The calendar has flipped over to December and suddenly all things ‘Christmasy’ has come to the forefront.

Should I be panicking that I haven’t fully completed the Christmas shopping list, planned the big festive meal OR even sent out the Christmas cards to overseas relatives and friends?

The answer should be a resounding YES however what would the spirit of Christmas be without the exhilarating chaos and the unmistakable mayhem that goes along with the pre-Christmas madness?

The one thing that I do rely on year after year is my own tradition of baking Christmas Cookies. Knowing that I have this part under control gives me an assuring sense of ease that at least something is in order.

Cookies have had a long association with all things Christmas. As a child, you might have put out a plate of milk and cookies for Santa in excited anticipation of his arrival Christmas Eve. Some families might have baked colourful and decorative cookies to hang on the Christmas tree. Some might have received beautifully crafted biscuits in intricately patterned tins that were reminiscent of old times gone. And some of you may even be the cookie creators yourselves, baking and passing on this long surviving symbolic Christmas tradition.

In my Christmas Cookie feature here, I have used a basic cookie dough recipe, incorporating traditional Christmas shapes with a couple of classic tastes and a couple of new twists. Here you will find Chocolate Swirl Cookies, Coconut Reindeers, White Chocolate Tipped Bells, Green Tea Iced Christmas Trees and Lime Iced Snowflakes. The idea is to mix and match these so that old age tradition can meet something new….

Cookie preferences are as varied as there are the number of cookie types out there but if you have a preference for a crisp and buttery cookie …………Try out my Christmas Cookie Assortment and Happy Baking!

Chocolate Swirl Cookies recipe – Dark chocolate swirl on a buttery crisp Cookie

Coconut Reindeer Cookies recipe – Coconut flavoured Cookie finished off with a nice dusting of icing sugar

White Chocolate Tipped Bell Cookies recipe – Bells are festive and a nice white chocolate touch to ring in some all round sweetness

Green Tea Iced Christmas Tree Cookies recipe – Green Tea Flavoured cookies give a nice break from tradition and instill an Asian touch

Lime Iced Snowflake Cookies recipe – A zesty cookie with a sweet and sour zing!