Sweet but not cloying, tender but not without bite, cookies are the holidays’ greatest gift — and what better time to celebrate them than Cookie Week, New York Times Cooking’s annual tradition, in which we create seven dazzling, delicious recipes. This year’s batch harnesses all of the season’s colors and flavors, like boozy almond, spicy ginger, buttery peppermint, but with a few surprises — lemony turmeric crinkles, gumdrop-studded fudge. Make one or all, but do get going. You’ve got some baking to do!

Flavored with peppermint extract, Melissa Clark’s zingy treats — part black and white cookie, part candy cane — melt, then pop on the tongue, with their bright, buttery flavor echoed in the icing. Feel free to play with different colors or even leave them plain. They’ll still shine.

Claire Saffitz’s rugelach-inspired Yule logs pack the visual punch of their bigger brethren but are far easier to share. Crunchy cacao nibs and coarse sugar finish the outside to give these tiny, tender treats a little bit of crunch.

Full of turmeric’s warmth and lemon’s brightness, these golden crinkled cookies from Eric Kim feel (and look) like sunbeams breaking through clouds. But don’t restrict their bright, sunny disposition to a specific time of day. Pair them with a glass of milk or a cup of herbal tea and enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up or a not-too-sweet finish to any meal.

For her Cookie Week contribution, Sohla El-Waylly looked to Australia and Britain, where rocky road is closer to a fudgelike candy than ice cream. Packed with lots of holiday-evoking add-ins, like speculoos cookies, spice drops and pumpkin pie spice, these stunning no-bake treats welcome all sorts of bits and bobs — even gingerbread house leftovers.

Samantha Seneviratne’s humble cookies have some cheeky secrets: a hidden layer of cream cheese and three types of ginger (ground, fresh and crystallized) that make every bite blissfully sweet-tart. Skip the crystallized ginger, if you like, but it really makes them sparkle, as does a finishing roll in white sugar.

Toasty black sesame and bittersweet matcha doughs are pressed and rolled together in Sue Li’s impressive, colorful slice-and-bake shortbread. They’re a cinch to prepare ahead: Make and freeze the logs whenever you like in advance of the holidays, then simply thaw and bake for effortless hosting.

Vaughn Vreeland’s nutty, lightly boozy treats recall pillowy Italian pignoli cookies but are made even richer with two brushes of buttered rum — once before baking and another round when they’re hot from the oven, which imbues them with even more richness.

Iced Peppermint Cookies

By Melissa Clark

Flavored with peppermint extract, these zingy shortbread rounds — a visual riff on black and white cookies — have an especially bright, buttery flavor that’s echoed in the icing. The red and white glaze recalls candy canes and Starlight mints, but feel free to play with different colors when decorating these. Or skip the glaze entirely for an easy-to-make minty cookie with a more classic appearance.

Yield: 24 to 32 cookies

Total time: 2 3/4 hours

1 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup/230 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more, if you like, for pan

3/4 cup/149 grams granulated sugar

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

3 3/4 cups/454 grams powdered sugar

3 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Pinch of fine sea salt or table salt

3 drops peppermint extract, plus more to taste

Food coloring, as needed

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder.

2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy and lightened in color, 2 to 4 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and peppermint extract. With mixer set on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.

3. Gather dough into a ball and press it into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.)

4. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

5. Unwrap the disk of dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and place another parchment sheet over the top. Roll the dough until it’s 1/4-inch thick then remove the top parchment. Use a floured 2-inch-round cookie cutter to stamp out the cookies, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 1/2 inch apart. Reroll the scraps as needed, creating more cookies.

6. Bake until the cookie edges and bottoms are brown, rotating the pan once halfway through baking, 13 to 17 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

7. Make the royal icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the powdered sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and peppermint extract. Whisk on high until stiff and glossy, adding water if needed so that the icing runs off a spoon. Taste and add a little more peppermint if needed. It should be deeply flavored. (The peppermint flavor of these cookies fades over a few days. So if you plan on keeping them for more than a day or two, use a greater amount of peppermint extract.)

8. To tint, divide the icing into two small bowls. Cover the contents of one bowl — you’ll leave it white — with plastic wrap, as it’ll dry out very quickly. Use a rubber spatula to stir in red coloring into the other until it’s vibrant. Tap the bottoms of the bowls to remove any air bubbles.

9. Working one at a time, spoon the red icing on one half of the cookie, aiming for a straight line through the center of the circle. Once the icing is dry, spoon the white icing on the blank side of the cookie and let sit to set.

