Cookie season · December 2026

The 25 best holiday cookies from the food creators we follow

December is cookie swap season, so I went through the cooks I follow and picked one cookie from each: rainbow cookies, gingerbread, melomakarona, matcha checkerboards, pignoli, rum balls, a vegan florentine that nobody can tell is vegan. Counted down from 25. Save any of them and it lands in your recipes, laid out the way we cook. Or run a swap with them.

— B.

Host a cookie swap

One link for your guests. No accounts, no group text about who's making what.

1. Name your swap, the date and how many people are coming.
2. Send one link. Each guest claims a cookie from these 25, so nobody brings the same one.
3. Chef scales their recipe to your swap and writes the shopping list.

Start my swap

1. No.25Photo: Salt & Lavender

   Red and green striped meringues

   French-style · 3 hr (mostly in the oven) · makes about 40

   Has eggsGluten-free

   Paint stripes of gel color inside the piping bag and every meringue comes out striped. Natasha's are egg whites and sugar, gluten-free and fat-free, and they look like a Christmas tree ornament.

   From Natasha Bull at Salt & Lavender · @saltandlavender

   For a swap: Light but fragile. Pack them in a tin, not a bag, and keep them dry.

   Save to my recipesMore from Salt & Lavender ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   Egg whites whipped with cream of tartar and sugar into a stiff glossy meringue, piped from a bag painted inside with red and green stripes, dried low in the oven.

   You need

   • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
   • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
   • 1 cup (200 g) superfine sugar
   • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1/2 tsp almond extract
   • Red and green gel food coloring

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 220°F and line two sheets with parchment.
   2. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium until soft peaks form.
   3. Turn the mixer to high and add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, taking 8 to 10 minutes, until the meringue is stiff, glossy and not gritty between your fingers. Beat in the extracts.
   4. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and turn it inside out. With a thin brush, paint stripes of red and green gel from the tip up the inside of the bag. Turn it right side out and fill it with meringue.
   5. Pipe 1 1/2-inch kisses onto the sheets. The first few will be heavy on color; keep going.
   6. Bake 1 1/2 hours, then turn the oven off and leave them inside at least another hour to dry. Store airtight; humidity makes them sticky.

   Chef's own write-up of Natasha Bull's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Red and green striped meringues, saltandlavender.com

2. No.24Photo: Minimalist Baker

   Gluten-free gingersnaps

   American · 55 min (includes 30 min chilling) · makes about 35

   Has nutsVeganGluten-free

   One bowl, gluten-free and vegan, sweetened with maple and molasses. Dana's are thin and snappy, cut with a round cutter. Bring these and the person who can't eat anything finally gets a tin.

   From Dana Shultz at Minimalist Baker · @minimalistbaker

   For a swap: Crisp and sturdy. Packs well.

   Save to my recipesMore from Minimalist Baker ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   One bowl: maple, coconut sugar, coconut oil and molasses with ginger and cinnamon, mixed with oat, almond and arrowroot flour, chilled, rolled and cut.

   You need

   • 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
   • 3 tbsp coconut sugar
   • 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
   • 2 tbsp molasses
   • 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
   • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
   • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
   • 1/2 tsp baking soda
   • 1/4 tsp sea salt
   • 1 cup (90 g) oat flour (certified gluten-free)
   • 1/2 cup (50 g) almond flour
   • 1/4 cup (30 g) arrowroot starch, plus more for rolling

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two sheets with parchment.
   2. Whisk the maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil, molasses, spices, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
   3. Stir in the oat flour, almond flour and arrowroot until no dry bits remain. The dough will be soft.
   4. Shape it into a disc and chill 30 minutes.
   5. Roll it 1/4 inch thick on parchment dusted with arrowroot. Cut 2-inch rounds and move them with a dusted spatula. Re-roll the scraps.
   6. Bake 9 to 12 minutes, until dry to the touch. Cool 5 to 10 minutes on the sheet; they crisp as they cool.

   Chef's own write-up of Dana Shultz's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Gluten-free gingersnaps, minimalistbaker.com

3. No.23Photo: Nora Cooks

   Vegan sugar cookies

   American · 1 hr 20 min (includes chilling) · makes about 24

   Has glutenVegan

   Proper cut-out sugar cookies with no eggs and no butter. Nora adds cornstarch so they stay soft and don't spread, and her shiny icing is the one to copy.

   From Nora Taylor at Nora Cooks · @nora_cooks_vegan_

   For a swap: Let the icing harden for a few hours, then stack.

   Save to my recipesMore from Nora Cooks ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   Vegan butter and sugar beaten with plant milk and cornstarch, rolled between parchment, chilled, cut and baked soft, then iced with a shiny glaze.

   You need

   • 3/4 cup (170 g) vegan butter, slightly softened
   • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
   • 2 tbsp unsweetened plant milk
   • 1 tbsp cornstarch
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
   • 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
   • 1/2 tsp baking powder
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, for the icing
   • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for the icing
   • 1 tbsp light corn syrup, for the icing
   • 1 to 2 tbsp plant milk, for the icing

   How to make it

   1. Beat the vegan butter 1 minute until creamy, then beat in the sugar.
   2. Beat in the plant milk, cornstarch and extracts on high for about 1 minute.
   3. Add 1 cup of the flour with the baking powder and salt on top and mix on low, then add the rest of the flour and mix just until the dough comes together.
   4. Split the dough in two and roll each half 1/4 inch thick between floured parchment. Chill the sheets flat for 1 hour.
   5. Let the dough sit 10 minutes while the oven heats to 350°F. Cut shapes and set them on parchment-lined sheets.
   6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until barely colored at the edges; they'll look underdone. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack.
   7. Whisk the icing until smooth and glossy (thicker for outlines, a little looser to flood). Decorate and let it harden a few hours.

