One thing I look forward to most about the holidays is the Christmas Cookie Baking day that my mom and I designate each year. The perfect time to crank up holiday tunes, sip on some cocoa & peppermint schnapps and dirty up the kitchen... and our holiday aprons! Oh sweet memories! Sadly, this year with my mom still in Seattle and me in Boston, said cookie baking day will look a little different. Even still, I'm managing to bite my lip and make a list of holiday treats I plan to bake before I head out west. Some of these are favorites and some are newbies. What are your staple holiday cookie recipes??? Please share!

{Recipes clockwise from top left: Sugar cookies; Red Velvet + peppermint whoopie pies; Outrageous chocolate cookies; Chocolate hazelnut & caramel thumbprint cookies; Stained glass trees; Candy canes; Raspberry almond linzer; Chocolate hazelnut biscotti}