Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (2024)

Cookies, Squares And Bars | Recipe

ByMaureen

‘Tis the season for baking. Do you have a cookie exchange party coming up, or are you just getting starting on your holiday baking?Welcome to Christmas Cookies Week!

Since it was my passion for baking that sparked the idea for Red Cottage Chronicles, I am very excited to be sharing three of my favourite Christmas cookies this week. Today I am sharing my recipe for Empire Cookies.

Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (1)

A huge thank you to Ellen from Family Around The Table for putting this exciting Christmas Cookies week together. I can imagine it was no easy task. Not only has she brought together a huge group of bloggers dedicated to posting the very best Christmas Cookie recipes all week long, but she has also arranged for Neilson-Massey to sponsor a giveaway.

Nielsen-Massey Fine Vanillas & Flavors is giving one winner a set of their pure flavors: 2-oz each of Orange, Lemon, Peppermint, Almond, Chocolate, Coffee, Rose Water, and Orange Blossom Water.

Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (2)

I will be featuring Nielsen-Massey vanilla in my recipe on Wednesday. That will also be they day that I link to the contest where you can enter to win the prize pack.

I chose to start this week with one of my absolute favourite Christmas Cookies. Empire Cookies, or Empire Biscuits as they are also known by. Who can resist seedless raspberry jam sandwiched between two buttery shortbread cookies. And, lets not forget the yummy glaze and the cherry on top!

I mean really, how festive is that?!

Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (3)

I have only been making Empire Cookies for a couple of years, but my love for these cookies go way back.

There is a bakery in Niagara On The Lake, who always have a display of freshly baked cookies in their window. There can be 15 different kinds of cookies in the window, but the Empire Cookie always stands out. With its snow white glaze, the shiny red cherry and just a hint of the delicious raspberry jam inside, I couldn’t resist popping in and buying two or ten!

Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (4)

They really are simple to make. Just a basic shortbread recipe, raspberry jam (I prefer seedless), some icing sugar and maraschino cherries. I don’t know why I wasn’t making them sooner. I always had this misconception that they were time consuming and fussy to make. Was I wrong!

You can have them in the oven in about 10 to 15 minutes, and then once they are cool another 15 minutes or so you will have them assembled and iced.

Despite being so simple, they are always the first cookies to go come Christmas time. I have no doubt they would be a huge it at a Christmas Cookie exchange! They freeze well too. Just be sure to allow sufficient time for the glaze to set and then carefully lay them between wax paper before freezing!

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Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (6)

This is just the beginning of #ChristmasCookies Week, and it is off to an amazing start. Be sure to check out all the links below and you will have your Christmas baking finished in no time!

Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to Red Cottage Chronicles. Not only will you never miss another post, you will also get your password for our VIP Printables Library.

Until next time……

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Christmas Cookies Week Monday Links!

Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (8)

Empire Cookies

2017-12-03 17:21:12

Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (9)

Serves 18

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Prep Time

30 min

Total Time

40 min

Prep Time

30 min

Total Time

40 min

Ingredients

  1. 2 cups butter, softened
  2. 1 cup granulated sugar
  3. 4 cups sifted all purpose flour
  4. 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
  5. 10-12 maraschino cherries, halved
  6. 2 cups confectioners sugar
  7. 1/8-1/4 cup milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat.
  2. In the bowl of electric mixer, on medium/high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing between each addition, until well blended.
  3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2" round cookie cutter, cut into rounds and place on prepared baking sheet. Gather dough scraps, re-roll and continue to cut rounds until dough is all gone.
  4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just golden on the bottom. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
  5. Sift confectioners sugar into a medium bowl. Add 1/8 cup milk and whisk until you have a glaze that is of spreadable consistency. If glaze is too thick, add a drizzle of milk at a time until you reach spreadable consistency.
  6. Sandwich a dollop of jam between 2 cookies, repeating until all the cookies are used. Spread a layer of glaze onto the top of each sandwiched cookie and top with 1/2 a maraschino cherry in the centre.
  7. Allow glaze to completely set.

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Christmas Cookies Week - Today's feature recipe Empire Cookies (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular Christmas cookie every year? ›

Based on this data from General Mills, Peanut Butter Blossoms are the most popular Christmas cookie in the country; it's the most-visited cookie recipe in seven states, which means it's the most common favorite cookie in the U.S. That's a pretty high honor!

What are the most Googled Christmas cookies? ›

Italian Christmas Cookies grow as top cookie

Zoom in: Italian Christmas Cookies were the top cookie in 13 states, more than double the six states from 2022, Google Trends curator Katie Seaton told Axios. Seaton said the Italian cookies dominated the East Coast both this year and last year.

How many days before Christmas should you make cookies? ›

Aim to make them about two weeks in advance if you keep them at room temperature. Making them one week or a few days in advance is even better if you are going for the freshest possible cookies. Remember that you can always make a new batch if you accidentally keep your cookies out for too long and they become stale.

How do you keep Christmas cookies fresh for 2 weeks? ›

Use Airtight Containers

Once your cookies have cooled, store them in layers in airtight containers. Separate each layer with a sheet of wax paper to prevent the cookies from sticking together. Do so, and you should be able to store Christmas cookies at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, notes Auxer.

What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.

What is the 1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What is the most eaten cookie in the world? ›

Fun Facts News: What is the best-selling cookie in the world? Oreo cookies. Since the brand's inception in 1912, more than 450 billion Oreo cookies have been sold around the world, and are now available in more than 100 countries.

What is the most loved cookie? ›

Chocolate chip cookies

What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one. Ever the crowd-pleaser, the chocolate chip cookie is renowned for its balance of richness and sweetness.

How many cookies do you need per person for Christmas? ›

A good rule to follow is for every guest to bake a half dozen cookies per each attendee. So, if 10 people attend, each guest would bring five dozen cookies to share. We've put together a chart to help you figure out just how many cookies to ask your guests to make.

Can you leave Christmas cookies out overnight? ›

Cookies left out overnight are at risk of microbial contamination, especially if they contain perishable ingredients like eggs or dairy. Harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, can multiply rapidly in these conditions, potentially causing foodborne illness if consumed.

How do you keep Christmas cookies fresh for a week? ›

Simply store them at room temperature in an air tight container. They will stay fresh for a week or two. If you want to double their shelf life, simply drop a packet of silica gel into the container.

What is the best container to store Christmas cookies in? ›

Balingit agrees, “If possible, it's best to keep cookies in airtight containers at home before having to transfer them to boxes or bags to give to friends. I prefer Pyrex glass containers with lids to plain Ziploc bags because I find they keep cookies fresher for longer periods of time.”

Which Christmas cookies last the longest? ›

Shortbread cookies and spritz cookies are real holiday troopers, lasting a bit longer than the rest. These buttery and crumbly cookies are a great option for a holiday cookie. Shortbread is known for its rich flavor, while spritz cookies are often made with a cookie press.

What homemade cookies stay fresh the longest? ›

Dry cookies, like shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, and Danish butter cookies, will stay fresher for longer because they have very little moisture.

What is the most consumed cookie? ›

This statistic shows the brands of ready-to-eat cookies eaten most often in the United States in 2020. The data has been calculated by Statista based on the U.S. Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS). According to this statistic, 71.26 million Americans consumed Nabisco Oreo (Regular) in 2020.

How many Christmas cookies are eaten each year? ›

2 billion Christmas cookies – Americans reportedly eat more than two billion Christmas cookies each year, according to The Cookie Elf, a holiday baking blog.

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