How to Make 5 Different Cookies from a Basic Dough

Our Examination Kitchen'south favorite basic cookie dough recipe tin be doctored-up in five different ways. Check out our favorite variations—all must-haves for the holidays.

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No doubt near it: The vacation season can be pretty hectic. Between the parties, shopping and taking a little fourth dimension to enjoy traditions (Christmas movies, anyone?), there isn't always time to brand every single cookie on your wishlist. Merely if y'all plan wisely and prep a great basic cookie dough, you tin can get it all done—and still take time to lookoutHome Alone.

To go our baking done in a jiff, we rely on this basic cookie dough recipe. It makes a giant batch of dough and tin exist used to brand five kinds of cookies. Talk about bang for your buck! And maybe the best part—this dough does great in the freezer, so you can prep it now and defrost as the holidays well-nigh. But enough chatting, allow's walk through the recipe.

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How to Make Our Test Kitchen's Favorite Basic Cookie Dough

This basic cookie dough recipe is a go-to in our Test Kitchen because it's then versatile. From this one simple dough (which is a breeze to stir upwards), y'all tin make five dissimilar cookies. Hither's what you lot'll need for the basic dough:

• ii-1/two cups butter, softened
• 2 cups saccharide
• 2 eggs
• one/four cup milk
• ii teaspoons vanilla excerpt
• 7-1/2 to 8 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ane teaspoon salt

Stirring Up a Simple Cookie Dough

Making the cookie dough is an accented breeze. First by creaming together the butter and carbohydrate until information technology gets overnice and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla. Be sure to use existent vanilla extract in this recipe. Because the cookie dough is so unproblematic, that vanilla season will really popular, so make sure it'southward the all-time vanilla you tin can afford.

Editor's tip: Brand sure not to make this mistake when buying vanilla at the store.

Finally, add together in the flour. Offset by adding nigh vii cups and add more flour as needed. The dough shouldn't exist overly viscid, and then don't hesitate to add a little extra until you lot get to that full eight cups.

Portioning and Freezing Cookie Dough

This recipe makesa lot of cookie dough, then chances are you won't be baking it all off in advance. That'southward just fine considering this cookie dough is easy to prep and store. Our Examination Kitchen recommends dividing into two-cup portions and refrigerating or freezing. You tin go on it in the fridge for a day or two, but pop in the freezer for long-term storage. It'll keep for up to a yr. When you're ready to bake, only permit it thaw a bit before working with it.

Variation 1: Jelly Sandwich Cookies

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To brand these jelly-filled cookies, break out two cups of basic cookie dough. Then gyre out the dough onto a floured surface—nearly an eighth-inch thick is only right. Cutting out rounds with a cookie cutter (and if you don't have a circular cutter, just employ a glass). Next, cut out the center of half of your cookie dough circles with a small cookie cutter. We used a star here, but use any shape you lot like.

The next pace is filling the cookies. Use whatsoever jam or jelly you like; this is a great opportunity to pause out your favorite homemade jam. Place a teaspoon of jam on the base of operations layer of each cookie. And so layer over the cutout cookie round on pinnacle. Seal the edges with a fork.

Editor tip: If you're having trouble sealing the cookies, we the border of the cookie dough and and so layer on the top cookie dough round and crimp shut. The water will help the 2 layers stick.

All that'south left to practice is bake the cookies. 10 to 12 minutes in a 375ºF oven will do it. Once baked, remove them from your cookie canvas and allow them absurd on a wire rack.

Variation 2: Cherry Surprise Cookies

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These crimson cookies are indeed hiding a surprise—the best kind of surprise: chocolate! And for something unsurprising: They're super like shooting fish in a barrel to make.

Start with heaping tablespoons of cookie dough. Wrap each portion around a chocolate star candy or a chocolate kiss (this is the perfect mode to utilize upwardly any kisses with cleaved peaks). Once wrapped, top each cookie with a candy-coated cherry half. Pop them in a 375ºF oven for 10 to 12 minutes and you lot've got some sweetness surprise cookies prepare to go.

