What to Bake for the Holidays: Our Top Cookies and Treats for Gifting and Hosting
What to Bake for the Holidays: Our Top Cookies and Treats for Gifting and Hosting  
Podcast: Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy
Published On: Tue Dec 02 2025
Description: How do you choose from the endless holiday cookie recipes to include in your holiday baking?Whether you’re prepping for a cookie swap, assembling homemade gift boxes, or heading to a holiday potluck, this episode is your calm, curated roadmap through the season’s abundant baking options.By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:Which cookies and sweet treats pack and travel well—and how to choose the ones that keep their ideal texture for days.A Martha Stewart must-bake recipe, along with nostalgic classics that delight all ages (especially the kid inside us).Three standout slice-and-bake options: Dorie Greenspan’s iconic “World Peace Cookies,” a mosaic-style pistachio–dried fruit cookie, and a double-chocolate biscotti perfect for pairing with a hot cup of coffee or tea.Press play now, and bake holiday treats that will fill your kitchen with buttery warmth, sugar, and spice!***LINKSNostalgic CookiesPeanut butter blossom cookies by The Gerror Family for NYT Cooking (unlocked)Sonya’s marionberry rugelachSpoon Cookies from Gourmet magazineNo-BakeRum balls by All RecipesChocolate-dipped pretzels from House of Nash EatsPeanut butter balls with rice kispiesColorfulPeppermint stripe cookies by Susan Spungen for NYT CookingConfetti cookies by Smitten KitchenDecorated Best sugar cookies recipe by Susan Spungen for NYT CookingGrasshopper brownies by Yossy Arefi for NYT CookingFruityCranberry streusel bars from Bake From Scratch, recommended by Shannon SarnaChewy almond-raspberry sandwich cookies from Bon AppetitOrange blossom water crinkle cookies from the Splendid Table, and a similar almond cookie with <a...