Holiday Crinkle Cookies with Sprinkles

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.

Sift in cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl and stir until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Place nonpareils in a shallow bowl. Use a 1½” cookie scoop to form dough into balls. Roll balls in nonpareils and place on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 10-13 minutes, then allow to cool on the cookie sheet slightly before moving to a cooling rack.

Serve and store leftovers in an airtight container up to 5 days.

All ingredients in base recipe will be used in addition to 2 tsp. of espresso powder and ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar. Instructions are the same except for the following:

Add 2 tsp. of espresso powder after the cocoa powder in step #2.

Add ½ cup confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl (in place of nonpareils) and roll cookie dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before placing on prepared cookie sheet in step #4.

All ingredients in base recipe will be used in addition to 1 tsp. of red food coloring and ½  cup of confectioners’ sugar. Instructions are the same except for the following:

Add 1 tsp. of red food coloring after the vanilla in step #1.

Add ½ cup confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl (in place of nonpareils) and roll cookie dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before placing on prepared cookie sheet in step #4.

Place pistachios in a food processor and blend until fine crumbs occur. Sift pistachio crumbs through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and return any larger crumbs back into the food processor. Repeat process until about ½ cup of very fine crumbs occur. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and pistachio crumbs.

Sift in flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl and stir until just combined. Add food coloring, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl. Use a 1½” cookie scoop to form dough into balls. Roll balls in confectioners’ sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 10-13 minutes, then allow to cool on the cookie sheet slightly before moving to a cooling rack.

Serve and store leftovers in an airtight container up to 5 days.