I’m joining The Novel Bakers
for a little Nigella Christmas.
Christmas Chocolate Cookies
are a version of a chocolate shortbread~
easy to whip up,
or in Nigella-speak, a “doddle” to make :)
Cookie Ingredients
❄ 2 1/4 sticks (18 tablespoons) soft butter
❄ 3/4 cup sugar
❄ 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
❄ 2 cups all-purpose flour
❄ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
❄ 1 teaspoon baking powder
❄❄❄
Festive Topping Ingredients
❄ 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
❄ 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
❄ 1/4 cup boiling water
❄ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
❄ candy sprinkles/nonpareils
❄❄❄
❄ Preheat oven to 350°F & line a cookie sheet with parchment.
❄ Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Sift 1/3 cup cocoa powder into the mixture and beat well. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder, and add to mixture. Or just put everything in a food processor and “blitz” :) if you prefer.
❄ Form 1 tablespoon sized balls. Place on cookie sheet at least 2″ apart, pressing down into fat discs.
❄ Bake 15 minutes. The tops will develop a cracked appearance. Cool 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.
❄ For the topping, combine cocoa powder with confectioners’ sugar, boiling water and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat and whisk until smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
❄ Drizzle 1 tablespoon of glaze on each cookie, spreading lightly with the back of the spoon, then sprinkle with nonpareils. Work with 6 cookies at a time so the glaze doesn’t dry out before applying the sprinkles.
❄ Makes approx. 24 cookies ❄
Christmas Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 2 1/4 sticks (18 tablespoons) soft butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Festive Topping Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- candy sprinkles/nonpareils
Instructions
For cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F & line a cookie sheet with parchment.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Sift 1/3 cup cocoa powder into the mixture and beat well.
- Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder, and add to mixture.
- Alternatively, put everything in a food processor and “blitz” (Nigella-speak :) if you prefer.
- Form 1 tablespoon sized balls. Place on cookie sheet at least 2″ apart, pressing down into fat discs.
- Bake 15 minutes. The tops will develop a cracked appearance. Cool 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.
For the topping:
- Combine cocoa powder with confectioners’ sugar, boiling water and vanilla in a small saucepan.
- Heat over low heat and whisk until smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of glaze on each cookie, spreading lightly with the back of the spoon, then sprinkle with nonpareils.
- Work with 6 cookies at a time so the glaze doesn’t dry out before applying the sprinkles.
Notes
Use Nigella’s chocolate shortbread cookies
as a base to build
Melted Snowmen Cookies.
I built these snowmen last December, using Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa instead of regular cocoa, but use whatever kind you like. Fun to make but they take a little time and practice cutting the REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups Miniature hats.
Click on the link above for the details.
Find 20+ recipes to bake your spirits bright and make your holidays extra sweet, HERE. Additionally you’ll find some easy no-bake treats and food gift ideas too.
I’m joining The Novel Bakers for a Merry Nigella Christmas.
Visit Jain and Michael Lee for more delicious fun~
a quiet life
Rattlebridge Farm
Watch how Nigella ‘blitzes’ to mix :)
Thank you for your visit, also sharing at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Very festive Mary! Oh and, Christmas calories don’t count… right?:@)
Hi Mary, Before the Novel Bakers featured Nigella I had never read her books or tried her recipes, but now I am intrigued. These cookies look so delicious and easy! I watched the video three times — did she say she likes her kitchen to be like a “grotto” at Christmas? I just love the way she “blitzes” everything. This is just my style of cooking! And I’m with her on the nonpareils — definitely my favorite topping for anything too. I’m going to make these cookies using the dark chocolate as you suggest. Have a wonderful weekend! More snow is coming our way — hope you get a little dusting soon! Linda
I’ve been looking for another cookie to add to my list. Not like I really need one but hey it’s Christmas. This looks quick easy and hard to resist. I’m a fan of dark cocoa powder and will probably use it. Have a fun weekend!
What fun watching the video! That was a nice feature. Nigella makes the cookies look so easy. I think I’m going to give them a try.
~Mary~
The cookies look so wonderful and easy to make, which is what I like !!
Thank you for introducing us to Nigella, I watched several of her videos and she is lovely and has a sense of humor! I will have to check out her books !!
Keep warm :)
Paula
IN.
Don’t you wish you had a British accent? She has the most delightful way of saying things, like putting her “biscuits” in the oven~your cookies are delightful too! Love your version of the melted snowman, I bet those hats are tricky! You always make your treats look so professional and perfect! Such happy cookies to share for the holidays, the chocolate glaze has me very interested!
Jenna
Way sweet…the cookies, too! franki
Mary, your cookies look so festive and fun. I remember the snowman cookies and I may try that with the grands. Thanks for all your tips and have a wonderful weekend. xo
Hi Mary!
These little chocolate morsels remind me of the old fashioned crinkle cookies that we used to make years ago…Betty Crocker Cookbook, I think. The ingredients look much the same…only thing missing is rolling them in powdered sugar before & after baking. They look Delicious & your “melted” snowmen are darling. So creative!
I thought I commented this morn, heaven knows you melted my heart with all your cuteness! Was a fabulous week with you, thanks so much for a holly jolly holiday~
Love the chocolate cookies all dressed up and festive for the holidays. I must try them. Off to listen to Nigella’s video.
I bought her book last year. The cookies look wonderful. It is so fun to have different Christmas cookie books isn’t it? Hope you are having a wonderful time!
My daughter and I just made these. They are very delish! We used regular cocoa because that’s what we had in the pantry. Thank you Nigella! We are fans.
The cookies look wonderful and I so remember those fantastic snowmen cookies from last year! Love them!…I will take a few dozen please!
Your recipe calls for 2 1/2 sticks of butter or 18 Tablespoons. My butter comes in one pound sticks so I’m confused on the amount. Can you tell me how many cups of butter are called for? Is the 18 Tablespoons is a typo?
Nigella’s recipe is written in grams. It calls for 250 grams of butter or 2 1/4 sticks which is 18 tablespoons.