   Chef's own write-up of Nora Taylor's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Vegan sugar cookies, noracooks.com

4. No.22Photo: Lazy Cat Kitchen

   Vegan florentines

   Italian-style · 40 min + cooling · makes about 24

   Has nutsVeganGluten-free

   Lacy almond and cranberry discs with candied ginger and orange, chocolate brushed on the bottom. Ania makes the caramel with maple syrup and coconut cream, so they're vegan and nobody can tell.

   From Ania at Lazy Cat Kitchen · @lazycatkitchen

   For a swap: Fragile. Bake them in muffin cups and pack them in those.

   Save to my recipesMore from Lazy Cat Kitchen ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   A maple and coconut cream caramel tossed with flaked almonds, cranberries, stem ginger and orange zest, baked into thin lacy discs and brushed with chocolate underneath.

   You need

   • 3 tbsp (45 g) smooth almond butter (or refined coconut oil)
   • 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup
   • 2 tbsp (35 g) coconut cream
   • 2 heaped cups (200 g) flaked almonds
   • 1/3 cup (40 g) dried cranberries, chopped small
   • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
   • 1/4 tsp baking soda
   • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1 orange, zested
   • 1.75 oz (50 g) stem ginger in syrup, finely diced
   • 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
   • 5 oz (150 g) dairy-free dark chocolate

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 355°F (180°C, no fan). Line a sheet with parchment, or grease a muffin tin or paper cups (cups give neater rounds).
   2. Warm the almond butter and maple syrup in a pot over gentle heat, whisking, until bubbles appear. Whisk in the coconut cream and simmer gently 1 minute.
   3. Take it off the heat and stir in everything else except the chocolate, until all of it is coated.
   4. Press a heaped teaspoon into each cup, or onto the parchment with plenty of space, flattening it thin.
   5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in cups (8 to 10 on parchment), until golden. Press them down again while hot; they firm up as they cool.
   6. Melt the chocolate gently over a pan of barely simmering water. Brush it over the bottom of each florentine and chill until set.

   Chef's own write-up of Ania's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Vegan florentines, lazycatkitchen.com

5. No.21Photo: Cafe Delites

   Chocolate rum balls

   Australian · 20 min + chilling · makes about 30

   Has dairyHas gluten

   No oven at all. Crushed cookies, cocoa, coconut and condensed milk, a splash of rum, rolled in more coconut. Karina's take 20 minutes, and you can leave out the rum for the kids' tin.

   From Karina Carrasco at Cafe Delites · @cafedelites

   For a swap: Keep them cold until you leave. Mini paper cups help.

   Save to my recipesMore from Cafe Delites ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   Crushed vanilla wafers mixed with cocoa, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and rum, rolled into balls and coated in coconut. No baking.

   You need

   • 9 oz (255 g) vanilla wafers or plain chocolate cookies
   • 14 oz (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
   • 3 tbsp dark or spiced rum (optional)
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1/2 cup (45 g) cocoa powder
   • 1/2 cup (40 g) desiccated coconut, for the mix
   • 1 pinch salt
   • 3/4 cup (60 g) desiccated coconut, for rolling

   How to make it

   1. Crush the cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor, or in a zip bag with a rolling pin. A few bigger bits are fine.
   2. In a large bowl, mix the crumbs, 1/2 cup coconut, cocoa, salt, condensed milk, rum and vanilla with a wooden spoon, then with your hands once it gets thick. If it's too soft to roll, chill it 15 minutes.
   3. Put the rest of the coconut in a shallow bowl. Roll tablespoons of the mix into 1-inch balls and roll each in coconut.
   4. Chill on a tray until firm, at least an hour. Keep them cold until you leave for the swap; they keep a week in the fridge.

   Chef's own write-up of Karina Carrasco's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Chocolate rum balls, cafedelites.com

6. No.20Photo: Half Baked Harvest

   Vanilla brown sugar eggnog cookies

   American · 1 hr 15 min · makes about 22

   Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

   Tieghan's cutouts have a splash of bourbon, nutmeg and cinnamon, and the glaze is made with eggnog. Cut snowflakes and trees, and dust them with vanilla sugar.

   From Tieghan Gerard at Half Baked Harvest · @halfbakedharvest

   For a swap: Let the glaze set an hour, then stack with parchment.

   Save to my recipesMore from Half Baked Harvest ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   Brown sugar butter cut-outs with vanilla, bourbon, cinnamon and nutmeg, chilled in the freezer before baking, glazed with eggnog icing.

   You need

   • 3/4 cup (170 g) salted butter, at room temperature
   • 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
   • 1 large egg, at room temperature
   • 2 tbsp bourbon (optional)
   • 2 tsp vanilla extract
   • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus 2 to 4 tbsp if needed
   • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
   • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
   • 1/2 tsp baking soda
   • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
   • 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, for the glaze
   • 1 tbsp vanilla extract, for the glaze
   • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg, for the glaze
   • 1/2 cup eggnog (or milk), for the glaze
   • Sprinkles or vanilla sugar, to decorate

   How to make it

   1. Beat the butter and brown sugar, then the egg, bourbon and vanilla.
   2. Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt and beat until the dough forms a ball. If it's too sticky to roll, add 2 to 4 tbsp more flour.
   3. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet with parchment.
   4. Roll half the dough 1/4 inch thick on floured parchment. Cut shapes, move them to the sheet with a floured spatula, and freeze 15 minutes so they keep their edges. Repeat with the rest and the scraps.
   5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until just lightly golden. Cool.
   6. Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla and nutmeg with 1 tbsp eggnog at a time until smooth and drizzly.
   7. Ice the cookies, add sprinkles or vanilla sugar, and let the glaze set about an hour before stacking.

