During the oh-so-festive holiday season, one of my favorite traditions is baking. So, I’m not traveling over the river and to the east coast to visit family members. I’m not throwing a massive holiday party. But there’s no better excuse to consume sweet treats than times like Christmas.

Each December I take a day off of work for my mental health — when I’m feeling especially burnt out — and whip up a buncha cookies. It’s both delicious and therapeutic because I get to focus on nothing but dough for hours.

Cookies are quick little goodies. On average they’re fully baked within 10 minutes. And while you may not be an avid baker, the invention of the electric mixer and even a handy little bread maker can help you achieve easy, delicious dough with minimal effort. So, there are no excuses not to bake cookies for your mental health!

If you’re worried that you’ll end up with tins and tins and plates and plates of cookies going to waste in your kitchens…may I remind you that it’s the holidays! Bring some cheer by delivering them to your friends or family members, or donating them to a local shelter where they’ll brighten someone else’s day.

Most cookie bases are similar: flour, sugar, salt, eggs, brown sugar, baking soda, and vanilla. Cream together your sugars and butter, then add your other wet ingredients. Carefully combine the dry ingredients and slowly add to the wet batter. Mix just until dough forms and you have a sugar cookie dough ready for mix-ins like chocolate chips!

Baker’s hack: Two necessary items when baking: an electric mixer and an ice cream scooper — which will revolutionize your life. Scoop up and drop down the perfect cookie-sized dough ball on your cookie sheet without all that mess on your hands. Plus, the electric mixer saves your arm from falling off when creaming butter.

If you’re not a baker and are starting from scratch, you may be lost thinking about where to even begin! Here are the basic baking items you’ll need on-hand:

• Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware 2-Piece Baking Sheet Set
• Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
• Ice Cream Scoop
• Cooling Grid Rack
• Sur La Table Mesh Sieve

Anxious about making too many cookies? Form your dough balls, set them on a pan, and freeze them for an hour. Then, they’re ready to pop in a Ziploc and into the freezer, where they’ll last up to 3 months. That way, you’ll be rustling up yummy cookies through Valentine’s Day.

To make clean up a breeze, I’d recommend a silicone baking mat. By placing one on a cookie sheet, it gives you a nonstick surface and your cookies get a more even bake. Plus, the mat provides a barrier between the sheet and the cookies so no grease or melted chocolate chips drips.

The difficult part is being able to tell when when your cookies are fully cooked. The good news? People love a slightly gooey, underbaked cookie…so there’s room for error here. Call it an intentional mistake. However, the best way to tell is when the edges are golden.

Patience is key when baking. It’s supposed to be a slow, relaxing process with a scrumptious outcome! So, go that extra mile by sifting the flour or grating your chilled butter. It’ll make a huge difference in the overall quality of your baked goods.

Now that you’re ready to tie on your apron — I hope your oven’s preheated — here are some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes from 2023!