Christmas Eve Cookie Recipes for Your Cabin

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked cookies at your log cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains with Pigeon Forge, TN Cabins. After getting a whiff of melted chocolate morsels, a sweet medley of cinnamon and sugar, or a buttery, nutty mix, everyone rushes to the kitchen to pick out the one that speaks to them (you know exactly what we’re talking about). Celebrate Christmas Eve tonight with some yummy Christmas cookies in the cabin! Paired with cocoa by the fireplace, warm milk and a movie in the theater room, gameplay in the rec room, and chats around the firepit, what could be tastier?

3 SCRUMPTIOUS COOKIE RECIPES FOR CHRISTMAS EVE!

1 — Chai Spiced Maple Sugar Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting | Yummly

Cookie Ingredients

• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) salted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter (at room temperature)
• 3 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• melted white chocolate for dipping (optional)
• chai sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Delicious Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, all-spice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, beat until combined and the dough forms a ball.
2. Generously flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Make sure you’re using enough flour, or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies using your favorite autumn/winter cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer, freeze until firm, about 15-20 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps and repeat with the remaining disk of dough.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 8-12 minutes (for soft cookies) or until just lightly golden brown. Be sure not to overbake. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
4. To make the frosting, add 1 stick of salted butter to a skillet, set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, let cool until it’s room temp.
5. Add the remaining stick of room temperature butter and the cream cheese to the bowl. Then, add the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. If the frosting feels too loose, add powdered sugar to thicken.
6. To assemble, dip half of the cookies into melted chocolate to coat about 1/3 of the top and sprinkle with chai sugar, if desired. Spread the frosting over the cookie halves with no chocolate. Place the top cookie, chocolate side up over the frosting, gently pressing to adhere. Cookies can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

2 — Peppermint Patty Sandwich Cookies | Food Network

Ingredients

• 4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate 
• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 10 chopped chocolate-coated peppermint candies (such as York Peppermint Patties)
• 5 crushed candy canes (optional)

Tasty Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate and 1 stick of butter over medium heat in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set aside.
4. To the bowl with the melted chocolate, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the yogurt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture being careful to avoid over-mixing.
5. Scoop 1-tablespoon mounds of the batter on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie. Bake the cookies for about 9 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. Slide the cookies on the parchment onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the remaining 2 sticks of butter and the confectioners’ sugar; mix until light and fluffy, starting on low speed to avoid splatter and work up to medium speed, 3 minutes. Add the peppermint extract, salt and peppermint candies. Beat on medium speed until the candies are broken apart and evenly distributed, 2 minutes.
7. Spread the filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies. Roll the edges in the crushed candy canes if using and serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

3 — Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints | All Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp milk

Yummy Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
3. Bake for 14-18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, 3/4 tsp almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzly lightly over warm cookies.

Celebrate Christmas Eve right — with heavenly sweet treats at your Great Smoky Mountain cabin!