   Chef's own write-up of Tieghan Gerard's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Vanilla brown sugar eggnog cookies, halfbakedharvest.com

7. No.19Photo: Feel Good Foodie

   Thumbprint cookies

   American · 25 min · makes about 18

   Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

   Six ingredients and a jar of jam. Yumna's dough has one egg yolk and brown sugar, so it's tender, and you can fill them with Nutella if jam isn't your thing.

   From Yumna Jawad at Feel Good Foodie · @feelgoodfoodie

   For a swap: Pack one layer so the jam doesn't stick.

   Save to my recipesMore from Feel Good Foodie ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   A tender brown sugar butter dough with one egg yolk, rolled into balls, pressed with a thumb, filled with jam and baked.

   You need

   • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
   • 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar
   • 1 large egg yolk
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
   • 1/4 tsp salt
   • 1/2 cup jam (or Nutella), for filling

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed sheet with parchment.
   2. Cream the butter and brown sugar on medium until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, add the yolk and vanilla and mix 30 seconds.
   3. Add the flour and salt on low just until no streaks remain.
   4. Scoop tablespoons of dough, roll into balls and set them 2 inches apart.
   5. Press a well into each with your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon, not all the way through. Spoon in about 1 tsp jam.
   6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are just golden. Cool completely on a rack before packing.

   Chef's own write-up of Yumna Jawad's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Thumbprint cookies, feelgoodfoodie.net

8. No.18Photo: Budget Bytes

   Black and white cookies

   New York · 1 hr 10 min · makes about 30

   Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

   The New York deli cookie, small enough for a swap. Beth makes her own buttermilk with milk and vinegar and ices the flat bottom, which is the right side.

   From Beth Moncel at Budget Bytes · @budgetbytes

   For a swap: Let the icing dry completely, then stack with parchment.

   Save to my recipesMore from Budget Bytes ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   A soft cake-like cookie made with homemade buttermilk, iced on the flat side with half vanilla and half cocoa glaze.

   You need

   • 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
   • 1 tsp white vinegar
   • 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
   • 1/4 tsp salt
   • 1/2 tsp baking soda
   • 7 tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
   • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
   • 2 large eggs
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
   • 2 1/4 cups (270 g) powdered sugar, sifted, for the icing
   • 1 tsp lemon juice, for the icing
   • 1 tbsp hot water, for the icing
   • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for the icing
   • 2 tbsp light corn syrup, for the icing
   • 2 tsp cocoa powder, for the icing

   How to make it

   1. Stir the vinegar into the milk and let it sit 5 minutes: that's your buttermilk. Heat the oven to 350°F.
   2. Whisk the sifted flour, salt and baking soda.
   3. Mix the melted butter and sugar on low. Beat the eggs with the vanilla and add them.
   4. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in turns, beating on medium, until both are used and the batter is smooth.
   5. Chill the batter 30 minutes to an hour so it holds its shape.
   6. Scoop 1-ounce mounds onto parchment-lined sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes, until the edges are barely golden. Cool completely.
   7. Stir the powdered sugar, lemon juice, hot water, vanilla and corn syrup into a smooth icing. Split it into two bowls and stir the cocoa into one.
   8. Turn the cookies flat side up. Ice half of each with vanilla, let it set 10 minutes, then ice the other half with chocolate. Let them dry completely on a rack.

   Chef's own write-up of Beth Moncel's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Black and white cookies, budgetbytes.com

9. No.17Photo: Sugar Spun Run

   Almond crescent cookies

   Austrian-style · 40 min · makes about 36

   Has nutsHas dairyHas gluten

   Sam's crescents are buttery and nutty with almond flour, then tossed in powdered sugar while they're still warm. Vanillekipferl in all but name.

   From Sam Merritt at Sugar Spun Run · @sugarspun_sam

   For a swap: Delicate tips. Pack them in rows, not piles.

   Save to my recipesMore from Sugar Spun Run ↗

   See Chef's write-up

   Butter creamed with powdered and brown sugar, mixed with flour and almond flour, shaped into crescents and tossed in powdered sugar while warm.

   You need

   • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
   • 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
   • 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
   • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
   • 2 1/3 cups (290 g) all-purpose flour
   • 3/4 cup (75 g) almond flour
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, for coating

   How to make it

   1. Heat the oven to 375°F and line sheets with parchment.
   2. Beat the butter until creamy. Add the powdered and brown sugar and beat on high 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the extracts.
   3. Whisk the flour, almond flour and salt, then add it to the butter on low in four or five parts, just until it comes together.
   4. Roll 1-tablespoon (15 g) portions into 3-inch ropes, thinner at the ends, and bend them into crescents. Space them 2 inches apart.
   5. Bake about 10 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden.
   6. Cool 10 to 15 minutes on the sheet, then gently toss each one in powdered sugar. For a thicker coat, toss again once they're cool.

