The idea of making five different types of Christmas cookies used to fill me with dread—until I discovered the magic of a master dough. In my kitchen one snowy afternoon, I whipped up a single, simple vanilla dough that became my blank holiday canvas. The air was filled with the warm, buttery scent of the base, which then transformed into the spicy aroma of ginger, the minty chill of cocoa, and the bright zest of orange as I mixed in my additions. Creating five stunningly different cookie platters from one bowl felt less like a chore and more like a joyful, creative miracle. It’s the smartest, most satisfying baking project I’ve ever undertaken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will love this recipe because it is the ultimate efficiency hack for holiday baking. With one straightforward master dough, you can create an impressive, diverse cookie platter that looks like you spent days in the kitchen. It simplifies measuring and cleanup, satisfies every cookie craving imaginable, and turns the often-stressful holiday bake-a-thon into a fun, creative, and manageable afternoon. It’s genius, and it works.
Ingredients
For the Master Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt(See the next page below to continue…)