GLAM BAKES

A pro baker gives six classic holiday cookies a sugar-dusted, sparkling, colorful upgrade.

- Zoë François,Eva Kolenko

Speculoos Cookies get the rock-star treatment.

I GREW UP ON A COMMUNE in Vermont, where my hippie parents called dried fruit “candy” and honey was the closest I got to anything sweet. It was all very healthy and earnest but also a tad dull, and it didn’t inspire my imagination. All year long, I looked forward to visiting my grandmothers at the holidays, where I was met with enchanting tins of cookies: ruffled, buttery spritz cookies; sugar cookies in a variety of seasonal shapes; rich and gooey layered bars; spiced cookies that tasted like a hug; and impossibly delicate meringue kisses that felt like eating fairy dust. And that was just one grandma’s house. My other grandmother would bring me to visit her favorite Jewish bakeries, where the windows were steamy from the warmth of rugelach, babkas, and mohn (poppy seed) cookies just pulled from the oven.

Once I was old enough to bake cookies of my own, I was grateful to have those memories from my grandmothers to inspire me. And maybe I have my austere health-food upbringing to thank for my exuberant, unrepentant desire for all things sparkly and glamorous. I delight in the beauty and excitement a cookie can deliver. The detailed flocking, gold leaf, and pretty colors have become how I express my love during the holidays. I invite you to try my recipes and do the same.

Striped Sugar Cookies

ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 5 MIN, PLUS 2 HR CHILLING; MAKES 3¾ DOZEN COOKIES

Colorful stacks of cookie dough are sliced and baked for these low-effort, high-impact cookies. They’re buttery-rich with a hint of lemon and vanilla, and the crisp edges are a satisfying contrast to the tender interior. Chill the dough stacks well for the cleanest edges—this make-ahead step lets you slice and bake whenever you’re ready.