   Chef's own write-up of Sam Merritt's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

   Recipe: Almond crescent cookies, sugarspunrun.com

10. No.16Photo: Broma Bakery

    White chocolate pistachio cranberry slice-and-bakes

    American · 40 min + 2 hr chilling · makes about 50

    Has nutsHas dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    Red cranberries, green pistachios, white chocolate. Broma rolls the dough into logs, coats them in more pistachios, and you slice and bake whenever you want. The best make-ahead cookie on this list.

    From Sarah Fennel at Broma Bakery · @bromabakery

    For a swap: Sturdy. The dipped ones need an hour to set first.

    Save to my recipesMore from Broma Bakery ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Brown sugar butter dough with cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate, rolled into logs coated in more pistachios, chilled, sliced and baked, then dipped in white chocolate.

    You need

    • 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/4 tsp almond extract
    • 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 cup (125 g) pistachios, finely chopped, divided
    • 1/2 cup (60 g) dried cranberries, chopped
    • 4 oz (113 g) white chocolate, finely chopped, for the dough
    • 4 oz (113 g) white chocolate, for dipping
    • 1 tsp coconut oil, for dipping

    How to make it

    1. Beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, add the yolk and both extracts and beat until smooth.
    2. Mix in the flour and salt on low just until no streaks remain. Stir in half the pistachios, the cranberries and the chopped white chocolate.
    3. Split the dough in half and roll each on plastic wrap into a 12-inch log about 1 inch across. Roll the logs in the rest of the pistachios, wrap and chill at least 2 hours (or freeze for a month).
    4. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two sheets with parchment.
    5. Slice the logs into 1/4-inch rounds and set them 1 inch apart.
    6. Bake about 10 minutes, until just golden at the edges. Cool on the sheets.
    7. Melt the dipping chocolate with the coconut oil in 15-second bursts, stirring. Dip half of each cookie, set on parchment and let it harden, about an hour.

    Chef's own write-up of Sarah Fennel's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: White chocolate pistachio cranberry slice-and-bakes, bromabakery.com

11. No.15Photo: Rasa Malaysia

    Danish butter cookies

    Danish · 30 min · makes about 48

    Has dairyHas gluten

    The blue tin, at home. Bee's are six ingredients, piped into rings with a star tip. Heavy cream instead of eggs is what makes them melt like the real thing.

    From Bee Yinn Low at Rasa Malaysia · @rasamalaysia

    For a swap: Packs perfectly. Put them in a blue tin if you have one.

    Save to my recipesMore from Rasa Malaysia ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Butter beaten with powdered and fine sugar, loosened with heavy cream instead of egg, mixed with cake flour and piped into rings with a star tip.

    You need

    • 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp (125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/4 cup (35 g) powdered sugar
    • 3 tbsp (35 g) superfine sugar
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 7 tbsp (100 ml) heavy cream
    • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) cake flour, sifted

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet with parchment.
    2. Beat the butter, both sugars and salt until pale and fluffy.
    3. Beat in the cream in three parts on low speed, letting each one disappear before the next.
    4. Mix in the cake flour until smooth. Spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip.
    5. Pipe 2-inch rings, swirls or rosettes onto the sheet, 1 inch apart.
    6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edges turn light brown. Cool on the sheet. They keep 5 days in a tin.

    Chef's own write-up of Bee Yinn Low's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Danish butter cookies, rasamalaysia.com

12. No.14Photo: Red House Spice

    Chinese almond cookies

    Chinese · 40 min · makes about 40

    Has nutsHas glutenVegan

    Wei's are made with oil, not butter, so they're crisp and sandy, with a whole almond pressed in the top. Skip the egg wash and they're vegan.

    From Wei Guo at Red House Spice · @red.house.spice

    For a swap: Sturdy and crumbly-crisp. Packs well.

    Save to my recipesMore from Red House Spice ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Flour, almond flour, sugar and leaveners bound with neutral oil instead of butter, shaped into small balls with a toasted almond pressed in, glazed and baked crisp.

    You need

    • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 1/3 cups (130 g) almond flour
    • 1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
    • 40 toasted almonds
    • 1 egg yolk mixed with 1/2 tsp water (skip for vegan)

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 350°F (320°F fan) and line a sheet with parchment.
    2. Mix the flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a fork.
    3. Pour in the oil and mix until no dry flour is left, then press it all into one mass. It will be crumbly; that's right.
    4. Divide into 40 pieces (about 1/2 oz, 15 g each) and press each into a ball. Push an almond halfway into the top.
    5. Brush with the yolk wash if using.
    6. Bake 18 to 20 minutes on the middle rack, until nicely browned. Cool completely on a rack; they crisp as they cool.

    Chef's own write-up of Wei Guo's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Chinese almond cookies, redhousespice.com

13. No.13Photo: Love & Lemons

    Chewy molasses cookies

    American · 25 min · makes about 16

    Has dairyHas gluten

    Blackstrap molasses, ginger, cinnamon and a little cardamom, rolled in sugar so the tops crackle. Jeanine's stay soft for days, which matters when the swap is Saturday and you bake Thursday.

    From Jeanine Donofrio at Love & Lemons · @loveandlemons

    For a swap: Sturdy and soft for days.

    Save to my recipesMore from Love & Lemons ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Butter, two sugars and blackstrap molasses with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom, rolled into balls, coated in sugar and baked soft.

