Podcast Summary: The Daily – Sunday Special: ’Tis the Season for Cookies
Episode Date: December 7, 2025
Host: Gilbert Cruz
Guests: Melissa Clark (NYT food columnist, cookbook author), Vaughn Vreeland (Bake Time newsletter and "Cookies" cookbook editor)
Theme: Celebrating Cookie Week and Holiday Entertaining
Overview
This episode celebrates The New York Times’ Cookie Week, diving into the origins and evolution of Cookie Week, creative holiday cookie recipes, and practical tips for holiday baking and entertaining. Host Gilbert Cruz is joined by food writers Melissa Clark and Vaughn Vreeland for a warm, humorous, and informative discussion—complete with live cookie tasting and a riotous holiday food-themed quiz.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What is Cookie Week?
[02:10–04:16]
- Origins: Started in 2020 as a way to connect people virtually during an isolated holiday season. It began with home-filmed cookie exchanges and evolved into an annual tradition.
- Highlights: Every year, seven new original cookies are featured, each with a unique spin, often blending unexpected inspirations like cocktails or savory foods.
- Vaughn’s Role: Acts as the “MC behind the scenes, pulling the strings…a purveyor of fun. That’s what baking is. That’s what cookies are. They’re fun.” (Vreeland, 04:04)
2. Creative Cookie Themes & This Year's Highlights
[04:24–14:10]
- 2025 Theme: “But Make It a Cookie”—transforming familiar foods and flavors into cookies, e.g., gingerbread latte cookies, popcorn bucket cookies, and mortadella (salume-inspired) cookies.
- Notable Cookies:
- Melissa’s Vietnamese Coffee Brownie: Espresso and sweetened condensed milk in a fudgy bar (not everyone agrees if brownies are cookies—see the good-natured debate!).
- Vaughn’s Popcorn Bucket Cookie: Cookie infused with butter, rolled in popcorn and filled with candy. “My, I would say, childhood dream, but also my 32-year-old dream…customize [it] with whatever candy you want.” (Vreeland, 08:15)
- Mortadella Cookie: Features freeze-dried strawberries, almond paste, pistachios, and macadamia nuts—playfully resembles the Italian sausage.
- Coconut Cake Snowballs: Mini coconut cakes inspired by Hostess snowballs.
- Payday Cookies: Salty peanut-caramel, inspired by the Payday candy bar.
- Chocolate Mint Bark (by Eric Kim): Reminiscent of the Andes mints left on hotel pillows.
- Dark & Stormy Cookie: Ginger with rum-lime glaze, “actually really…pretty rummy.” (Vreeland, 13:12)
3. Cookie Debates & Definitions
[05:28–07:47]
- What counts as a cookie?
- Debate: Is a brownie or lemon bar a cookie?
- Melissa: “I think brownies are absolutely cookies… we need a nice broad definition.” (Clark, 06:07)
- Vaughn: “If a blondie is a cookie, then why can’t a brownie be a cookie?” (Vreeland, 07:15)
- Visual Variety: Including bars and brownies in cookie tins elevates interest and delight.
4. Baking Fails & Fun Moments
[09:27–10:08]
- Vaughn recalls baking with gummy bears: “It was the tenth circle of hell in my oven. I opened it up and it was smoky…The gummy bears were revolting!” (Vreeland, 09:51, 10:04)
5. Gluten-Free Cookie Tasting
[14:12–16:15]
- Melissa brings gluten-free chocolate chip cookies for Gilbert, who has celiac disease.
- Recipe uses almond flour: “They’re so easy…the almond flour…makes them very tender.” (Clark, 15:19)
- Vaughn: “A fantastic recipe…you can bake right away for instant gratification.” (Vreeland, 15:32, 15:45)
Reader Q&A: Holiday Baking & Entertaining
[18:07–34:39]
Versatile Doughs
[18:42]
- Melissa suggests making a large batch of shortbread or gingerbread dough, then flavoring and shaping it in multiple ways: “Add flavor and then you wanna change the shape. Visually, your cookies need to look different, and they need to taste different.” (Clark, 19:22)
Savory Alternatives to Cookies
[20:16]
- Vaughn: “Cheese straws…add a little cayenne…pair with pimento cheese.”
- Melissa: “Spiced nuts…with rosemary, lemon zest, and good salt.” (Clark, 20:54)
How to Make Cookies Last
[21:25–22:56]
- Vaughn: “Store in an airtight container…snickerdoodles with cream of tartar actually get better on day two or three.”
