Welcome back to The Cookie Elf File! It’s that time of year when we send you cookie recipes, cookie trivia and simple baking tips to give you easy ways to bake 12 days of Christmas cookies.

This year, we’re sending you two recipes in each email to cut down on the mail in your inbox. Bookmark or pin these recipes so you can use them in your holiday baking.

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12 Days of Christmas Cookies, Day 1: Easy Chocolate Mint Layer Bar Cookies - No Mixing. None!

Image: The Cookie Elf

I love this recipe! Chocolate Mint Layer Bar Cookies are so easy, so festive, so rich, and so quick.

They’re a perfect way to kick off this year’s Christmas cookie baking.

Leave your mixer in the cupboard – you won’t need it. Instead, you simply pour or sprinkle each layer of ingredients into the baking pan, in order.

When you’re done, just press down the whole shebang and pop it into the oven.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25-30 minutes, divided
Makes 24-36 bars

Get the full recipe for Chocolate Mint Layer Bar Cookies… and check out our Bar Cookies Pinterest board for more layer bar cookie ideas.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies, Day 2: Fairy Bites – A Christmas Shortbread Cookie in Miniature

Image: The Cookie Elf

You make them like a traditional shortbread using the usual butter, sugar, flour and flavoring – but with two twists.

The first is the addition of nonpareils, those itsy-bitsy cookie decorations that are actually teeny balls of colored sugar to the dough.

And second is this: you cut the dough into bite-sized pieces before baking. Then you set the bites on the baking pan with a bit of space in between each one.

Voila! You’ve got perfect little confections for a tea party or favors or for a holiday cookie tray. They’ll make you smile!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes
Makes 80 shortbread bites

Get the full recipe for Fairy Bites… and check out other Shortbread Cookies on our Pinterest board.

The Un-Santa Book: Plan Now for a Meaningful Christmas

It's filled with fun, meaningful Christmas activities for your kids, homeschool group, class, or event - with reproducibles!

You can even use the book to host a complete festival or sponsor a unique holiday event or simply doing Christmas crafts with kids during this special time of year.

Good gift idea, too! Learn more.

Cookie Baking Tip: Toasty Coconut Is a Tip-Off!

Image: The Cookie Elf

See more helpful cookie baking tips on The Elf’s Baking Tips Pinterest Board .

Fun Stuff for Baking Christmas Cookies

Best-selling Silicone Rolling Pin and other rolling pins	Sweet Creations Holiday Set and other cookie cutters	Wilton Gingerbread House Kit and other gingerbread kits

More Minty Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes

Happy baking,