    You need

    • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/3 cup (70 g) packed dark brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup (110 g) blackstrap molasses
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
    • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
    • 1 tbsp water
    • 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar, for rolling

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a large sheet with parchment.
    2. Beat the butter with both sugars, then add the molasses and vanilla and beat again.
    3. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, cardamom and salt. Add it to the wet bowl in parts, then mix in the water. The dough should be soft enough to roll; if it's dry, add another 1/2 tbsp water.
    4. Scoop 2-inch balls, roll them smooth, then roll in sugar. Set them 2 inches apart.
    5. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the tops crackle but the centers are still soft. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet.

    Chef's own write-up of Jeanine Donofrio's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Chewy molasses cookies, loveandlemons.com

14. No.12Photo: The Clever Carrot

    Pignoli cookies

    Italian · 30 min · makes about 22

    Has nutsHas eggsGluten-free

    Almond paste, sugar, egg white, rolled in pine nuts. Chewy, not too sweet, and with almond flour instead of flour Emilie's are gluten-free, so the friend who can't eat anything else on the table can eat these.

    From Emilie Raffa at The Clever Carrot · @theclevercarrot

    For a swap: Packs well. Chewy for days.

    Save to my recipesMore from The Clever Carrot ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Almond paste blended with sugar, almond extract and frothy egg white into a sticky dough, rolled in pine nuts and baked chewy.

    You need

    • 7 oz (200 g) almond paste (not marzipan)
    • 1/2 cup (120 g) granulated sugar
    • 1/4 tsp almond extract
    • 1 large egg white
    • 1/2 cup (55 g) almond flour (or all-purpose flour, if gluten doesn't matter)
    • 1 1/2 cups (227 g) pine nuts
    • Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 325°F and line a sheet with parchment.
    2. Break the almond paste into chunks and blend it in a food processor with the sugar and almond extract until it looks like fine sand.
    3. Whisk the egg white until very frothy, add it to the processor with the almond flour and run just until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Let it rest 5 minutes.
    4. Tip the pine nuts into a shallow bowl. Drop tablespoons of dough into them and roll to coat the top, bottom and sides. Set them on the sheet.
    5. Bake about 20 minutes (check at 18) until light golden around the edges for soft, chewy cookies.
    6. Cool 10 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.

    Chef's own write-up of Emilie Raffa's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Pignoli cookies, theclevercarrot.com

15. No.11Photo: Spend With Pennies

    Candy cane cookies

    American · 45 min + 2 hr chilling · makes about 40

    Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    Two ropes of peppermint butter dough, one red, twisted into canes. Holly's are the ones you remember from a grandmother's tin, and kids love helping roll them.

    From Holly Nilsson at Spend With Pennies · @spendpennies

    For a swap: A little fragile at the hooks. Pack flat, one layer.

    Save to my recipesMore from Spend With Pennies ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Peppermint butter dough split in two, half tinted red, rolled into thin ropes, twisted together and bent into canes.

    You need

    • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
    • 1 large egg, at room temperature
    • 1 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 1/2 tsp red food coloring (or a little red gel)

    How to make it

    1. Beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, peppermint and vanilla, then the flour and salt on low until a soft dough forms.
    2. Split the dough in half and knead the red coloring into one half. Shape each into a disc, wrap and chill 2 hours.
    3. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet with parchment.
    4. Roll 1 tsp of white dough into a 4-inch rope, and the same with red. If they crack, let the dough warm a few minutes.
    5. Lay the ropes side by side, twist them together and roll gently to seal. Set on the sheet and bend the top into a hook. Space them 1 inch apart.
    6. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges just barely color. Cool 2 minutes, then move carefully to a rack.

    Chef's own write-up of Holly Nilsson's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Candy cane cookies, spendwithpennies.com

16. The top ten.

    The ten I'd fight over at a swap.
17. No.10Photo: Just One Cookbook

    Matcha checkerboard cookies

    Japanese · 1 hr + 2 hr chilling · makes about 35

    Has nutsHas dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    The one people will ask how you did. Nami stacks plain and matcha dough into a checkerboard log, slices it, bakes it. It's a project, but the logs freeze, so you can do it in two sittings.

    From Namiko Chen at Just One Cookbook · @justonecookbook

    For a swap: Crisp and sturdy. Bring the box open so people see the pattern.

    Save to my recipesMore from Just One Cookbook ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    A crisp butter dough split in two, one half with matcha, rolled flat, stacked and cut into a checkerboard log, chilled, sliced and baked.

    You need

    • 7 tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
    • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
    • 1/2 large egg yolk (about 9 g), beaten
    • 2 tbsp (14 g) almond flour
    • 1/2 heaping cup (70 g) cake flour, for the plain dough
    • 1/2 cup (60 g) cake flour, for the matcha dough
    • 5 tsp matcha powder
    • 1 egg white, lightly beaten, for gluing

    How to make it

    1. Beat the butter until smooth, add the powdered sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Beat in the salt, then the half yolk, then the almond flour.
    2. Weigh the dough and split it evenly between two bowls.
    3. Sift the plain cake flour into one bowl and fold until crumbly, then press it into a ball. Whisk the matcha into the other cake flour, sift it into the second bowl and fold the same way.
    4. Put each dough in a sandwich bag and roll it flat to fill the bag, about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Chill both at least 1 hour, until firm.
    5. Cut the bags open. Brush the matcha sheet with egg white and lay the plain sheet on top. Cut the stack in half, brush one half with egg white and stack the other on it: four alternating layers.
    6. Cut the block into 1 cm strips. Lay three strips side by side, flipping the middle one so the colors alternate, brushing egg white between them; stack three more on top the same way to make a checkerboard log. Make a second log with the rest.
    7. Wrap the logs and chill at least 1 hour (or freeze for up to a month).
    8. Heat the oven to 350°F. Slice the logs 1/4 inch (7 mm) thick, turning the log as you cut so it stays square, and set the slices on parchment.
    9. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, until barely golden underneath. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack.

