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Keep the holidays festive with strawberry rugelach and easy spice cookies

Gesine Bullock-Prado shares two perfectly sweet antidotes to chase winter blues away.
/ Source: TODAY

With the holiday party invites rolling in, there's a good chance you may be headed to a cookie exchange soon. And if you don't want to show up bearing break-and-bake cookies, you're in luck.

Gesine Bullock-Prado stopped by TODAY to share two classic holiday cookie recipes that you can easily bake in a snap for any festive function in December.

Want more holiday baking inspiration from Gesine? Head over to Bluprint to sign up for her class called Pies and Tarts for Every Season. You'll learn how to make delicious pastries with the step by step guidance of the TODAY Food contributor and pie pro. You'll have access to her class — and many more TODAY Cooking Classes — for FREE with a one-week trial. Bluprint is an NBCU company.

"Classic rugelach is usually made with raisins and walnuts, chocolate or even apricot jam, but I love using strawberries and pistachios here," says Gesine. "It's a totally refreshing combination within a classic holiday treat! However, this recipe is very versatile so you can swap in your favorite jam, a different nut or even Nutella for a totally delicious twist.

Holiday Spice Cookies

"These holiday spice cookies (aka spekulatius) get their wonderful flavor from brown butter and a variety of fragrant spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom," she says. "They're just wonderful served with coffee and tea and will automatically transport you into cozy holiday bliss."

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