, the ones we had at my daughter’s mother-in-law’s house.

  • Bookmarked the cookie recipe treasury. Exploring it is a resolution I can keep!

  • Oh, sweet heaven!
    Just days ago, I walked into my Aunt’s house and saw a beautiful treat table with aunt-and-cousin-made caramel corn, airy peanut brittle, English toffee, almond cookies, cranberry cookies, spiced cranberry cake (oh, that orange zest! Lovely!), chocolate-dipped/peppermint crunched Oreos, and several other sweets that I didn’t have the focus/fortitude to taste after some delicious tamales.
    I thought “I won’t need to bake a darned thing until February or March!”
    But now there are 32 new recipes that are piquing my interest!
    You are a lovely team, MDK.
    Thank you!

  • I am trying to make the shortbread for my sister who loves it. The dough turned to a consistency of mud, not sand. It’s baking nd smells wonderful. I hope it tastes as good.

  • Oh yum! Cookie baking never happened this Christmas. So maybe a little delicious joy every week testing these recipes. Thank you so much for all of these!

  • If I can add to this cookie treasure trove, there’s another Dorie Greenspan cookie that I love: https://www.thekitchn.com/dorie-greenspan-double-ginger-molasses-cookies-recipe-23102315

    Hope someone tries it and falls in love with it like I have.

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