There are all kinds of cookies to make in the holiday season, but there are some that you just can't go without. It seems like it is difficult to go anywhere without smelling the fresh baked sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies.

As we roll into Christmas Day 2013, let's take a look at one of the popular recipes that have proved to be a hit in kitchens throughout the United States and around the world.

Below we have a four-star gingerbread cookie recipe, courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli at Food Network. These do take a while -- just over an hour -- but it surely is worth it.

Keep in mind that you can adjust the portions and sizes of the batch because this particular one makes a whopping six dozen cookies.

Total time: 1 hr, 5 min

Prep: 40 min

Inactive: 15 min

Cook: 10 min

The Foundation

1 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 orange, zested

Dry Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup additional for rolling, if needed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground dry ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 lemon, juiced

Directions:

Guarnaschelli notes that this recipe requires you to turn the tray around after the cookies are about halftway done. This, according to her Food Network website, is done in order to make sure that everything cooks through evenly.

-       In an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar, and orange zest before beating it for 5 to 8 minutes. While that is going, bring the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt together and whisk until it is blended.

-       Next, whisk together the molasses, eggs, and lemon juice and proceed to preheat the oven to 350 F.

-       Don't forget about the bowl that is getting mixed on the side. Add the dry ingredients to that bowl and turn down the speed. The recipe then says to add the egg mixture and let it blend together nicely.

-       Following this, roll the first half of the dough to the point where it is around a half inch thick. Feel free to then cut your cookies in any shape you want and place on the baking tray.

-       Bake for 8 to 10 minutes

The recipe also calls for some optional frosting, but in order to see the rest you'll have to visit the Food Network website and have a look for yourself! Who knows, maybe you'll stumble upon even more recipes there and make more cookies!