Tips: These are best eaten within a week of baking. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Bûche de Noël Cookies

By Claire Saffitz

These rolled cookies are inspired by chocolate rugelach but are sliced to look like mini Yule logs. Cacao nibs and coarse sugar finish the outside to give these tender treats a little bit of crunch. A dusting with powdered sugar is optional but makes them look extra festive, like part of a snowy scene.

Yield: 36 cookies

Total time: 3 1/2 hours

1/2 cup/105 grams Demerara sugar

Generous pinch of kosher salt

1 cup/110 grams powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

12 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces, chilled

2 tablespoons sour cream

4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 large egg, yolk and white separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Make the coating: Combine the cacao nibs, Demerara sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse for several seconds at a time until the mixture is the consistency of very coarse sand. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside. (Keep the food processor out for the next step; there’s no need to wash it.)

2. Make the dough: Add the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt to the food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the butter pieces and process in long pulses until the butter breaks down into very fine bits. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream and vanilla until smooth, then remove the lid and sprinkle the mixture over the flour mixture. Replace the lid and process until a smooth dough forms a ball around the blade.

3. Chill the dough: Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface, then cut into 3 equal pieces (each portion should be about 230 grams). Roll each portion into a 9-inch-long log, then place each log on a long piece of plastic wrap. With your hands, flatten and press each portion into an 11-by-3-inch rectangle. Wrap in the plastic, taking care to form squared-off packets with no (or few) air pockets, then roll

the packets with a rolling pin to create neat rectangles of even thickness. Transfer the packets to the refrigerator in a single layer and chill for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days).

4. Make the filling: Bring an inch of water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Combine the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and stir the chocolate mixture occasionally until completely melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan (carefully, as it’s hot) and let cool for a minute, then add the powdered sugar, flour, egg yolk and vanilla, and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside, stirring occasionally until the mixture is cooled and the consistency of loose peanut butter.

5. Roll out the dough and fill: Remove a piece of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap and place on a long piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Dust the dough’s surface with flour and roll into a thin 15-by-6-inch rectangle, lifting the dough once or twice and adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Use a knife or wheel cutter to trim and straighten the edges (discard scraps). Scrape about a third of the melted chocolate mixture (about 1/3 cup) onto the dough and, with a small offset spatula, spread it all the way to the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch-wide strip on one long side. (If the chocolate mixture has cooled to the point that it’s difficult to spread, place it back on the saucepan over low heat and stir just until spreadable again.)

6. Starting at the long side with full chocolate coverage, use the parchment to help you roll the dough away from you into a long, tightly coiled log, dusting away any excess flour. Transfer the log to a baking sheet seam-side down and set aside, then repeat the rolling and filling process with the remaining two pieces of dough, the same piece of parchment and the remaining chocolate mixture, dividing evenly. Place the logs on the same baking sheet, transfer to the refrigerator, and chill until firm, 20 to 25 minutes.

7. Heat the oven and bake: As the dough chills, arrange an oven rack in the center position and heat to 350 degrees. Line a separate large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

8. Coat the cookies: Beat the remaining egg white in a small bowl with a fork just until liquidy. Remove the unlined baking sheet from the refrigerator and transfer the logs to the work surface. Sprinkle the cacao nib mixture across the unlined baking sheet in an even layer, then use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of the egg white across the surfaces of the logs, coating them completely. Place them back on the baking sheet and roll the logs in the cacao nib mixture, rotating and pressing gently, until they’re coated all over in an even layer with no bare spots. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill until the dough is very firm, another 10 to 15 minutes.

9. Slice and bake the cookies: Transfer one log at a time to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to trim away the ends, revealing the spiral (discard the ends). Cut the log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into thirds so you have 6 equal segments. Cut each segment in half crosswise, but this time, angle the knife at 45 degrees. Arrange the pieces on the prepared baking sheet, resting on their long sides.

10. Repeat the slicing process with the remaining logs and place on the same baking sheet, spacing them evenly. (It will be a tight fit; the cookies will slump a bit but not spread much.) Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the cookies are puffed and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet. Dust the smooth portions with powdered sugar, leaving the spirals exposed, before serving.

Tips: The dough can be chilled for up to 2 days. The baked and cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. They will soften a bit as they sit, and the powdered sugar will eventually disappear.

Lemon-Turmeric Crinkle Cookies

By Eric Kim

Delivering warmth from turmeric and brightness from lemon zest, these golden crinkled cookies feel (and look) like sunbeams breaking through clouds. Imagine powdered doughnuts run through with Fruit Loops cereal milk on a Saturday morning. In fact, these soft, crisp-edged cookies are lovely for breakfast, but don’t restrict their bright, sunny disposition to a specific time of day: Pair them with a glass of milk or cup of herbal tea, whether as an afternoon pick-me-up or a not-too-sweet finish to any meal.

