Why should kids have all the fun?
Drunken Christmas Cookies
On Dasher, on Dancer, on Chocolate, on Cabernet…
Who doesn’t think of cookies when they think of Christmas? These sweet bite-sized treats have become a staple of the holiday season…and rightfully so. An ambitious baker can turn a cookie platter into a literal smorgasbord of flavors: chocolate, butterscotch, apple, berry, peanut butter, almond…the list goes on.
I personally bake around 25 different varieties of cookies and give them as gifts each year. The smell of cookies baking is soothing and the warmth of the kitchen (with its own themed Christmas tree) is more than enough to evoke the Christmas spirit. Glass of wine in hand, I have spent many an all-nighter surrounded by chocolate chips, nuts, and sprinkles.
Years of baking cookies (and years of drinking wine!) have inspired me to come up with wine pairing flights for these sweet holiday icons because, after all, what could be better than a glass of vino and a delicious cookie? Especially after a long day of Christmas decorating or shopping? Not much, I’d wager. So here it is…the inside scoop on remaining “joyful” throughout the holiday season!
Let’s start with the most basic and beloved of all cookies: The Chocolate Chip Cookie. Ironically, this cookie is best paired with one of the most beloved standards in the wine world – Cabernet Sauvignon. Choose one with cherry or currant notes to bring out the flavor in the chocolate. A full-bodied Cabernet will also pair well with a mint chocolate chip cookie, if you are so inclined.
Another staple of holiday baking is the Sugar Cookie. Creative bakers around the world have turned out these popular treats in many shapes and sizes – sometimes dressed to the nines with icing and sprinkles. Choose a Champagne or Sparkling Wine such as Prosecco or Cuvee to accompany these “show-offs” of the Christmas Season. The bubbles contrast nicely with the smoothness of this cookie and the acidic taste of the Champagne will help balance the sugar.
Peanut butter aficionados will love a good Peanut Blossom Cookie with a Malbec or Chianti, while those who like a sweeter wine will find joy in a Port or Lambrusco paired with traditional Peanut Butter Cookies. Those who love fruit in their cookies will be happiest when they pair a traditional Syrah with Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or Italian Fig Cookies (for the more ambitious baker!)…although, I never met a sweet wine drinker who would turn down a Jam Thumbprint cookie with their glass of Moscato! The savory flavors of cookies with dried fruit compliment the dark fruit notes in the Syrah, while the super-sweet jammy taste of the thumbprint cookies is best enhanced by a Moscato with notes of orange blossom and honey…making Moscato D’Asti a great choice.
For serious wine drinkers who love their “big bold reds”…pair that Italian Sangiovese or Amarone with Chocolate Crinkle Cookies or just plain old-fashioned fudge. You want the cookie as decadent as the wine, in this case. Dark chocolate and full-bodied red wine never disappoint. For those who want a sweeter spin on a rich red, Zinfandel should suit the occasion. Zinfandel goes best with cherry flavored cookies like Cherry Kiss Blossoms. It also pairs exquisitely with Shortbread – another Yuletide favorite.
The “classic whites” are not to be forgotten and an American Oaked Chardonnay will delightfully enhance a Butter Cookie or Butterscotch Chip Cookie – the subtle hints of vanilla in the wine make this pairing a winner. Sauvignon Blanc, although more of a summer wine, will pair well with the revered Snickerdoodle (you thought I forgot that one, didn’t you?) and a Riesling is best enjoyed with a Gingerbread Man – although, if you prefer red, you can also pair this little guy with Pinot Noir – a lighter fruit forward wine will complement the bold spicy flavors of the gingerbread quite nicely.
The holidays are a great time to indulge and enjoy the things we love the most. No matter what your taste in wine, there is a cookie to go with it and vice versa. So put on some Christmas music, don your best apron, turn on the oven and raise your glass! And remember, my domestically festive friends, when it comes to wine and cookies, there is no right or wrong – invent your own pairings or slip some wine into those cookies! I make a delicious Chocolate & Chianti Cookie…but that’s another story.
May your season be filled with laughs, spirit, and love. Buon Natale!
The Link LonkNovember 22, 2020 at 03:00AM
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ALLEGANY MAGAZINE HOLIDAY EDITION 2020: Drunken Christmas Cookies? | Allegany Magazine | times-news.com - Cumberland Times-News
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