There was a time when homemade was the only acceptable route for Christmas cookies. Moms pulled out all the stops, rolling, cutting, frosting, and packaging up all kinds of delicacies.

Baking Cookies. Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash.

Then, new restrictions meant you couldn’t take homemade cookies to some schools. Kids had all kinds of allergies, meaning some ingredients were questionable. Grown-ups were eating gluten-free, or sugar-free, or plain ol’ cookie-free.

Brands Have Evolved

Never to be overcome by a changing marketplace, cookie brands have evolved to fill the space. Just as we’ve seen “holiday” cookies for every possible special day on the calendar, there are enough store-bought Christmas cookies to fill Santa’s plate and give the baker in the family a break in the process.

I admit I’ve been one of those holiday bakers, often filling the freezer after family and friends and office parties had had enough. Then, this year, a family introduced me to Trader Joe’s® Joe-Joe’s with peppermint and chocolate. I figured they were special when she pulled them out of hiding and offered one—one only—then sent me to the store to buy my own . . . plus a few more boxes for her.

Give Yourself Permission

Sure, I’ve made cookies with both of those ingredients, but now I’m set free! Two of my favorite flavors without the labor involved, unless you count toting them home from the store.

Not that such toting was a small chore—there isn’t a Trader Joe’s in our area, so I bought 12 boxes to tide me over (OK, some are meant to be gifts, but there are no guarantees here), and hauled them home.

Grocery Store Aisle. Photo by Fikri Rasyid on Unsplash.

There are other cookies in the same vein, like the Pepperidge Farm® Milano’s, a favorite at any time. While I usually go for the mint, and sometimes for the orange, peppermint is a nice holiday variety.

So, if you are looking for a little more time to enjoy a movie, a book, or just to wrap presents instead of baking, check the store shelves. Give yourself permission to relax. Could be you’ll find a new favorite at the same time.