Yield: 18 cookies

Total time: 1 1/4 hours

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or fine salt

1 1/2 cups/192 grams all-purpose flour

3/4 cup/92 grams powdered sugar, for coating

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and turmeric until combined. Let sit for about 30 seconds to let turmeric dissolve. Add sugar, lemon zest, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Vigorously whisk to combine and aerate the mixture, about 1 minute.

2. Whisk in baking soda and salt. Add flour, then switch to a rubber spatula and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate dough until hard enough to scoop, about 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment. Using a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons) and working one at a time, scoop out 1 1/2-inch/29-gram rounds and coat them in powdered sugar. Place them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheets and bake until crinkled and no longer wet-looking on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan before eating.

Tips: To make ahead, prepare cookies up through Step 2, then scoop out 1 1/2-tablespoon rounds and set them in a single layer in a resealable container. Freeze the dough, covered, for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, coat frozen dough balls in powdered sugar and bake, adding 1 to 2 minutes as needed.

When measuring flour, be sure to scoop it into the measuring cup, then level it using the back of a butter knife.

Holiday Rocky Road

By Sohla el-Waylly

Rocky road might be synonymous with ice cream in the United States, but, in Australia and Britain, it’s a fudgelike candy made by stirring any assortment of marshmallows, dried fruit and nuts into melted chocolate. (In Australia, gummy candies also feature.) This recipe relies on the subtle aroma of speculoos cookies, spice drops and pumpkin pie spice to evoke the holidays. You can also use it as a guide to utilize leftovers from gingerbread house decorating: Swap the cookies for broken gingerbread and the marshmallows and gumdrops for any chewy candy.

Yield: 12 pieces

Total time: 1 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick spray or neutral oil, for pan

1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup/125 grams speculoos cookie butter

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin or apple pie spice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 cup/60 grams coarsely broken speculoos cookies

1 cup/50 grams mini marshmallows

3/4 cup/150 grams spice drops or gumdrops

3/4 cup/89 grams toasted and salted pecans (see Tip below)

Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or oil, and line the bottom and 2 long sides with a sling of parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to later lift out the candy.

2. Combine the chocolate chips, cookie butter, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until melted and smooth, stopping every 15 to 20 seconds to stir. (Alternatively, place in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pot of gently simmering water.)

3. Add cookies, marshmallows, spice drops and pecans, and fold until evenly combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.

4. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to press the mixture evenly into the pan. Top with sprinkles and firmly tap the pan against the counter a few times to ensure the mixture settles into the pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set.

5. Use the parchment sling to lift the set candy out of the pan. (If you’re having difficulty, run a hot butter knife along the edges.) Use a sharp knife to cut the candy as desired. For clean slices, dip the knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts. Store candy in the refrigerator tightly wrapped for up to 1 month.

Tips: Feel free to double this recipe and set it into an 8- or 9-inch brownie pan. If you can only find raw pecans, toast them in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes and generously salt while hot.

Ginger Cheesecake Cookies

By Samantha Seneviratne

Three types of ginger — ground, fresh and crystallized — run through these flavorful cookies with a secret. Hidden inside is a creamy cheesecake filling that readily complements and tempers their spicy bite. Skip the crystallized ginger, if you like, but it really makes them pop, as does a finish in brightly colored sanding sugar. If you have only regular white sugar, they’ll still be stunning.

Yield: 18 cookies

Total time: About 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup/62 grams powdered sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups/320 grams all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

10 tablespoons/141 grams salted butter, at room temperature

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup/62 grams crystallized ginger, finely chopped

1/3 cup/113 milliliters unsulphured molasses

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger (no need to peel)

White sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for rolling (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. Transfer mixture to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag.

2. Set a sheet of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet. Snip off a 1/4-inch opening from the bottom corner of the bag. Pipe equal-size dollops of the filling — you should have at least 18 — onto the prepared sheet. Using a spoon, smooth down any sharp edges. Freeze until completely firm, at least 1 hour. Line 2 more rimmed baking sheets with parchment.

3. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, pepper and salt. In a second large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in egg, crystallized ginger, molasses and fresh ginger, scraping the sides as you go. With the mixer on low, beat in the flour mixture until well combined.

4. Scoop dough into 2-inch/45-gram balls. (To portion the dough without a cookie scoop, form it into a rectangle, then use a sharp knife to cut the block into 18 equal pieces.) Working with one at a time, flatten a dough ball in the palm of your hand, then add a piece of frozen filling to the center. (Keep the rest of the filling in the freezer as you work.) Bring the dough up and around the filling, encasing it completely. Roll the dough ball between your hands to form it into a smooth sphere. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. If the dough feels very soft, chill it for about 15 minutes.

