Each year, the Christmas season rolls around and my mind is filled with dreams of the perfect cookie box. An assortment of cookies, all packed up into festive tins, tied off with ribbon, and gifted to family and friends. Unfortunately, my dreams have never come true. As much as I love baking, I simply don’t have enough potential recipients to justify baking ten batches of cookies at one time.
Thus, I offer the next best thing: a bookish Christmas cookie box. Instead of milk and cookies, you’ll be plating up your favorite classic cookie alongside a good read. Whether you prefer a tried and true sugar cookie, something with a kick of refreshing mint, or a thoroughly spiced dough, there’s a book that pairs perfectly with each bite.
1. Sugar Cookies & The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
When I think of Christmas cookies, the first thing that comes to mind is trays full of soft-baked sugar cookies covered in colorful icing. They’re cut into all manner of festive shapes, from trees and candy canes to jolly snowmen. These cookies are essentially synonymous with Christmas. For that reason, I’ve chosen a book that’s just as timeless to pair with them. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the first of the beloved Chronicles of Narnia series and a book that captures the strength of a child’s spirit.
People young and old have fallen in love with C. S. Lewis’s writing. And much like the tried and true sugar cookie, the book’s magic has only grown over time. Follow four siblings through a wardrobe and into a magical new world where loyalties will be tested. The book is full of wonder that brings a pop of color to the story but, at its core, the book is simple. Goodness can conquer evil, even when all hope seems lost. So this Christmas, let both your books and your treats remind you that your youthful spirit is never too far out of reach and that your holidays deserve a little bit of magic.
2. Gingerbread Cookies & The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Gingerbread cookies, though lovable enough when shaped into the likenesses of little people, require a bit more of a sophisticated palette than a sugar cookie. After all, the first gingerbread men are thought to have been served by Queen Elizabeth I, shaped to match each of her esteemed guests. How much more sophisticated can a cookie get? Regardless of royal ties, however, gingerbread has a distinctively complex spiced flavor that sets it apart from other Christmas cookies.
To go along with gingerbread’s depth of flavor is The Secret History by Donna Tartt, a book filled with just as much depth. The novel follows an elite group of classicists who, on the outside, may look put together, but quickly fall apart amid a web of deceit. The characters in this book are a complex blend of good and evil, confident and insecure. Each page drips with performed sophistication, covering up the dark plot brewing throughout. Just as the different spices hit you as you bite into this cookie, so do the twists and turns of this novel.
3. Peanut Butter Blossoms & The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
For all our talk of sophistication, this pairing captures the true meaning of Christmas: rekindling the childlike joy in all of us. What better way to do that then bake up a childhood favorite cookie and read a middle-grade book. Peanut butter blossoms are one of the simplest cookies on this list, making them perfect for baking with young children — or just when you’re short on time. They feature the classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate, with a cute little Hershey’s kiss plopped on top of each thumbprint.
Those bold and nostalgic flavors need some fun-loving characters to match their energy. And if chocolate in your cookies isn’t enough, you can indulge your senses in the sights and sounds of The Candymakers‘ candy factory. In the story, four children are chosen to compete in a candy-making competition. Each one of them has their own unique personality that unfolds as the story switches perspectives between the four contestants. As one of my favorite books growing up, I associate the story with childhood enthusiasm and I remember my mouth watering at each new sugar-lined room the kids explored.
4. Linzer Cookies & Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima
You can’t go wrong with a sandwich cookie. It’s the best of both worlds: a classic subtle outer layer of buttery cookie, encasing a vibrant filling that can be anything from a traditional jam to a more modern Nutella spread. Originally, these cookies were a traditional torte in Austria. It featured a lattice crust infused with almonds over a fruity jam filling. Eventually, bakers began making them into the smaller, sandwich-like cookies, popular today. Soon immigrants from Germany and Austria would bring them to the U.S. These cookies’ evolution makes them the perfect treat to experimenting with, both in the dough and inner filling.
Another meeting of old and new comes in Yukio Mishima’s novel, Spring Snow. In 1912 Tokyo, traditional aristocracy meets new money and long-held traditions begin to be challenge. Amid the turmoil, is a forbidden love story between Kiyoaki Matsugae, son of a rich family rising through the ranks, and Satoko Ayakura, daughter of a noble, aristocratic family. Reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, the two are sandwiched between two options, choosing each other or choosing their families. There’s a lyrical subtlety to their interactions but beneath the surface, there’s bold emotions waiting to be unleashed.
5. Snickerdoodles & The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Sometimes you need a little whimsy in your life, and with a name like snickerdoodle, what better cookie to humor your guests with this season. The origins of the strange name aren’t 100% certain. It could be related to the German “schneckennudeln,” or have absolutely no meaning at all. I’m alright with not knowing the backstory. Regardless, I still get to enjoy these lightly spiced cookies with a slight tang — courtesy of a little magic addition called cream of tartar. They may not be the most fancy of cookies, but they’re a little sweet, a little sour, and a lot quirky, making them winners in my book.
