Step 1

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. You just need to mix them until they're combined - the mixture doesn't need to be fluffy. Add flour, and mix together until you have a cookie dough.

Step 2

Divide the cookie dough into 7 equal portions. Keep the dough covered with plastic wrap and at room temperature while you prepare the different cookie shapes and flavors. If you don't plan on making all of the cookies the same day, store the dough in the fridge.

Step 3

Take one plain portion of dough and shape into a rough disk. Wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm enough to roll and cut.

Step 4

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 5

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the plain cookie dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick and cut out your desired shapes. Save any scraps of dough for the bubble Christmas trees!

Step 6

Arrange the cutout cookies on your parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of space between each cookie. Place the cut cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes - this is to help them keep their shape.

Step 7

Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8

In a medium bowl, combine one portion of the base dough with cocoa powder. Mix to combine into a streak free chocolate dough.

Step 9

Shape into a rough disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm enough to roll and cut.

Step 10

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 11

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the cookie dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick and cut out your desired shapes. Save any scraps of dough for the bubble Christmas trees!

Step 12

Arrange the cutout cookies on your parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of space between each cookie. Place the cut cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 13

Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until puffed and no longer shiny on top. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 14

Once cooled completely, drizzle white chocolate over the chocolate cutout cookies and refrigerate until the chocolate is set (about 15 to 20 minutes).

Step 15

In a medium bowl, combine another portion of the base dough with chopped pecans. Mix to combine.

Step 16

Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour or until firmed up.

Step 17

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 18

Scoop 1 tablespoon sized portions of cookie dough and roll into smooth balls. Arrange on your parchment lined baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each cookie.

Step 19

Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown along the bottom.

Step 20

Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet or until cool enough to handle safely, then roll in powdered sugar to coat.

Step 21

In a medium bowl, combine another portion of the base dough with peppermint extract (if using). Mix to combine.

Step 22

Divide the peppermint dough in half. Color 1 half red then wrap in plastic wrap. Leave the other half plain and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours or until firmed up.

Step 23

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 24

Portion the 2 doughs into 1 tablespoon sized balls. Working with one ball of plain dough and one ball of red colored dough, roll each ball into a rope that's about 4 to 5 inches long. Twist the 2 ropes together to swirl then curl the top into a candy cane hook shape.

Step 25

Arrange the shaped cookies on your baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Repeat the shaping process with all the dough. You'll have about 6 candy canes.

Step 26

Place the shaped cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown along the bottom.

Step 27

Cool the cookies for 10 minutes on the baking sheet then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Be careful as they can be a bit fragile!

Step 28

In a medium bowl, add a portion of the base dough and color green. Shape into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm enough to roll and cut.

Step 29

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 30

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the plain cookie dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out large circles with a 2 inch cookie cutter, and transfer the cookies to your baking sheet leaving about 1 to 2 inches of space between each cookie. Save any scraps of dough for the bubble Christmas trees!

Step 31

Once on the baking sheet, cut out a small hole from the center (if you don't have a small enough cookie cutter, the back of a piping tip works great!) Remove the center cutouts. It's a lot easier to cutout the centers on the baking sheet so you don't have to transfer the cookies and risk ruining the shape!

Step 32

Place the cut cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 33

In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of water until you have a smooth glaze. If needed, mix in more water to reach your desired consistency.

Step 34

Drizzle the glaze over your cooled wreath cookies. Top with sprinkles if desired.

Step 35

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 36

Working with 1 room temperature portion of the base dough, scoop out 1.5 tablespoon sized portions of dough and roll into smooth balls.

Step 37

Arrange the cookie dough balls on your parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Use your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon to press indents into the center of each cookie ball. Take care not to push too far down or the filling will leak out of the bottom.

Step 38

Freeze the dough for 15 minutes. Bake in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown along the bottom. If the centers puffed up while the cookies baked, use the back of a measuring spoon to press them back down while they're still hot and soft.

Step 39

Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 40

Spoon jam or your choice of filling into the centers of the cooled thumbprint cookies.

Step 41

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 42

Combine 1 portion of dough in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix to combine. The dough should be soft and pipeable. If it's not, mix in another tablespoon of milk.

Step 43

Transfer the dough to a large piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. Pipe swirl cookies onto your parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. If the cookie dough breaks as you pipe it, it means the dough needs more milk mixed in.

Step 44

Sprinkle sanding sugar over the piped cookies. Freeze for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.

Step 45

Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 46

If you have leftover dough from the plain, chocolate, and wreath cookies, you can make bubble Christmas trees! Pinch off pea sized portions of dough and roll into small balls. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet to resemble a tree (pictured above). The plain dough can be used as a top star, the green dough for the tree branches, and the chocolate dough for the trunk.

Step 47

Gently squish the balls of dough together so they stick. Freeze for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.

Step 48

Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges. Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Be careful when transferring - they're fragile when they're warm!