Surprising Sweets – Dec. 2025

What’s better than a Dark ’n’ Stormy cocktail, buzzing with ginger and lime and rum? Maybe nothing — or maybe a ginger cookie, one that distills all that drink’s flavors into big, chewy bites. Cookie Week, New York Times Cooking’s annual holiday baking tradition, is back. This year we’re baking our favorite sweet and savory cravings into seven festive treats, with recipes and videos to accompany them. Delight in brownies that taste like Vietnamese iced coffee, savor the flavors of a coconut cake in a bright, bite-size package, or treat yourself to some mint chocolate chip — shortbreads, not ice cream. But don’t forget to have fun — the holidays are all about having your cookie and eating it, too. This special double-sided gatefold section, originally published Dec. 7, 2025, contains seven dazzling and delicious recipes that harnesses all of the season’s colors and flavors.