    Chef's own write-up of Namiko Chen's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Matcha checkerboard cookies, justonecookbook.com

18. No.9Photo: RecipeTin Eats

    Three-ingredient shortbread

    Scottish · 35 min + cooling · makes about 24

    Has dairyHas gluten

    Butter, powdered sugar, flour. Nagi presses it into one pan and cuts it into Walker's-style fingers halfway through baking. If you've never baked anything, start here.

    From Nagi Maehashi at RecipeTin Eats · @recipe_tin

    For a swap: Sturdy, and it keeps for weeks in a tin.

    Save to my recipesMore from RecipeTin Eats ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Just butter, powdered sugar and flour, pressed into one pan, cut into fingers halfway through a low bake and finished pale gold.

    You need

    • 1 cup (250 g) salted butter, softened
    • 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
    • 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 325°F (300°F fan). Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan and line it with parchment that hangs over the sides.
    2. Beat the butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar.
    3. Add half the flour and beat until it looks like wet sand, then beat in the rest. Bring it together with your hands into a ball.
    4. Press the dough evenly into the pan and smooth the top (a small glass rolled over it works).
    5. Bake 20 minutes, until the edges are very light golden.
    6. Working quickly, cut it in the pan into 24 fingers (8 by 3) and prick each a few times with a fork.
    7. Bake 8 minutes more, until light golden, not brown. Turn the oven off, prop the door open and leave it 20 minutes.
    8. Lift out with the parchment, break into fingers along the cuts and cool completely on a rack.

    Chef's own write-up of Nagi Maehashi's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Three-ingredient shortbread, recipetineats.com

19. No.8Photo: Tastes Better From Scratch

    Snickerdoodles

    American · 23 min + 30 min chilling · makes about 24

    Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    Cream of tartar is the tang, cinnamon sugar is the crust. Lauren pulls them at 8 minutes when they still look a little underdone, and that's the whole trick.

    From Lauren Allen at Tastes Better From Scratch · @tastesbetterfromscratch

    For a swap: Sturdy, stack them ten high.

    Save to my recipesMore from Tastes Better From Scratch ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Soft butter dough with cream of tartar for tang, rolled in cinnamon sugar and pulled from the oven while it still looks a little underdone.

    You need

    • 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, softened
    • 1/2 cup (95 g) shortening (or more butter)
    • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 3/4 cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp cream of tartar
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 4 tbsp granulated sugar, for rolling
    • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, for rolling

    How to make it

    1. Beat the butter, shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
    2. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
    3. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days); it bakes thicker.
    4. Heat the oven to 375°F and line a sheet with parchment.
    5. Mix the 4 tbsp sugar with the cinnamon. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, roll them in the cinnamon sugar and set them 2 inches apart.
    6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Take them out when the edges are set but the centers still look soft. Cool a few minutes on the sheet, then on a rack.

    Chef's own write-up of Lauren Allen's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Snickerdoodles, tastesbetterfromscratch.com

20. No.7Photo: Mexico in My Kitchen

    Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones)

    Mexican · 35 min · makes about 36

    Has nutsHas dairyHas gluten

    Mely's polvorones are pecans, butter and flour, and they fall apart the second they hit your mouth. Seven ingredients and no eggs. The easiest showstopper here.

    From Mely Martínez at Mexico in My Kitchen · @mexicoinmykitchen

    For a swap: Sturdy. Give them a second roll in sugar before you leave the house.

    Save to my recipesMore from Mexico in My Kitchen ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Finely ground pecans, butter and flour, no eggs, rolled into balls, baked low and rolled twice in powdered sugar.

    You need

    • 2 cups (200 g) pecans or walnuts
    • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, for rolling

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 325°F and line two sheets with parchment.
    2. Pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped. Take out 1 cup, then grind the rest until it looks like cornmeal (stop before it turns to butter).
    3. Mix the flour, salt and all the pecans in a bowl.
    4. Beat the butter with 1/3 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture gradually on low until a soft dough forms.
    5. Roll tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls and set them 1 1/2 inches apart. Don't overwork the dough.
    6. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until firm and just browning underneath.
    7. Cool 3 minutes on the sheet, then roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar. Once cool, roll them again for a thick white coat.

    Chef's own write-up of Mely Martínez's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones), mexicoinmykitchen.com

21. No.6Photo: The Recipe Critic

    Brown butter chocolate crinkle cookies

    American · 37 min + browning the butter · makes about 18

    Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    Alyssa puts brown butter and cream cheese in a crinkle cookie, and it goes from dry little brownie to fudgy. Roll them in granulated sugar first, then powdered, and the cracks stay bright white.

    From Alyssa Rivers at The Recipe Critic · @alyssa_therecipecritic

    For a swap: Sturdy. Pack them once they're cool so the sugar stays white.

    Save to my recipesMore from The Recipe Critic ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Brown butter and cream cheese make a fudgy cocoa dough, rolled in granulated then powdered sugar so it bakes up with bright white cracks.