5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll each chilled ball in sanding sugar to coat, if you like, then place on the prepared sheets, at least 3 inches apart (they will spread). Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until the center of each cookie is just set, 15 to 17 minutes. Repeat with any remaining cookies. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies will keep, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.

Matcha-Black Sesame Shortbreads

By Sue Li

Toasty black sesame and bittersweet matcha come together in this not-too-sweet holiday cookie. The two doughs are pressed and rolled together to make an impressive slice-and-bake shortbread that’s also a cinch to prepare ahead. Make and freeze the logs whenever you like in advance of the holidays, then simply thaw and bake for effortless hosting.

Yield: About 40 cookies

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 1/2 hours’ chilling

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons matcha powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3/4 cup/170 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup/100 grams sugar

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup black sesame seeds

1/2 cup/100 grams sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3/4 cup/170 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups/192 grams all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the matcha dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, matcha and salt, and set aside.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and set to medium speed, cream butter and sugar, scraping down the sides, until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the yolk and whip to combine.

3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour mixture. With the mixer on low, mix until the dough comes together and turns a consistent green, about 30 seconds. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of parchment and pat it into a 6-inch square.

4. Make the black sesame dough: Add sesame seeds to a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven to toast for 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and salt, and pulse the mixture — about 25 (3-second) pulses — until combined and the mixture looks like a dark gray tweed.

5. Transfer the sesame seed mixture to the stand mixer bowl (you don’t have to wash the bowl after making the matcha dough). Add the butter and cream the mixture until fluffy and light gray, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides a few times. Add the flour and mix on low until the dough comes together, about 30 seconds.

6. Scrape the sesame dough onto the matcha dough. Using your hands, gently pat the dough so it fits on top of the matcha dough in an even layer.

7. Shape the dough: Transfer the dough to the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes to make it easier to work with. Remove the dough and cut it into 4 equal strips with matcha dough on the bottom and sesame dough on top. Lay one strip on a large piece of parchment paper, matcha side down. Stack another strip on top of the first, so that from the side you see four strips, alternating colors. Press the strips together lightly to adhere. Using the parchment, roll the striped dough into a log that is about 8 inches long. Repeat with the remaining dough. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill until firm, 4 hours. (Prepared dough can be rolled, wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen up to 3 months in advance. Thaw in the refrigerator, slice and bake according to the recipe.)

8. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. As the oven heats, take out one log of dough and let it warm up a little on the counter. This helps create clean cuts.

9. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the cookies about 1/4-inch thick, trimming off the rough ends of each log. Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake, rotating the trays halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Repeat as needed with any remaining dough. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Rum-Buttered Almond Cookies

By Vaughn Vreeland

Nutty, buttery and a bit boozy, these festive cookies come together in minutes, making them perfect for holiday baking. (They also happen to be gluten-free.) Reminiscent of the almond flavor and pillowy texture of an Italian pignoli cookie, this recipe calls for brushing them with rum-infused butter twice — once before baking and another round when hot from the oven — which imbues them with even more warmth and richness.

Yield: 18 cookies

Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooling

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons dark rum

1 1/2 cups/185 grams plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3 cups/330 grams superfine almond flour (see Tip below)

2 large egg whites

1 whole egg

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups/187 grams sliced almonds (see Tip below)

Flaky sea salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter, 2 tablespoons rum, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and lightly brush them with some of the rum-butter mixture. In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk almond flour with remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon salt, making sure there are no lumps.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites, egg, almond extract and remaining 2 teaspoons rum until no streaks remain. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the egg mixture into it. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until no dry spots remain. Pour the sliced almonds in a separate shallow bowl for rolling the dough.

3. Working a few at a time, scoop 2-tablespoon/40-gram mounds onto the sliced almonds. Roll them in the almonds and press slightly so each ball is thoroughly coated. Transfer to the lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each, and repeat with remaining dough. There should be about 9 cookies per tray. (Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, stored covered in the refrigerator and baked when ready.)

4. Brush tops of dough balls with more rum butter, stirring it as needed, and bake until cookies become slightly golden at the edges and the almonds start to toast, 20 to 22 minutes. Immediately after pulling cookies from the oven, brush them with more rum butter and top with flaky sea salt (if using). Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Tip: Be sure to use blanched superfine almond flour for the optimal result; natural almond flour contains skins that lead to a drier, gritty texture.