The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has recently expanded its catering options. Now, when you attend events in the Seawell Ballroom, Directors Room, Bonfils Theatre Complex or Newman Center for Theatre Education, you can choose from one of six caterers: Biscuits and Berries, Catering By Design, Epicurean Group, Occasions Catering, Serendipity Catering, and Sodexo Live, which includes Kevin Taylor Restaurant Group and Olive & Finch.

As we celebrate these new partnerships — not to mention the holiday season — we asked some of our partners to send in their favorite holiday cookie recipe. So heat up that cup of cocoa, light up the fireplace, and enjoy a delicious treat.

From Biscuits and Berries

Brown Butter and Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (+1 tbsp for high altitude)

2 cups flour

7/8 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp kosher salt

1 c brown sugar (minus 1 tbsp for high altitude)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

80 grams chocolate toffee bars, chopped (Skor is ideal)

1 ½ cups chocolate wafers, 72% cacao

Instructions:

1. Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams then browns, 5-8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly, until cool enough to touch (like the temperature of a warm bath), about ten minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
3. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about one minute. Add eggs and vanilla, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about one minute.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in toffee pieces and chocolate wafers with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
5. Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits.
6. Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375° Using a 1 ounce ice cream scoop, portion out balls of dough and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about three inches apart (you can also form dough into ping-pong sized balls with your hands). Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
7. Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9-11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough and a fresh parchment-lined cooled baking sheet.

From Catering by Design

Gingerbread Cookies

 Ingredients:

¾ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

2/3 cup corn syrup

¼ cup milk

3 cups bread flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground ginger

Instructions:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add corn syrup and milk. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure all ingredients are combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cloves, and ginger.
4. While on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until it forms a dough ball.
5. Lightly flour countertop surface and roll the dough out to about ¼” thickness.
6. Let it set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 325°
8. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into different shapes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
9. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown but still soft in the middle.
10. Decorate with starlight peppermint candies, gumdrops, and M&Ms.

From Centerplate/Sodexo Live!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

3.7 oz cocoa powder

12.8 oz white sugar

3.3 oz vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 ¾ tsp vanilla

8.9 oz all-purpose flour

1 ¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Powdered sugar, as needed

Instructions:

1. Mix together cocoa powder, sugar, and vegetable oil.
2. Beat eggs in one at a time, then add vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 325°
7. Scoop dough using a tablespoon and roll in powdered sugar. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

From Kevin Taylor Restaurant Group

Peppermint Blossoms

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

1 ¼ cups flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cornstarch

1 cup sugar (coating)

30 mint Kisses

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together then add the egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine salt, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cornstarch.
4. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients little by little until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Scoop the dough into 1 tbsp size balls, roll them in the 1 cup sugar, and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper spaced two inches apart.
6. Bake for six minutes then immediately remove and place a mint Kiss in the center of each cookie.
7. Let cool completely on a wire rack or in the fridge to keep the Kisses from melting.

From Olive & Finch

Big “O” Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1 cup semisweet chocolate

½ cup canola oil

3 large eggs

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp brewed espresso

1 cup bread flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

Buttercream:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add chocolate, using a wooden spoon stir until the chocolate has melted.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and espresso together. Add this to cooled chocolate mixture.
3. Mix the flours, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together. Gently fold into the wet ingredients.
4. Preheat oven to 350° Scoop 1 ounce cookie mixture onto parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Meanwhile, mix the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
6. Pipe buttercream onto the back of one cookie before placing another on top to create a sandwich.

From Prelude + Post

Rainbow M&M Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup mini M&Ms (plus 2 tbsp for topping, optional)

Instructions:

1. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat softened butter for about 1 minute on medium speed until creamy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, then beat on medium-high speed until creamy and combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Pour in 1 cup M&Ms and beat on low speed until just combined. Once combined, cover cookie dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 5 days.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
5. Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 tbsp of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. The centers will look soft.
6. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While the cookies are still warm, press the remaining 2 tbsp of M&Ms into the tops of the cookies (this is optional and just for looks). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

This recipe was originally posted by Sally’s Baking Addiction.