Variation 3: Crumb-Topped Engagement Bars

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Okay, you got us: These nibble-topped date bars aren't cookies exactly, but they do use our favorite cookie dough every bit a base of operations. They also are a welcome accompaniment on whatever cookie tray. You'll need:

• 2 cups bones cookie dough
• 1 package (viii ounces) chopped dates
• 1/ii cup carbohydrate
• 1/two cup h2o
• one tablespoon lemon juice

Start with the appointment filling. In a saucepan, bring the dates, saccharide, water and lemon juice to a eddy. And then reduce the heat and allow the mixture simmer, uncovered, for five minutes. Give it a stir every now and then. When it's reduced, remove information technology from the estrus and allow information technology absurd.

Adjacent, press one cup of the cookie dough into the bottom of a nine-inch square baking pan. Spread the date jam over the top. And then crumble the remaining cookie dough over the filling to course a top crust. No need to be perfect with this office. Once the bars are cut, they'll wait not bad no matter what.

To bake, popular in a 375ºF oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Absurd on a wire rack and slice.

Here are xx more cookie bar ideas that brand life tastier.

Variation 4: Chocolate Mallow Cookies

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If you're looking to have our basic cookie dough recipe to the next level, these chocolate mallow cookies are for you lot. Yous'll need some extra ingredients here:

• 2 cups basic cookie dough
• 1/ii cup sugar
• ane/ii loving cup baking cocoa
• 1 egg
• 1/4 loving cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• twenty big marshmallows halved
• 1 can chocolate frosting

To brand these, start by adding two cups of the basic cookie dough to a mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, cocoa, egg, milk and chopped pecans.

Editor tip:Become more than flavor in these cookies by toasting your pecans before stirring into the cookie dough. Acquire how to toast nuts the easy manner.

Drop tablespoons of the chocolaty dough onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375ºF for eight minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and printing a halved marshmallow on acme of each cookie. Pop these dorsum in the oven for some other two minutes or until the marshmallow puffs up. Stay close to the oven for this terminal footstep. But like with a campfire, marshmallows can become from perfect to burned faster than yous think. In one case baked, let these cookies cool completely on a wire rack.

The final step is to give these cookies a dab of frosting. To keep it simple, grab your favorite tin can of chocolate frosting (here's ours). Add the frosting to a pipe bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a dollop of frosting onto each cookie. You can finish right at that place or add a few sprinkles on top if you want to be actress festive.

Editor tip: If canned frosting isn't for you, that'southward just fine. Feel gratis to supercede information technology with chocolate buttercream or even a rich, chocolate ganache.

Variation 5: Cutout Cookies

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The last variation of this cookie dough is the simplest. You don't need to modify the bones cookie dough at all.

Instead, roll out the chilled cookie dough until it's nearly an eighth of an inch thick and cut out using your favorite cookie cutters. Hither are some of our favorite holiday cutters and a few tips on how to repurpose the shapes you already have in your kitchen. Bake these at 375ºF for 10 to 12 minutes.

In one case they're cooled, y'all can frost still you like. If you're tight on time, feel free to employ canned frosting. If you're looking for a more professional terminate, try your easily at these royal icing techniques.

Sense of taste of Habitation

This simple cookie dough is the perfect mode to kicking off your vacation baking. We beloved information technology because it'due south a dandy recipe for making in advance and stashing in the freezer (these cookie recipes also work). And with minimal effort, you can transform this dough into five very different cookies. No one would know this gorgeous platter of cookies all started with one basic mix. Desire to try even more cookies? Our easy cookie recipes will broaden your recipe repertoire!

Learn more than almost the different types of cookies!

Try More Cookie Commutation-Ready Recipes

Taste of Home

Basic Cookie Dough

Skip the store-bought cookie dough and learn how to brand cookies from scratch—it's easy! Thanks to this bones cookie dough recipe, you tin turn everyday ingredients into five sensational sweets. Bake some correct away, then pop the extra dough in the freezer for later on. —Gloria McBride, Payson, Utah

Get Recipe Check out our tips for hosting your best-always cookie exchange.