Scott Lynch’s writing has just enough wit in it to keep you on your toes while also rounding out the humor with a focus on friendship and loyalty. Sweet and sour, once again the perfect pair. The Lies of Locke Lamora is the first in the Gentleman Bastard series. The novel follows a group of orphans turned con-artists, led by the enigmatic Locke Lamora. This quirky band of characters is tossed headlong into heists and battles against forces far greater than them. But the crew perseveres through their steadfast loyalty to each other. Plus, just a little bit of banter to keep the spirits high.
6. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies & Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
A little magic happens when you pop a batch of chocolate crinkle cookies into the oven. Those little balls of dough covered in powdered sugar, slowly transform into fissured cookies that reveal a dark, fudgy center. They’re the perfect blend of sugary sweet and intensely dark, rich flavors. Sit down with a plate of these on a dark winter’s night and you’ll find yourself immersed in the nighttime ambiance.
To keep the immersion going, you’ll want to pair these cookies with an equally rich mystery novel. Of course, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is the obvious choice. The classic novel follows Hercule Poirot. He is a detective who finds himself solving a murder when a passenger train stranded in the snow is racked by a sudden murder. Just like these chocolate crinkle cookies, the mystery slowly unravels itself to reveal the dark truths hidden beneath. The train and its guests appear splendid to outsiders. But each one has something to hide and their resolve splinters as time wears on.
7. Snowball Cookies & The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
There are many different versions of a snowball-like cookie. You have Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, Italian wedding cookies, butterballs, pecan sandies, and the list goes on. What they have in common is a generous dusting of powdered sugar, giving them the appearance of tiny snowballs. Most contain some sort of nut, oftentimes pecan. They’re perfectly bite-sized and melt in your mouth so you’ll find yourself reaching for seconds almost immediately.
Much like the murky origins and many names of the snowball cookie, V.E. Schwab grapples with permanency, or the lack there-of, in The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. In 1714 France, Addie makes a decision that will change the course of her life, one that will splinter into many. She is granted eternal life yet her existence will be fleeting. No one that she comes across will be able to remember her as she is. The novel spans centuries as this one young woman leads a plethora of lives, trying not to slip through the cracks. Addie is someone new to each person she meets. She spans history but her name melts away on their tongues, leaving only a faint trace of sweetness in its wake. That is, until she meets someone who might be able to break the curse.
8. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies & Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories
Peppermint can be a polarizing flavor if the infamous mint chocolate chip ice cream debate is anything to go by. But I think winter calls for a chocolate and mint combo. You get a bite of rich, dark chocolate, followed up by a hit of refreshing peppermint that melts away into sweetness. These cookies are perfect for when you want a little wintery chill while still snuggled up warm inside the house.
For this cookie, I recommend an equally as refreshing collection of writing: Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories. The anthology features horror short stories written by Indigenous authors of the North. The title is the Inuktitut word for “in the dark,” which encapsulates the atmosphere of these stories. Set against the backdrop of the snowy Arctic, the characters face terrors that will chill you to the bone. The stories are dark and complex, leaving you grasping for reality. And it’s not so often these tales are told from the pens of Indigenous and Inuit authors themselves, making this anthology a refreshing addition to the horror genre.
9. Iced Oatmeal Cookies & Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Oatmeal cookies get a bad rap. Many think they’re boring or should be relegated to grandma’s recipe box, traded instead for the beloved chocolate chip cookie. But give them a chance, and you’ll see that an oatmeal cookie can be just as delicious and fun as any other cookie, especially when topped with a glaze of sweet icing as in these iced oatmeal cookies. One bite and you’ll learn to never judge a book by its cover again.
Following the theme of breaking stereotypes is Jasmine Guillory’s Royal Holiday. Think of the most popular romance books on shelves right now, or even in the past. It’s likely that the characters are somewhere in their 20s, single, and still figuring themselves out. After all, their whole lives are ahead of them. Guillory flips the usual script and focuses instead on a woman named Vivian Forest, who is in her 50s. She joins her daughter Maggie on a trip to England where she meets a private secretary named Malcolm Hudson. The two find themselves falling into an unexpected romance, one with a deadline quickly approaching.
This novel proves that there is no time limit on love, especially in a world that makes women feel like they have an expiration date. Vivian is strong and independent, with a well-lived life and an adult daughter, but she is just as deserving of a whirlwind romance as anyone else. So put aside your preconceive notions and indulge in a story that’s equal parts mature and sugary sweet. It’s the perfect comfort read to get you through the cold weather.
