Walnut Allspice Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies
My family and I just love holiday cookies, and if my Walnut Allspice Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies don’t show up on my holiday tray, I have some explaining to do! This christmas cookie recipe came to me from my mother’s sister, and I’m thankful to her for it every time I get to see my family’s delight as they enjoy them. When the holidays roll around in my household, I can hear them rustling through the cookie platter before I even get the appetizers out, and I always know it’s my allspice cookies that they are after!
What in the world IS Allspice and where does it come from?
Allspice is a spice that is native to the Caribbean, Southern Mexico, and Central America. It is also known as Jamaican pepper, myrtle pepper, or pimento in various areas. Allspice has a multidimensional flavor, featuring notes of clove, star anise, nutmeg, fennel, cinnamon, and black pepper. Allspice is commonly used in holiday pumpkin recipes and can commonly be mistaken for pumpkin spice or Chinese five-spice blend because of its similar complex, aromatic, and pungent flavor profile.
In my humble opinion, coffee makes these the best allspice chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever had!
This allspice chocolate chip cookie recipe is in my top 3 all-time favorite Christmas cookie recipes. They make you fall in love with allspice. Not only do they have the lovely aromatic spice in them, they also contain chocolate chips and freshly brewed and cooled coffee. These three flavors go so well together, they are a match made in heaven. Add the delicate confectioner’s sugar glaze on top and you have the perfect holiday cookie. You may want to go ahead and make a double batch from the get-go like I do, because they tend to fly off the cooling rack faster than you might expect!
A Gift of Cookies, A Cookbook that Gives Back
This recipe is from my first cookbook: A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Family & Friends. It’s special because of the family recipes that are in it that have been passed down from generation to generation. In fact, the book is so special to me that I donate 100% of the proceeds to local children's charities. If you’d like to join me in my efforts, you can learn more about it here. If you DO make any of the recipes, please let me know! I’d love to see how they turn out for you and hope that you enjoy baking as much as I do.
Walnut Allspice Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of strong coffee
- 3-ounces Baker’s unsweetened chocolate (12 pieces), melted
- 1 cup (8-ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, well beaten
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon allspice
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- One (1-pound) box confectioners’ sugar (approximately 3½ cups)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons milk or water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the sugar, along with the eggs, and beat everything until well-combined.
- Add the melted chocolate and coffee into the mix and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and allspice. Fold in the chocolate chips, nuts, and marshmallows (if you decide to use them).
- Using a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop, drop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on a rack before glazing.
- Now for the glaze. In a mixing bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar with enough milk or water to make a glaze. Add the liquid a little at a time, not all at once.
- Frost the cookies and place them on drying racks. Cookies can be baked, cooled, and placed in the freezer, then defrosted and glazed a day or two before serving. Freezing the cookies after frosting them is not recommended.