Holly Wreaths

I've never come up across another spritz cookie like this - one calling for cream cheese equally an ingredient. That helps to keep these wreaths moist a long fourth dimension, while besides adding a delicious season. —Dee Lein, Longmont, Colorado

Peppermint Stick Cookies

With absurd mint flavor and a festive look, these whimsical creations will make you experience similar y'all're in the N pole. The chilled dough is piece of cake to shape, likewise. —Nancy Knapke, Fort Recovery, Ohio

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

My group of friends had a weekly "movie night" during winters on Martha's Vineyard, and we'd take turns making a chocolate care for to share. These terrific cookies were an instant success. Once they debuted, I had to make them many more times. —Laura Bryant High german, W. Warren, Massachusetts

Whipped Shortbread

These whipped shortbread cookies melt in your mouth. Mostly I make them for the holidays, but I'll also prepare them yr-round for wedding showers and afternoon teas. —Jane Ficiur, Bow Island, Alberta

Rainbow Cookies

I always bake these cookies two weeks alee. That allows enough fourth dimension for mellowing, leaving them moist and full of almond flavor. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York

Almond Raspberry Stars

The first Christmas that I baked these, I ended upward quickly making a second batch! The whole family unit enjoyed them. —Darlene Weaver, Lebanese republic, Pennsylvania

Hidden Mint Morsels

Is it a cookie or a candy? No matter which respond folks choose, they find these minty morsels yummy. The recipe makes so much that y'all can whip upwards tons of gifts at once. —Adina Skilbred, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin

Easy Gingerbread Cutouts

"I rely on this tried-and-true recipe during the holidays," relates Sandy McKenzie of Braham, Minnesota. "The foam cheese frosting complements the cookies' gingery flavor and sets up nicely for easy packaging and stacking."

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

I recently found this old family recipe in my mom's kitchen. I fabricated a few adjustments to streamline the procedure, and the cookies turned out wonderfully. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida

Grandma's Raspberry Rugelach

I remember sitting on my swell-grandmother's burrow with a pad and pen in hand equally she told me each ingredient and measurement for her special rugelach. Her recipe stands apart because it'southward a fun twist from typical versions. —Dalya Rubin, Boca Raton, Florida

Dipped Gingersnaps

I become tremendous satisfaction making and giving fourth dimension-tested yuletide treats similar these soft, chewy cookies. Dipping them in white chocolate makes much-loved gingersnaps even more special. —Laura Kimball, West Jordan, Utah

Harveys Coconut Macaroons

As the executive chef at Harveys, a resort hotel in Lake Tahoe, I modified this classic recipe, which originated a century ago at a renowned pastry store in Vienna, Austria. —Norbert Koblitz, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Torcetti

Our Sicilian grandmother often had my sister and me whorl out the dough for these tasty torcetti. Their melt-in-your-mouth goodness is delicious without being overly sweet.—Joy Quici, Upland, California

Chocolate-Tipped Butter Cookies

These wonderfully moist morsels are too tempting to resist. They melt right in your rima oris. Rather than sprinkling the chocolate tips with nuts, you lot can curlicue them in red and greenish jimmies or leave them evidently. —Charolette Westfall, Houston, Texas

Red Snowballs

A juicy maraschino cherry is the secret eye tucked inside these special cookies. My mom was inspired to create this past a recipe she clipped out of a newspaper more than 30 years ago. —Evy Adams, W Seneca, New York

Carmine Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These rich, fudgy cookies are chewy and studded with tangy dried cherries. It'southward a good matter the recipe makes only a pocket-size batch, because we eat them all in one night! —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Hazelnut Yule Logs

As well being irresistibly nutty, these travel well and are a snap to make! — Barbara Burge, Los Gatos, California

Cathedral Cookies

Children love the colorful marshmallows in these festive confections, which look like stained glass when they're sliced. They practically light upwardly the room from the serving platter at our holiday parties. —Ballad Shaffer, Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

I layer a creamy, coffee-flavored filling between buttery shortbread, then dip the sandwiches in chocolate. Guests e'er dearest them.—Bertha Seyer, Oak Ridge, Missouri

Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread

Nosotros dear hazelnut flavor and cookies that aren't too sweet, so this recipe is perfect for united states! If you like your cookies on the sweeter side, bake up these crisp beauties and slather some Nutella between ii to create an actress-special sandwich cookie. —Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana

White Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints

When I pass effectually the cookie tray, all eyes land on these fancy thumbprints. The white chocolate filling and dab of precious stone-toned jam will satisfy even the most discriminating sweetness tooth. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario

Chocolate Almond Pizzelles

If you beloved fun baking gadgets, you'll enjoy making these crispy, almond-flavored cookies, which get their unique waffle blueprint from a pizzelle maker. They bake up gilt dark-brown in only a few minutes. Feel free to double the chocolate drizzle if you'd like to encompass the cookies more generously. —Hannah Riley, Norwalk, Ohio

Snowmen Butter Cookies

They're buttery sweets that birthday guests of any age will make disappear fast...cheers to the cook-in-your-mouth cookie recipe Suzanne shared.

