There seems to be a National Day for almost anything you can think of . . . pancakes, Pokemon, thrift shops, clean beauty, space, Barbie, etc.
December 4’s National Day is an extra sweet one: COOKIES!
Ways to Celebrate National Cookie Day
National Cookie Day was started in 1987 by the owner of the Blue Chip Cookie Company in San Francisco. Here are some ways to honor the 37th year of this annual celebration of sweetness.
1. Bake Some Cookies
Spend some time browsing cookie recipes, either online or in those cookbooks hanging out in your kitchen. Or bake a tried-and-true family recipe that never disappoints and conjures happy memories from your childhood.
Need a jump start? Here are some recipes vetted by trusted food personalities.
- The Pioneer Woman’s 101 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes to Make the Holidays Sweeter
- Christina Tosi’s Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dorie Greenspan’s Classic Jammer Cookies
Want a challenge? French macarons are famously temperamental, but oh so adorable! If you’re feeling ambitious, check out this Beginner’s Guide to French Macarons from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Not feeling all that sugar? Try baking a batch of savory cookies instead. Insanely Good Recipes has a list of 20 savory cookies including flavors like lemon basil, cheddar and rosemary shortbread, and savory thumbprints with bourbon tomato jam. I’m intrigued!
Feeling lazy? Try the easiest cookie recipe in the world: cake mix cookies.
Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 box of cake mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup add-ins (chocolate chips, sprinkles, M&M’s, etc.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix up all of the ingredients into a dough. Roll dough into one-inch balls and place two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes depending on how soft you like them. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Note: This recipe lets you play around with different flavors. Try yellow cake mix and semi-sweet chocolate chips, red velvet cake mix with white chocolate chips, and spice cake mix with butterscotch chips.
2. Make It Social
- Invite your partner to bake alongside you. Play some romantic tunes and drink wine for an easy, stay-at-home date night.
- Bake with your kids. Try using premade cookie dough with toddlers who may have short attention spans.
- Make cookies from scratch with your school-aged children and turn it into a fractions lesson while they measure out ingredients.
- Bake elaborate gingerbread houses with your older kids or younger ones who are artsy.
- Skip the baking and just decorate premade sugar cookies with frosting, sprinkles, and tiny candies.
3. Sharing is Caring
- Deliver your homemade cookies to friends and neighbors in festive holiday tins or boxes.
- Leave some cookie treat bags out for your Amazon or UPS delivery drivers.
- Share cookies with your work friends, your child’s school staff, nursing home residents, library staff, etc.
4. Host a Cookie Exchange Party
There’s no better way to celebrate both National Cookie Day and the upcoming holidays!
Ask your guests to bring two dozen cookies, preferably homemade, but store-bought is fine too. Lay all of the cookies out on a table for guests to sample. Provide festive containers for your guests to fill with a variety of cookies to take home.
A few tips:
- Ask your guests to label their cookies if they contain nuts or other common allergens.
- Have your guests email you their recipes. Compile all of the recipes and email them to your attendees after the party.
- Provide some non-cookie treats like a hot cocoa bar, a signature cocktail, and savory appetizers.
- Add a competitive edge to the exchange by having your guests vote on the best cookies. Categories could include Best Flavor, Prettiest Cookie, Most Original, Wonkiest One, or simply Best Overall Cookie. Buy some fun little prizes to award to the winners.
