This year, NYT Cooking's cherished annual Cookie Week unveils a captivating collection of seven distinctive recipes, each ingeniously crafted to reimagine familiar tastes into delightful baked creations. From the refreshing zest of mint chocolate chip to the exotic allure of Vietnamese coffee and the spirited kick of Dark 'n' Stormy cocktails, these cookies are designed to inspire culinary exploration and add a touch of festive magic to holiday gatherings. Each recipe is accompanied by comprehensive videos, guiding bakers through the process of creating these sweet and savory marvels, ensuring a joyful and delicious baking experience for everyone.
Cookie Week 2025: Culinary Innovations and Delectable Creations
As the holiday season approaches, NYT Cooking proudly presents its much-anticipated Cookie Week, an annual celebration of baking that pushes the boundaries of traditional treats. Published on December 1, 2025, this year's event introduces a lineup of imaginative cookies that draw inspiration from a diverse palette of beloved flavors.
Among the standout creations are the Popcorn Bucket Cookies, a playful nod to cinematic delights. These cookies integrate the fun of concession-stand favorites like popcorn and candy into a simple sugar dough, complemented by toffee bits. The recipe emphasizes using freshly popped corn for an optimal crispy texture, inviting bakers to customize the candy mix to their liking.
For those seeking an intriguing savory-sweet experience, the Mortadella Cookies offer a visual illusion. Created by Claire Saffitz, these cookies cleverly mimic the appearance of mortadella slices. Freeze-dried strawberries provide the authentic rosy hue, while pistachios perfectly replicate the specks found in the cured meat, offering a modern twist on classic 'sausage' cookies.
The enchanting Coconut Cake Snowballs, a creation by Samantha Seneviratne, condense the grandeur of a towering coconut cake into charming, bite-sized spheres. Utilizing sweetened shredded coconut and unrefined coconut oil, these treats capture the rich essence of coconut, finished with a vibrant glaze and tinted coconut flakes for an artistic flourish.
Bringing a frosty favorite to the cookie jar, Eric Kim's Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies evoke the refreshing sensation of mint ice cream. These no-mixer sugar cookies are topped with a peppermint-infused white chocolate layer, thinned with olive oil, and garnished with dark chocolate shavings to achieve a harmonious balance of flavors and textures.
The Peanut Brown-Butter Cookies, inspired by the classic Payday bar and crafted by Sue Li, feature a brown butter-infused dough that replicates the candy's caramel nougat. Rolled generously in salted roasted peanuts, these cookies deliver a satisfying crunch and a delightful homage to the beloved confection.
Melissa Clark's Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies transform the bold flavors of Vietnamese iced coffee into a rich brownie. Infused with instant espresso, the brownies boast a pronounced coffee flavor, beautifully contrasted by a cream cheese topping speckled with coffee beans, swirled into a visually stunning pattern that mimics milk blending with coffee.
Finally, Dan Pelosi's Dark 'n' Stormy Cookies capture the fiery essence of the cocktail. These ginger cookies are enhanced with cayenne, candied ginger infused with dark rum, and a zesty lime-and-rum glaze, offering a tantalizing spice and warmth that sets them apart from conventional holiday cookies.
This year's Cookie Week is a testament to culinary innovation, providing both novice and experienced bakers with an opportunity to explore new flavor profiles and techniques. The detailed recipes and accompanying videos serve as excellent guides, encouraging experimentation and personalization. Each cookie tells a story, transforming everyday ingredients into extraordinary holiday treats. The diverse selection ensures that there's a perfect cookie for every palate, inviting everyone to partake in the joy of baking and sharing during this special time of year.