Chocolate Caramel Kiss Cookies

I make this cookie every Christmas with my family. It's a fun twist on a classic peanut butter flower because of the cinnamon in the batter and the caramel buss on top. We love the cinnamon-caramel combination, but you could switch out the kiss with a different festive flavor. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York

Appointment-Nut Pinwheels

Pinwheel cookies with dates and walnuts are a family treasure. In that location are a few steps when prepping, then I sometimes freeze the dough and bake the cookies later. —Frieda Whiteley, Lisbon, Connecticut

Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

These cookies were a holiday tradition in my family since I was a immature child. Now my own family requests them before any others at Christmas. —Pat Schmeling, Germantown, Wisconsin

Chocolate Gingersnaps

When my daughter, Jennifer, was 15 years former, she created this recipe as a way to combine two of her favorite flavors. They're perfect with a glass of milk. —Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah

Mint Chocolate Wafers

My grandmother gave me a cookbook stuffed with recipes. This is a slight twist on one of the first—and best—recipes I fabricated from the book. It's best to store these in the fridge. —Mary Murphy, Evansville, Indiana

Cherry Chocolate Nut Cookies

Each Christmas, I make nearly 600 cookies to share with family and friends. The holidays wouldn't be the same without several batches of these colorful goodies. —Sybil Brown, Highland, California

Frozen Snowflake Gingerbread Cookies

These snowflake cookies will melt in your mouth as soon every bit they hit your natural language. Experiment with your favorite colors and give your cookie trays an unexpected twist. —Taste of Home Examination Kitchen

Baklava Thumbprint Cookies

The topping on my sister-in-law's peach cobbler was so delicious that I asked for the recipe, then decided to utilize that to elevation a cookie I adult with the flavors of baklava. My developed son tried one and immediately ate ii more—which is unusual for him! It's a good recipe to mix upwardly the night before and bake fresh the next solar day for company. —Sharon Eshelman, Harrington, Delaware

Buttery Spritz Cookies

This tender spritz cookie recipe is very eye-catching on my Christmas cookie tray. The dough is easy to piece of work with, so information technology'southward fun to make these spritz cookies into a multifariousness of festive shapes. This is hands downwards the best spritz cookie recipe ever. —Beverly Launius, Sandwich, Illinois

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

When I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! Simply I like them considering they're lower in fat and easy to mix and broil. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Cranberry Slices

The holidays wouldn't be complete without a plateful of homemade cookies to give family and friends. Try these for gifts.—American Dairy Assoc, Stacy Duffy, Chicago, Illinois

Red Velvet Spritz Cookies

I had never come up across a cherry velvet spritz recipe, then I decided to create one. The hint of cocoa makes these sense of taste similar red velvet cake. Add together peppermint flavoring for a little extra kick. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

Linzer Heart Cookies

This specialty cookie takes a little actress endeavor, but the delectable results are well-worth it. I broil the tender jam-filled hearts when I need something fancy to serve for Valentine's Day or other special occasions. —Jane Pearcy, Verona, Wisconsin

Santa Star Cookies

Cookie baking can't get any more fun than when y'all are making—and decorating—these adorable Santa cookies. They are besides actually good to eat. —Sense of taste of Dwelling house Test Kitchen

Candy Cane Snowballs

I bake dozens of kinds of Christmas cookies to give to family and friends. I came upward with this recipe when I had leftover processed canes. We dip the snowballs into a white processed blanket, and then into crushed peppermint candy. —Debby Anderson, Stockbridge, Georgia

Raspberry Ribbons

I make these bonny, buttery cookies to serve at our remote invitee lodge, and all the cooks in the kitchen are addicted to them! —Patsy Wolfenden, Golden, British Columbia

Christmas Lights Cookies

What better fashion to brighten chilly winter days than with calorie-free-shaped cookies? My archetype dough recipe has been a holiday tradition in our family for years. —Carolyn Moseley, Dayton, Ohio

Pecan Curl-Ups

This recipe is so succulent and is certain to become a favorite of your family unit. The pecans make them so rich.—Lee B. Roberts, Racine, Wisconsin

