Biscotti
★★★★
There are people who will read this and be angry. “It’s called cantucci, biscotti just means biscuit, it’s not even a real cookie,” they’ll say, and to those people, my dearest readers, I say this: I don’t care. That’s irrelevant. Sweet but light and endlessly customizable, biscotti are the perfect pairing to your holiday hot drink of choice — whether it be tea, coffee or hot cocoa — and the end result fully makes up for the time it takes to twice-bake them. All the effort is worth it for that signature crisp, even dealing with a bunch of quarterItalians on your heels.
Snickerdoodle
★★★★
Soft, sweet and dusted with cinnamon sugar, the snickerdoodle is gingerbread’s prettier, smarter cousin — you know, the one who your parents always compare you with at holiday parties. When the whole family’s gathered together, it’s painfully clear who the superior daughter is. In this case, it’s the one who doesn’t smell like the seasoning aisle of an Asian supermarket. If you’re looking for sugar and spice and everything nice, always default to snickerdoodles.
Linzer
★★★
Linzer cookies are the essential splash of color in every holiday cookie board. But beyond aesthetics, how do they score on flavor? Soft sugar cookies with a faint almond undertone and a jam-filled center, they’re perfect if you’re looking for a classic treat with a hint of tartness. Baking them, though, is another story. Homemade linzers are delicious and customizable, but they’re an absolute nightmare to cut out, bake, fill and assemble. Before you bake, take a moment to consider this: are the aesthetics really worth the blood, sweat and tears poured into making them?
spread design by Celina Zhou
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