Christmas Cookie Trends

If you’re anything like us, you’re knee deep in projects for 2018 and beyond. On the home front though, the holidays are just around the corner and we thought it might be fun to take a look at 2017 holiday cookie trends, cookies across the world and some limited-edition flavors you might find as you stroll (or run!) through the store. Whether for your cookie tray at home or benchtop inspiration, there’s nothing wrong with getting a jump start on next year!

A Globe of Cookies

For some cookie inspiration, we wanted to highlight some of our favorites across the globe. We love crisp Pepperkaker (Norwegian gingerbread cookie), Sicilian fig and nut filled cookies called buccellati, the classic American raspberry almond thumbprint and the artistic pressed German springerle—just to name a few. Food 52’s showcase of Christmas cookies around the world is a historic delight complete with recipes for the favorites mentioned earlier. The Matcha Butter Cookies (Japan) and the Coconut Milk Fudge (India) sound amazing. And our own Peanut Butter Spice Cookies would add a spot of umami to the cookie tray thanks to KomiTM powder.

Decorated Cookies

Peruse Pinterest with the search “Christmas cookies” and you’ll be overcome with colorful, gorgeous images of royal icing laden Christmas cookies in every shape, size, and theme imaginable.  Among the bells, Santa, gingerbread houses and ornament cookies, these definitely stood out for being unique and trend-worthy.

  • Gray Tones – Glance at Ikea’s color palette for their Christmas 2017 offering and you’ll quickly see the items offered are overwhelmingly in shades of gray and neutrals. These same colors are popping up on Instagram and Pinterest as the base for Christmas cookies. Check out these beauties that are too pretty to eat.
  • Back is Front – Don’t be confused by this header; just flip your cutout cookies over and use the backside of the cookie for a crisp, clean surface ready for your artistry. We are obsessed with Mintlemonadescookies’ Instagram account and the amazing icing work. Magical.
  • Cookie Sticks – While this might have surfaced in 2016, we think it’s worth a mention as it’s fairly new to us. Drop, bar, cutout, and thumbprint cookies grace many a Christmas cookie display, but the cookie stick is #goals. Long and narrow in shape and perfectly suited to a crisp cookie, the cookie stick would make a great dunking partner as well as a great canvas for theme cookies.
  • Emoji Cookies – Seeking an “expressive” cookie plate? Emoji cookies will be favs of the Millennial set by bringing wink-worthy fun and whimsy.
  • Snow globe cookies – Just type in “snow globe cookies” on Pinterest and be prepared for beauty that’s simply too good to eat. Cookies that actually have a see-through lens with edible treats inside are hard to describe and even harder to execute. Check out even more images that will just blow your mind.

Cookie Crossovers

Given the industry we are in, we couldn’t resist highlighting the creative ways manufacturers are showcasing the flavors of Christmas cookies in their applications—even if for a limited time. These products are worth seeking at a store near you.

  • Gingerbread Life Cereal – Quaker Oats is offering Gingerbread Spice Life cereal and rumor has it that boxes can be found for tasting and late-night snacking. We can’t wait to get our spoons into it.
  • Bluebell Ice Cream – Christmas Cookie Ice-Cream? You betcha. This is the stuff cookie mashup dreams are made of and what happens when a chocolate chip cookie, a snickerdoodle and a sugar cookie are brought together with red sprinkles and green icing swirl.
  • ProPud – Swedish protein manufacturer, Njie, has a limited-edition protein pudding called ProPud in a pepperkaker flavor that tastes just like fresh baked gingerbread but with the benefit of 20 grams of protein and no added sugar.
  • Oreo – While not a holiday Cookie, Oreos just seem to be everywhere and are taking their iconic flavor into candy canes and hot cocoa mix.
  • For the true cookie maven, light up a scented Christmas Cookie candle courtesy of Yankee Candle. That’s one way to get a cookie fix over the holidays while saving the waistline.

If you need further inspiration, contact our technical team who loves to roll up their sleeves for a good baking project. Enjoy the holiday season!