Cranberry Lime Macaroons

It wouldn't be the holidays for my family and friends if I didn't make these chewy lime-flavored macaroons. I usually make several batches a week during the season..—Alisa Costa, Chatham, New York

Drizzled Gingerbread Biscotti

After stumbling across a customs recipe for gingerbread biscotti, I fabricated several batches and tweaked information technology to our tastes. These became an instant obsession at our house.—Susan Board, Palmer, Alaska

Scottish Shortbread

Scottish settlers get-go came to this area over 150 years agone. My mother herself was Scottish, and—every bit with most of my favorite recipes—she passed this shortbread recipe on to me. I make a triple batch of it each twelvemonth at Christmas, to savour and as gifts. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba

Crimson Kiss Cookies

Topped with a chocolate kiss, these cherry-flavored cookies wait super cute on a dessert tray. Share them with family unit and friends. —Joy Yurk, Grafton, Wisconsin

Chocolate Cutout Cookies

I love gingerbread cookies, only my grandchildren don't similar the ginger flavour. Now I use chocolate and watch them smile as they take that beginning bite. —Nancy Tater, Mount Dora, Florida

Ice Cream Kolachkes

These sweet pastries have Polish and Czech roots and tin can also be spelled "kolaches." They are usually filled with poppy seeds, basics, jam or a mashed fruit mixture. The ice cream is a unique twist on traditional kolachkes, and it's simplest to apply a square cookie cutter to cut the dough. —Diane Turner, Brunswick, Ohio

Peanut Butter Spritz Fingers

My family loves this peanut butter fingers recipe because they satisfy the need for chocolate and for something crunchy, sweetness and nutty, all in just one seize with teeth! —Irma Lowery, Reedsburg, Wisconsin

Chocolate Macadamia Meltaways

I came up with this recipe by accident one twenty-four hours when I wanted to make some cookies. I decided to use some ingredients already in my cupboard, and these were the succulent effect. —Barbara Sepcich, Galt, California

Gingerbread Yule Logs

I was never addicted of gingerbread until I rolled it up with Nutella. These logs are a fabulous addition to any cookie platter. —Terri Gilson, Calgary, Alberta

Processed Cane Blossom Cookies

We like to stir dissimilar flavored processed canes into the dough for fun multifariousness. —Joan Cossette, Colbert, Washington

Mexican Wedding Cakes

Equally function of a Mexican tradition, I tucked these tender cookies into small gift boxes for the guests at my sister'south wedding ceremony a few years ago. Most folks gobbled them up earlier they always got home! —Sarita Johnston, San Antonio, Texas

Holiday Cornflake Cookies

I can't seem to make plenty of these cornflake wreaths effectually the holidays. The cookies firm upward quickly, so you'll need to place the Red Hots correct away. —Kathleen Hedger, Fairview Heights, Illinois

Snowy Mountain Cookies

I was so excited to bake these with my mom after coming home from studying away in Deutschland. They remind me of the Swabian Alps I could meet from my room there. Exist careful not to overheat the white chocolate; it'll lose that attractive polish. —Stephanie Bouley, N Smithfield, Rhode Island

Dipped Chocolate Logs

When my sister and I were petty, we used to beg my mother and grandmother to make these buttery chocolate cookies during the holidays. At present, every bit moms ourselves, we assemble every yr to make Christmas cookies, and the chocolate logs are ever on the superlative of our list. —Deanna Markkos, Western Springs, Illinois

Folded Hazelnut Cookies

We outset made these cookies when my boys were small, and they would ever end up covered in flour and with Nutella on their faces. Such good memories! —Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania

Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprints

Thumbprint cookies are a Christmas classic, and I specially like my updated version with pistachios. The rich, buttery bites are not only delicious, merely they are also pretty plenty to give for gifts—if you manage to share them! —Laura Murphy, Columbus, Mississippi

Java Maple Spritz

I like spritz cookies because they're easier to brand than rolled cutouts but I can all the same be creative with dissimilar shapes and sizes. Feel free to substitute vanilla or rum extract for the maple flavoring. —Dierdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

Orange-Cranberry Shortbread

Holiday cookies should be actress-special, so I created this beautiful, delicious shortbread with cranberries, orangish and holiday spices to both serve and requite as gifts. Anybody loves them!—Lisa Speer, Palm Beach, Florida

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Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-basic-cookie-dough/

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