    You need

    • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
    • 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
    • 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 1 large egg, at room temperature
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup (45 g) cocoa powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
    • 2 tbsp granulated sugar, for rolling
    • 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar, sifted, for rolling

    How to make it

    1. Brown the butter: melt it in a light-colored pan over medium heat and keep going, swirling, until it smells nutty and turns caramel colored, 7 to 9 minutes. Pour it into a bowl, flecks included, and cool to room temperature.
    2. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet with parchment.
    3. Beat the egg, both sugars and cream cheese until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled brown butter and vanilla and beat 2 minutes more.
    4. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder, stir in the salt, and mix it into the wet bowl just until combined.
    5. Scoop and roll the dough into balls. Roll each in granulated sugar first, then thickly in powdered sugar.
    6. Bake 11 to 12 minutes, until the cracks open and the edges are set. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack.

    Chef's own write-up of Alyssa Rivers's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Brown butter chocolate crinkle cookies, therecipecritic.com

22. No.5Photo: The Mediterranean Dish

    Melomakarona (Greek honey cookies)

    Greek · 50 min + cooling the syrup · makes about 60

    Has nutsHas gluten

    Every Greek house makes these at Christmas: olive oil, orange and brandy in the dough, then a hot cookie into cold honey syrup, walnuts on top. Suzy's makes 60, which is exactly what a swap needs.

    From Suzy Karadsheh at The Mediterranean Dish · @themediterraneandish

    For a swap: Packs well once they've drained. They get better after a day.

    Save to my recipesMore from The Mediterranean Dish ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Olive oil, orange and brandy dough spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, shaped into ovals and baked, then dropped hot into cold honey syrup and finished with walnuts.

    You need

    • 1 1/2 cups water, for the syrup
    • 1 cup (200 g) sugar, for the syrup
    • 1 cup (340 g) honey
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 orange, zested and halved, for the syrup
    • 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 cup brandy
    • 1/2 cup orange juice, plus the zest of that orange
    • 1 cup (200 g) sugar, for the dough
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 7 1/2 cups (900 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 cup (85 g) walnuts, finely chopped

    How to make it

    1. Make the syrup first so it's cold when the cookies come out: boil the water, sugar, orange zest and halves and cinnamon stick for 5 minutes. Take it off the heat, stir in the honey and let it cool completely.
    2. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    3. Whisk the olive oil, brandy, orange juice and zest, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
    4. Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda, then add it to the wet bowl a little at a time, stirring, until you have a soft dough. Knead briefly until smooth; don't overwork it.
    5. Shape 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough into small ovals, flatten them a little and press a crosshatch on top with a fork. Set them on the pan.
    6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
    7. Take the orange and cinnamon out of the syrup. Drop the hot cookies into the cold syrup a few at a time, turn them, and let them soak 20 to 30 seconds.
    8. Lift them onto a tray and scatter the walnuts over each one. They keep, covered, for 2 weeks and get better after the first day.

    Chef's own write-up of Suzy Karadsheh's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Melomakarona (Greek honey cookies), themediterraneandish.com

23. No.4Photo: Two Peas & Their Pod

    Peanut butter blossoms

    American · 55 min (includes 30 min chilling) · makes about 30

    Has nutsHas dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    The cookie every kid fights over. Maria rolls them in sugar before baking, presses the kiss in the second they come out, and freezes the kisses first so they don't melt into puddles.

    From Maria Lichty at Two Peas & Their Pod · @twopeasandpod

    For a swap: Let the kisses set before you pack them, then one layer per tin.

    Save to my recipesMore from Two Peas & Their Pod ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Soft peanut butter dough rolled in sugar, baked until the edges crack, with a chocolate kiss pressed into each one straight out of the oven.

    You need

    • 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter
    • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided
    • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tbsp milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 30 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

    How to make it

    1. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. Unwrap the kisses and put them in the freezer so they hold their shape later.
    2. Beat the butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla, then the flour mixture on low just until combined.
    3. Wrap and chill the dough at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days).
    4. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet with parchment.
    5. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, roll them in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and set them 2 inches apart.
    6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges just start to crack.
    7. Right away, press a frozen kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool 3 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack until the chocolate sets again.

    Chef's own write-up of Maria Lichty's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Peanut butter blossoms, twopeasandtheirpod.com

24. No.3Photo: Smitten Kitchen

    Brown butter brown sugar shortbread

    American · 2 hr 15 min (includes freezing the butter) · makes about 20

    Has dairyHas gluten

    Deb browns the butter, freezes it solid, then makes shortbread with dark brown sugar. It tastes like butterscotch. Cut into diamonds with a lemon squiggle on top, it's the prettiest thing on the swap table.

    From Deb Perelman at Smitten Kitchen · @smittenkitchen

    For a swap: Sturdy, and it keeps a week.

    Save to my recipesMore from Smitten Kitchen ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Browned butter frozen solid, beaten with dark brown sugar and flour, pressed into a pan and baked low, scored into diamonds halfway, finished with a lemon icing squiggle.

    You need

    • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
    • 1 1/2 tbsp water
    • 2 cups plus 3 tbsp (290 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2/3 cup (145 g) packed dark brown sugar
    • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
    • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
    • 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, for the icing
    • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, for the icing

    How to make it

    1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. It will foam, go clear and golden, then show toasted brown flecks. Pull it off the heat right then; it finishes browning in the pan. Scrape it, flecks and all, into a bowl.
    2. Freeze 30 minutes, stir the soft center into the set edges, and freeze 30 minutes more until solid. Cut it into chunks in the bowl.
    3. Heat the oven to 300°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment that hangs over two sides.
    4. Beat the butter chunks, brown sugar and salt until evenly mixed (or pulse everything in a food processor). Add the vanilla, water and flour and mix just until it comes together.
    5. Press the dough into the pan in an even layer and smooth the top.
    6. Bake 30 minutes. Take it out, score diamonds about 1 1/2 inches apart, then cut along the lines to the bottom of the pan with a thin knife.
    7. Bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until deeper golden at the edges. Cool in the pan, then lift out and break apart along the cuts.
    8. Stir the powdered sugar with 1 tbsp lemon juice into a thick but drizzly icing (add more juice a few drops at a time). Pipe thin squiggles over the shortbread and let it set an hour.

