On the first day of Christmas, ChatGPT gave to me… a recipe for Christmas cookies

I’m a little dubious of the AI’s culinary abilities, but my Mom’s tattered copy of the Joy of Cooking is all the way across the house, and I’m oh-so comfortable here on the couch. So I asked GPT to whip up a recipe for Christmas cookies, and then I actually made them. They turned out pretty well, but I needed to add water because the AI called for way too much flour. And after 10 minutes of baking, they were still pretty raw, so I left them in the oven for about 15 or 20 more minutes.

I didn’t have the requisite sprinkles, but I DID have some Christmas cookie cutters, including an elaborate reindeer rocking horse. (Weird.) Here are the instructions ChatGPT gave me if you want to follow along at home:

Classic Christmas Cookies

Here’s a recipe for classic Christmas cookies that are sure to be a hit with everyone:

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Assorted decorative sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined.

4. Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.

If using decorative sprinkles, gently press a few sprinkles onto the tops of the cookies.

5. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (Editor’s note: if you actually make these, be sure you bake them until they are fully cooked.)

6. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, or freeze the dough for later use.

These classic Christmas cookies are soft and chewy, with a hint of spice from the cinnamon. They’re the perfect addition to any holiday cookie platter, and they’re sure to be a hit with everyone! Enjoy!