Christmas cookie recipes (long lasting)

[sjaba]

Hello there,
To say thanks to a few family friends and family members my sons (14yo & 12yo) are wanting to bake some cookies to give at Christmas. They have tried cooking a few recipes but they all seem to go quite dry after a day or two. Ideally they're looking for bakes that last a week. Is that possible? Can anyone suggest some long lasting biscuit recipes or other ideas? Thanks

Gingerbread and shortbread last a while. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gingerbread-bunting
Biscotti is also a good option www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/252621/chocolate-and-hazelnut-biscotti
These are similar to an almond macaroon so should last well www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/zimtsterne-cinnamon-stars

This is my favourite. I make it every year. The recipe is very robust, and you can tweak it by varying the amount of cocoa, the spices, adding chopped nuts/dried cranberries/chocolate chips. Finely chopped ginger (fresh, crystallised or syrup-pickled) is a gorgeous addition, too.

What I particularly like about it is that it makes biscuits strong enough to use as tree decorations, yet they are not tough and cardboardy, even after a few days. They keep even better in a biscuit tub.

I make the hole with a skewer immediately after removing them from the oven, rather than before baking them.

Also, I would roll them out between sheets of clingfilm, rather than on a floured board. Floured is fine for the first batch, but, once you've rolled out, cut, gathered up the waste, floured and re-rolled a couple of times, the dough gets a bit tough.

@ricekrispie22 Thanks for those. They tried gingerbread and a sort of shortbread last week but they weren't that tasty a few days later - although the gingerbread was overcooked! I will definitely suggest they try the biscotti this weekend - I am enjoying them practicing their recipes each weekend in the hope of finding something suitable

Oooh @jellyslice they look lovely. And we have some stem ginger in the fridge they could use too! Good to know they keep in a tin. Thanks so much. We'll be trying them at the weekend

Ooh yes, we do roll between greaseproof paper rather than a floured board - it was so much easier for them. Thanks

www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/best-sugar-cookie-recipe-ever/

makes the best sugar cookies ever! Very quick and easy to make and they last for a few days uncovered or over a week if kept in airtight tub.

We either decorate them with royal icing or eat them plain/with melted chocolate :)

Thanks @solemnlyswear2010 they are pretty similar to the ones they made at the weekend. They dipped them in chocolate. Very tasty but only for a few days. We were looking for ones that friends and family can enjoy up to a week after Christmas.

Something else you can do with the Dan Lepard recipe is to roll the dough into a log 3-4cm thick, wrap it in clingfilm and store it in the fridge. Whenever you fancy some fresh cookies, cut some 0.5cm thick slices off and bake them. No rolling out or anything! The dough keeps just fine for a few weeks in the fridge (I've made a batch at the end of term, and it's still perfect after the holidays).

Ooh thanks @Jellyslice . That may be really handy so that they can make them at the weekend before Christmas, keep in the fridge as a log and then just bake the day before we see the family friends. Fab idea

Biscotti are the best for keeping, the double baking method means they are designed to to keep.

Thanks @MothershipG the boys were quite excited about trying making the biscotti this weekend!

Thanks @Ricekrispie22 this morning we made the
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/zimtsterne-cinnamon-stars
and they were awesome!
Have put them in a tin to do our trial or how long they will last - although half have been eaten already as they're very tasty - and gluten free!

Biscotti next week - I forgot to buy hazelnuts or oranges