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Need tips on entertaining? Turn to Barefoot Contessa host Ina Garten. Need a relatively easy recipe that’s sure to impress your family? Look no further than thecookbookGarten wrote for and dedicated to her husband, Jeffrey. Need to simplify your life with cooking hacks you only wish you knew yesterday? Garten’s your gal.
Do you sense a theme here? When it comes to life in the kitchen, Garten knows all.
The author of 13 cookbooks — she most recently released Go-To Dinners — Garten certainly knows her way around the kitchen. With hundreds of published recipes to choose from, we can’t say we have one favorite, but we will say it’s her desserts we just can’t get enough of, especially with Christmas rapidly approaching.
Whether you’re expecting guests this holiday season or you want to bake a batch of sweet treats to share with your friends, family and neighbors, ahead we’ve gathered all of Garten’s best Christmas cookie recipes.
Giant Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookies
Leave it to the Barefoot Contessa to put a new spin on an old classic. Her recipe for giant crinkled chocolate chip cookies (also known as pan-bang cookies) is just as described, churning out a batch of cookies that are bakery-sized, chocolatey, and perfect with a cup of cocoa or cold milk.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Black & White Cookies
Is there any baked good more iconic than a New York City bakery-style black and white cookie? But while those from the bakery can sometimes leave a little something to be desired, these homemade ones from Garten live up to the hype. Add some sprinkles on top to really get the cheer going.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
We’ve heard people complain about biting into an oatmeal raisin cookie expecting chocolate but getting disappointment. That won’t happen with these salted oatmeal cookies, which balance out the fruit (in this case, dried cranberries) with 3/4 of a pound of chopped bittersweet chocolate. The recipe originally features in Make It Ahead.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Spicy Hermit Bars
Made with dark rum, golden raisins, and tons of flavorful spices, Garten’s Spicy Hermit Bars are a unique treat that will dazzle your tastebuds this holiday season! The recipe for these delicious gingerbread-esque bars was originally published in Garten’s 2016 cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey.
Get the recipe from Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
While you might not think of oatmeal raisin cookies as a traditional holiday treat, Garten’s version is made with cinnamon and dark brown sugar that is simply irresistible! You could even switch out the raisins for dried cranberries for an extra festive feel. This recipe was originally published in the 2008 Back to Basics cookbook.
Get the recipe from Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
Ginger Shortbread Cookies
A sprinkle of the season’s festive ginger makes these tasty shortbread cookies extra delicious. Garten’s Ginger Shortbread Recipe comes from her 2014 Make It Ahead book, and they are so easy to make.
Get the recipe from Edit Seven.
Pecan Sandies
From roasted pecans to sugarcoated pecans, it’s hard to resist this nut during the holidays. And they’re the best on sandies. This pecan sandies recipe is from Garten’s 2012, New York Times best-selling cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof.
Get the recipe from Chana’s Art Room.
Ultimate Ginger Cookies
Gingerbread cookies are the ultimate Christmas cookie, and these ginger cookies from Garten are to die for. This recipe makes 12 to 16 cookies and cooks in just 13 minutes. You’ll just need some pantry staples like ground cloves, ground ginger, and unsulphured molasses.
Get the recipe from Eating My Words.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Straight from the pages of Garten’s 2010 cookbook, How Easy Is That?, Garten writes of these irresistible shortbread cookies: “I love the combination of shortbread, roasted hazelnuts, and chocolate. The shortbread can be baked in advance, wrapped with plastic, and then filled with Nutella just before serving.”This recipe makes 18 cookies and bakes in just 20 to 25 minutes.
Get the recipe from People/Ina Garten.
Shortbread Cookies
Sure, you have to wait an hour and 15 minutes before you can chow down on these shortbread cookies, but they’re 100 percent worth the wait.This recipe makes 20 cookies and comes from the Barefoot Contessa episode titled “Impromptu Dinner.” These cookies call for vanilla extract, so make sure to use Garten’s favorite.
Get the recipe from Ina Garten/Food Network.
Fruitcake Cookies
I know, I know — why would I ever include fruitcake in a list of tasty recipes? Believe it or not, Ina has found a way to make this infamous holiday dessert not only palatable but downright delicious. Just trust us on this one, OK? You’ll just need to pick up a few things, including candied cherries, dried apricots, and dried figs.
Get the recipe from Ina Garten/Food Network.
Cherry-Pistachio Biscotti
A cold day calls for a hot cup of joe and homemade biscotti— and Garten’s cherry-pistachio biscotti will be gone before you know it. Considered an intermediate-level recipe, this makes 25 to 30 biscotti and was published in Garten’s 2016 cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey.
Get the recipe from Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
They’re the cookies your grandma always set out every Christmas, and Garten’s recipe might just be as good as Meemaw’s. Filled with your pick of raspberry or apricot jam (you can’t go wrong with Bonne Maman), this intermediate recipe makes 32 cookies.
Get the recipe from Maura McEvoy/Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
Mini Linzer Cookies
Another Christmas classic dessert, these traditional Linzer cookies will hit you with a wave of nostalgia. Much like thumbprint cookies, these sugar-dusted, bite-size delights are filled with raspberry preserves. And this particular intermediate recipe yields 36 cookies.
Get the recipe from Food Network/Clarkson Potter.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
We’ve saved the best for last: good, old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies. You absolutely cannot go wrong with a freshly baked batch of chocolate chunk cookies, and of course, Garten’s recipe is a reliable one. Making 36 to 40 cookies, this recipe, pulled from Garten’s 2001 cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties, calls for walnuts, semisweet chocolate chunks, brown sugar and more.
Get the recipe from James Merrell/Clarkson Potter/Food Network.
A version of this article was originally published December 2018.
Before you go, check out these Ina Garten-Approved holiday gift ideas:
