The holidays can be a stressful time as we get all wrapped up in buying the perfect gifts and may forget the real meaning of Christmas. Christmas is what you make it and the most important part is to put life's routines to the side and spend time with your loved ones. What better way to get together than to bake holiday cookies for the family to enjoy. 'Tis the season to bake and here are the best Christmas cookie recipes for 2013!

5. Salted Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies -- This recipe is by Food Blogga to all chocolate lovers.

  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter (not all natural)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • coarse sea salt for sprinkling cookies

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in peanut butter until just combined. Beat in dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in peanuts and chocolate chips.

Drop one heaping tablespoon of cookie dough (I used a cookie scoop, but spoons are just fine) two inches apart (as they will spread). Top each cookie with a few sea salt crystals.

Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are firm. It's OK if the centers are a tad soft. They'll firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container, for up to 5 days.

4. Hazelnut Cream Sandwich Cookies -- Rosetta Constantino's Southern Italian Desserts.

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1 cup half & half
  • 4 (1"-wide)strips lemon zest
  • 2/3 cupsugar
  • 2 tbsp.cornstarch
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 16 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup hazelnut paste

FOR THE COOKIES:

  • 3 cupsflour
  • 3/4 cupsugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp.baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp.kosher salt
  • 12 tbsp.unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp.grated lemon zest
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Make the filling: Bring half & half and lemon zest to a simmer in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and yolks in a bowl until fluffy. Discard lemon zest and, using a ladle, slowly whisk about 1/2 cup half & half into egg mixture until incorporated. Return mixture to pan; cook, whisking constantly until very thick, about 6 minutes. Transfer pastry cream to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of cream to prevent a skin from forming; chill 1 hour. 

Using an electric hand mixer, beat butter in a bowl until fluffy. Add the chilled pastry cream and the hazelnut paste; mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour. 

Make the cookies: Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Add butter, pulse until pea-size crumbles form. Add eggs and zest; pulse until dough forms. Add 1-2 tbsp. cold water, if necessary, until dough holds together, but is not wet. Form dough into 2 disks; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. 

Heat oven to 350F. On a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll 1 disk dough into a 10" circle, about ¼" thick. Using a 3" round cutter, cut out cookies and transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Roll and reuse scraps. Bake rotating cookies once, until just golden, about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool completely. 

Assemble the cookies: Spread about 1 1/2 tbsp. filling evenly on half the cookies, leaving no border; top with remaining cookies and lightly press together. Roll sides of cookies in remaining chopped hazelnuts. Dust cookies with confectioners' sugar; chill until filling is firm, at least 1 hour.

3. Almond Snowballs -- A Recipe from Southern Living. Yum!

  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 cup butter, softened 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Parchment paper
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan for 6 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325F.

Process almonds in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely ground.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. (Dough will be crumbly.)

Combine flour, salt, and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 325F for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Roll cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

2. Ultimate Chocolate Chips Cookies -- Nothing is better than the original good ol' cookie. Recipe from Southern Cooking.

  • 3/4 cupbutter, softened
  • 3/4 cupgranulated sugar
  • 3/4 cupfirmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cupsplus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoonsalt
  • 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour, soda and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in morsels. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350F for 8 to 14 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies: Decrease salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter with butter and sugars. Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons. Proceed as directed. (Dough will look a little moist.)

Oatmeal-Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Reduce flour to 2 cups. Add 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats to dry ingredients and 1 cup raisins with morsels. Proceed as directed.

Pecan-Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add 1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted pecans with morsels. Proceed as directed.

Almond-Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies: Reduce morsels to 1 cup. Add 1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds and 1 cup almond toffee bits. Proceed as directed.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Hershey's Heath Bits O'Brickle Almond Toffee Bits.

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies: Substitute 1 (12-ounce) package dark chocolate morsels for semisweet chocolate morsels. Proceed as directed.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Hershey's Special Dark Chips.

Chunky Cherry-Double Chip Cookies: Microwave 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 cup dried cherries in a glass bowl at HIGH 30 seconds, stirring once. Let stand 10 minutes. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chunks for morsels. Add 1 cup white chocolate morsels, 1/3 cup slivered toasted almonds, and cherries with chocolate chunks. Proceed as directed.

Coconut-Macadamia Chunk Cookies: Substitute 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chunks for morsels. Add 1 cup white chocolate morsels, 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, and 1/2 cup macadamia nuts with chocolate chunks. Proceed as directed.

1. Gingerbread Men Cookies -- Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without them. From Southern Cooking.

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • Parchment paper
  • Royal Icing
  • Buttermilk Frosting
  • Assorted candies
  • Assorted decorator sugar crystals

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until fluffy.

Stir together baking soda and 1/4 cup hot water until dissolved; stir in molasses.

Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Shape mixture into a ball; cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough with a 4-inch gingerbread man-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350F for 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Spoon Royal Icing into a small zip-top plastic freezer bag. Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole; pipe faces on cookies, or spread cookies with Buttermilk Frosting. Decorate cookies as desired with candies and sugar crystals.

Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies: Prepare recipe as directed, cutting dough with a 1- to 2 1/2-inch snowflake-shaped cutter. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 13 to 17 minutes. Cool and decorate as directed. Makes: about 9 dozen. Hands-on time: 1 hr.; Total time: 4 hr., 50 min., including icing and frosting.

So which holiday cookie will you be baking?