french christmas cookies

French Christmas Cookies (Sablés)

When I visited La Grande Epicerie last year in Paris, I was pleasantly surprised by all the Christmas goodies that were there. The Grande Epicerie is a high-end grocery market in Paris, sort of like a glorified version of what Whole Foods and Williams-Sonoma would be if the two became one. There were all sorts of festive little treats, including hot chocolate sticks (basically sticks with chocolate that you could stir into hot milk to create instant hot cocoa), tissue-paper wrapped nougat (the French’s favorite confectionary), and the most beautifully decorated French Christmas cookies I had ever laid eyes on. 

Gingerbread cookies that are perfectly spiced, chewy, and fuss-free! Recipe via MonPetitFour.com

The Best Gingerbread Men Cookies

Oh, where to begin with my quest for the perfect gingerbread cookie? I’ve been baking consistently for a few years now and finding a recipe for the best gingerbread men cookies has been difficult. The cookies are usually too spicy or too bland. And the texture? Don’t even get me started on that. Who decided that a crisp cookie that could potentially break a tooth would make for a perfect gingerbread cookie? Well, friends, I’m here to tell you that my quest for the perfect cookie is over, thanks to Cooks Illustrated. I knew I should have turned to America’s #1 source for all things cooking and baking rather than try out all those Google search results for the perfect gingerbread cookie.