Chatelaine Food Editor Claire Tansey makes the holidays easier with these simple, tasty recipes for homemade Christmas cookies.

Buttery hazelnut lace cookies (from Chatelaine's Holiday Cookbook edition)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp orange juice
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup sliced hazelnuts or almonds
  • 1 tsp grated orange peel

Directions:

  1. Position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
  2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, orange juice, flour and salt. Then whisk in beaten egg. Stir in nuts and orange peel. Mixture will be wet.
  3. Drop one teaspoon of batter for each cookie onto prepared sheets, about two inches apart. Batter will spread. Bake in top and bottom thirds of oven, switching and rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden brown and centres are light golden, approximately six to seven minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
  4. Cool cookies on baking sheets for two minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze up to one month.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes

Makes 60 cookies

Ultimate Shortbreads (From Chatelaine's December issue)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup icing sugar
  • 1/3 cup rice flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 9- x 13-inch non-stick metal pan with parchment, with overhanging edges.
  2. Whirl flour with icing sugar, rice flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add cubed butter through the feed tube while pulsing until dough just comes together. Dough will be slightly crumbly. Transfer to prepared pan. Press dough over bottom of the pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to smooth the top. Score the surface into 24 squares, if desired. Prick dough all over with a fork.
  3. Bake in centre of oven until top is just golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut shortbread into squares while still hot. Remove parchment and place on cooling rack. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Makes 24 cookies

Chocolate-date truffles

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup chopped dates
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 3/4 cup crispy rice cereal

Coating:

  • 225 g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

Directions:

  1. Melt butter with honey in a medium saucepan set over medium. Stir in dates and simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, pecans and cereal. Chill mixture in the freezer until it is completely cool, about 10 minutes. Scoop with a tablespoon measure and press firmly into 1-inch bite-sized balls
  2. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on medium, stirring halfway through two to three minutes. Remove and stir until completely melted. Pour coconut into a small bowl. Using two forks to hold balls, coat with chocolate, then roll in coconut. Chill in refrigerator on a waxed-paper lined baking sheet until chocolate firms up, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Preparation time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Refrigeration time: 25 minutes

Makes 32 balls