The New Holiday Cookies From Pastry Chef Hedy Goldsmith

This year, we want more than just the traditional holiday cookies. Sure, we can't get enough of gingerbread men with their cute little outfits and thumbprint cookies filled with jam, but we want to mix things up this Christmas season, and we hope you do, too.

The New Holiday Cookies Slideshow

To get a new take on holiday cookies, we turned to our friend Hedy Goldsmith, author of Baking Out Loud, to give us some fresh ideas. Nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef of 2012 by the James Beard Foundation and star of Unique Sweets on Cooking Channel, Goldsmith has always been known for her simple approach to creating exciting and new baked goods.

Today, she shares five of her favorite cookie recipes that she loves to serve during the holidays. Whether you favor chocolate, nuts, or spices in your holiday cookies, Goldsmith has a recipe that's straightforward but still has a hint of uniqueness. Along with her recipes, Goldsmith has shared five surefire tips that'll never fail you, whether you're baking during the holidays or throughout the year. We hope you welcome these new holiday cookies to the neighborhood and invite them back for the festivities next year.   

Anne Dolce is the Cook Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @anniecdolce