5 simple hacks to make your cookie-mix cookies look homemade

It’s been a crazy year, but there are some things we do to try to hold on to normal, like follow traditions. Even those can be difficult this year. With everything else going on, it’s easy to forget about the cookie swap, the office party (social distancing required), or neighbors’ gifts (if they didn’t move without you knowing). You may need cookies in a hurry and don’t feel like doing It from scratch. Here are some hacks to relieve some of the stress without anyone knowing how stressed you actual are.

Oatmeal Cookie Mix – Add dried cherries or dried cranberries to the cookies and coat in pink icing ; you then have show cookie.

The above cookies were not decorated by my wife.

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Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookie Mix – Add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Then add 1/2 cup white chocolate chips in holiday colors. And add sprinkles on the top. Your cookies will rise higher, and you’ll have some holiday color.

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Holiday Pinwheels – Use packaged sugar cookie dough and add three tablespoons of flour to the mix before adding butter and eggs. Add one teaspoon of peppermint extract. Then divide dough in equal parts. Add six drops of green food color to one half of dough and six drops of red to the second half. Wear gloves and mix in the color. Roll out each half on parchment; top green dough with red dough.Roll up dough and refrigerate one hour. Cut 1/8 inch slices and bake for nine minutes at 350.

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Extra Flavors – Add extra flavor extract to cookie mixes; the best example is adding peppermint to packaged chocolate cookie dough. Yes, a teaspoon of booze can make a difference for both you and your cookie. Cinnamon in a chocolate cookie is also great, and if you add cayenne pepper, you have a Mexican-inspired cookie. Candy cane dust is also flavorful.