- Melissa: “Chocolate chip cookies are just amazing on day one…gluten-free lasts longer. Spice cookies and gingerbread keep the best.” (Clark, 23:09)
Freezing Cookies
[24:18–24:57]
- Melissa: “Airtight containers with parchment between layers. Most cookies freeze well—except meringues.”
- Vaughn tip: Crumple the parchment—it protects cookies during freezing or shipping.
Festive, Inclusive Holiday Drinks
[26:08–29:32]
- Batch cocktail tips: “Cider with warming spices and citrus; spike as desired.” (Vreeland, 26:43)
- Melissa: “Infuse simple syrup with rosemary and lemon zest…mix with seltzer for a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink.” (Clark, 27:12)
Main Dishes that Aren’t Ham or Turkey
[30:02–31:32]
- Melissa: “Stews or braises like lamb shanks or short ribs—make ahead, low stress, can’t overcook.”
- Vaughn: “Turn it into a Guinness pie or shepherd’s pie for a festive touch.”
Conversation-Sparking Party Favors
[31:56–32:56]
- Melissa: “Daily horoscopes tailored to each guest.”
- Vaughn: “Conversation starter questions on festive paper.”
Holiday Meal Plans
[33:11–34:39]
- Melissa: Osso buco with gremolata made ahead; wishes for a citrus subscription.
- Vaughn: Melissa’s beef Wellington is now his family’s traditional holiday centerpiece.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
“I’m the MC behind the scenes, pulling the strings. That’s my job: to be a purveyor of fun. That’s what baking is. That’s what cookies are. They’re fun.”
– Vaughn Vreeland, [04:04]
“We need a nice, broad definition [of cookie]…If you want to have Cookie Week and you want to include brownies, it’s going to make more people happy. Therefore, it is a cookie.”
– Melissa Clark, [06:48 and 07:52]
“It was the tenth circle of hell in my oven…the gummy bears were revolting.”
– Vaughn Vreeland, [09:51–10:04]
“Chocolate chip cookies are just amazing on day one. Gluten free chocolate chip cookies, however, last a lot longer.”
– Melissa Clark, [22:56]
“Cider with lots of warming spices…you just have people spike it as they like. That’s a fun way of creating something that pleases all sorts of drinkers.”
– Vaughn Vreeland, [26:41]
“Airtight container with layers of parchment between the cookies…they freeze perfectly. Most cookies really do freeze pretty well.”
– Melissa Clark, [24:18]
“I don’t like to cook ‘à la minute’ for anybody except my husband. I want to do it ahead.”
– Melissa Clark, [30:42]
Game Segment: Holiday Food & Cookies Quiz
[36:06–45:38]
Highlights
- Three rounds:
- Holiday meals from movies (e.g., Kevin McAllister’s cheese pizza, Buddy the Elf’s spaghetti with candy)
- Christmas song food references (e.g., “candy canes,” “latkes,” “chestnuts”)
- Cookie vs. not-a-cookie (“chin chin,” “mamoul,” Finnish word for drinking at home in underwear)
- Vaughn wins the trophy (“the Gildy”) for his encyclopedic holiday knowledge and playful banter.
Final Thoughts
- The cookie exchange and baking season are about joy, creativity, and bringing people together—virtually or in person.
- Cookie Week “extends beyond December 1st through 7th…celebrate it all year long.” (Vaughn, 46:22)
- It’s a “cookie month”—embrace fun, traditions, and experimentation in holiday baking.
- Melissa concludes: “Thanks for having us. This was so much fun. Loved it.” (Clark, 46:35)
[Timestamps of Key Segments]
- [02:10] What is Cookie Week, its origins and evolution
- [04:24] This year’s theme and featured cookies
- [05:28] Cookie definitions debate
- [09:27] Baking fails (gummy bears)
- [14:12] Gluten free cookie tasting
- [18:42] Reader Q&A: Versatile doughs
- [20:16] Q&A: Savory alternatives for gifts
- [21:25] Q&A: Which cookies last, how to store
- [24:18] Q&A: Freezing cookies
- [26:08] Q&A: Festive inclusive drinks
- [30:02] Q&A: Alternatives for main dishes
- [31:56] Q&A: Party favors & conversation
- [33:11] What guests are making for the holidays
- [36:06] Holiday quiz segment starts
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