Baking these cookies has been a holiday tradition for Claudia Wardius since childhood. "My mother, and her mother before her, used to make Chocolate Nuggets at Christmastime," says the Brown Deer, Wisconsin, mom. When they were little, her kids didn't like nuts (the traditional topping), so Claudia replaced them with buttercream frosting and sprinkles. "Robbie and Molly, then three and two, dubbed the new cookies Chocolate Noogies because they couldn't say nuggets," she explains.

See the other winners of the 2008 FamilyFun magazine cookie contest.

Ingredients

• COOKIES
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Colored sprinkles

Instructions

1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter in a large bowl, gradually adding the sugar. Add the egg, salt, chocolate, milk, and vanilla, mixing well after each addition.

2. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour until it is evenly blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for about 30 minutes.

3. Heat the oven to 375°. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and set them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake on the center oven rack until set, about 10 minutes. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

4. For the buttercream frosting: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter in a medium bowl, gradually adding 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar. Add the milk, vanilla, and remaining confectioners' sugar, mixing well after each addition. If needed, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency.

5. Holding each cookie around its edges, dip it facedown into the frosting, lifting it up with a twisting motion to allow any excess frosting to drip back into the bowl. Immediately decorate the cookie with sprinkles before the frosting sets.

When you're looking for holiday treats to send to far-flung relatives, here's a cookie that fits the bill.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 6-oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, cocoa powder and sugar; beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients, then stir in the chips. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in confectioners' sugar. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 12 minutes. Makes 25 to 35 cookies.

With peppermint extract and red food coloring, your kids can turn this simple dough into edible ornaments for the tree.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Red food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat well. Stir in the peppermint and vanilla extracts. Gradually mix in the flour.

2. Divide the dough in half. Color one half with red food coloring and leave the other half plain. Roll out a tablespoon of red dough and a tablespoon of plain until they are each 6 to 8 inches long. Twist them into a candy cane, pinching the ends. Repeat.

3. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not brown.
   Makes about 25.

These cute candy canes can be made with any two colors: traditional red and white, red and green, even blue and yellow!

Ingredients

• Colored cookie dough

Instructions

1. For each candy cane, form small pieces of two colors of dough into two ropes, about 1/4 inch in diameter and 16 inches long. Carefully twist the ropes together to form a candy cane. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

These festive treats can brighten any holiday gathering, from Hanukkah to New Year's and all the celebrations in between.

Ingredients

• Confectioners' sugar
• Flower cookie with a center hole (we used Murray shortbread cookies)
• Larger cookie (we used Anna's Ginger Thins)
• Rolled wafer cookie (we used Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes)

• Mini marshmallow
• Orange decorating sugar
• Red decorating gel

Instructions

1. Make a simple icing by stirring together 1 teaspoon water and 5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar.

2. Use dots of icing to attach a small flower cookie with a center hole to a larger cookie.

3. Dab icing on one end of a rolled wafer cookie and press it into the center of the flower cookie.

4. For the flame, halve a mini marshmallow diagonally, dip the sticky side of one half in orange decorating sugar, and attach the half with icing. Spoon a few wax drips of icing down the candle's sides and use red decorating gel to embellish the base.