    Chef's own write-up of Deb Perelman's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Brown butter brown sugar shortbread, smittenkitchen.com

25. No.2Photo: Once Upon a Chef

    Gingerbread cookies

    American · 50 min + 1 hr chilling · makes about 45

    Has dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    Jenn's gingerbread has black pepper and allspice in it, which is why it tastes like more than molasses. Soft in the middle, holds a cutter shape, and the dough keeps for days.

    From Jenn Segal at Once Upon a Chef · @onceuponachef

    For a swap: Sturdy. Let the icing dry overnight, then stack with parchment.

    Save to my recipesMore from Once Upon a Chef ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Spiced molasses dough with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and a pinch of black pepper, chilled, rolled, cut and baked until just firm, then iced.

    You need

    • 2 3/4 cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/8 tsp black pepper
    • 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
    • 6 tbsp granulated sugar
    • 6 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 6 tbsp unsulphured molasses
    • Royal icing, for decorating

    How to make it

    1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and every spice together in a bowl.
    2. Beat the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the molasses, scraping the bowl.
    3. Mix in the flour on low just until combined. Split the dough in two, flatten each into a disc, wrap and chill at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
    4. Heat the oven to 350°F with racks in the middle. Line two sheets with parchment.
    5. Let a cold disc sit 10 minutes, then roll it 1/4 inch thick on a floured counter. Cut shapes and move them to the sheets 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps once.
    6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway, until the cookies feel just firm. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then on a rack.
    7. Ice once completely cool and let the icing set a few hours before stacking.

    Chef's own write-up of Jenn Segal's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Gingerbread cookies, onceuponachef.com

26. No.1Photo: Sip and Feast

    Italian rainbow cookies

    Italian-American · 8 hr (mostly chilling) · makes about 50

    Has nutsHas dairyHas eggsHas gluten

    Three almond layers, jam in between, chocolate on both sides. Every Italian bakery in New York has them in the case at Christmas, and James and Tara's version is the one that made me stop buying them.

    From Tara and James Rugnetta at Sip and Feast · @sipandfeast

    For a swap: Packs perfectly: cut squares, stack them in rows.

    Save to my recipesMore from Sip and Feast ↗

    See Chef's write-up

    Three thin almond-paste sponge layers (green, plain, red) stacked with warm jam, pressed overnight, then coated in chocolate on both sides and cut into small squares.

    You need

    • 4 large eggs, separated
    • 7 oz (200 g) almond paste
    • 1 cup (200 g) sugar, divided
    • 1 1/4 cups (282 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1 tsp almond extract
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
    • Red and green gel food coloring
    • 3/4 cup (240 g) apricot or raspberry jam, warmed and strained
    • 1 1/2 cups (226 g) semisweet chocolate chips

    How to make it

    1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line three 9 x 13-inch pans (or bake one layer at a time in the same pan) with parchment.
    2. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then rain in 1/4 cup of the sugar and keep whipping until stiff and glossy. Set aside.
    3. In a second bowl, beat the almond paste with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar on low until it looks like wet sand, about 4 minutes. Add the butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the yolks, almond extract and salt, then mix in the flour on low just until it disappears.
    4. Fold in half the whites to loosen the batter, then fold in the rest gently, so it stays airy.
    5. Weigh the batter and split it evenly into three bowls. Tint one green and one red with a few drops of gel color; leave the third plain.
    6. Spread each batter into its pan in a thin, even layer (an offset spatula helps). Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until just set and not browned at the edges. Cool completely.
    7. Turn the green layer out onto parchment and spread it with half the jam. Lay the plain layer on top, spread with the rest of the jam, then top with the red layer.
    8. Cover with parchment, set a sheet pan on top and weigh it down with cans. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight; the press is what makes clean layers.
    9. Melt the chocolate gently. Spread half over the top, chill until set, flip and coat the other side. Chill again.
    10. Trim the edges with a hot, dry knife and cut into 1-inch squares, wiping the knife between cuts.

    Chef's own write-up of Tara and James Rugnetta's recipe, in our words. Save it and it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have. Bringing it to a swap? Chef scales it for you.

    Recipe: Italian rainbow cookies, sipandfeast.com

Bring one of these to a swap

Make the swap, send the link, and every guest gets their cookie scaled to the party with a shopping list.

Start my swap Share the 25

How I picked

One cookie per cook, all from the creators on our Hot 100, so you get 25 kitchens instead of five chocolate chips. I went for cookies that travel: they keep for days, stack in a tin and still look good on a swap table, and I made sure there's something for the friend who's vegan, gluten-free or can't do nuts. Every recipe page was checked on October 30, 2026. The photos are theirs and say so. Who did I miss? Tell me at hello@chefamazing.com.

More to bake and cook

Every photo is the creator's own, from the recipe it goes with, and every recipe is theirs; what you save is Chef's own write-up in our words, credited and linked to the original. "Has nuts / dairy / eggs / gluten" is read from the ingredients as written, so check the label on anything you buy. Chef Amazing isn't paid by anyone on this list.