Here is a great cookie idea for your favorite computer nerd. Yes, I know a few =) How about some old school 8-bit Christmas Cookies? That’s right, watch your favorite geek freak out when you bring them these cute little cookies. Best of all, here are 2 different techniques to make them:

Technique #1: the cut-off method

Roll out your cookie dough to 1/8 thick:

Cut cookies in festive shapes using your favorite cutters. Here I am using a candy cane cookie cutter:

Take a cookie cutter shaped like the letter “i” and cut off any round edges into square pixel-like lines:

Easy right?

Technique #2: the grid method

This method seems a bit more tricky at first but if you plan on icing your cookies, this is the better option. To start, you first need to put together pixelized versions of Christmas icons. I used Excel and drew my shapes using colors. Here is the template I made:

Roll out your cookies dough and imprint a grid on it using a ruler or a carving knife. First, vertical lines:

Then, horizontal lines:

Now using your Excel template, count how many squares you need for your first shape and cut away. For instance, to make a candy cane, we will need a piece of dough that is 9 squares by 5 squares:

Following the template and using a pairing knife, cut away the details:

Voilà! Now that you got it, you can easily work in batches:

Bake your cookie creations at 350°F for 12 minutes:

I love the fact that the grid stays on the cookies even after baking. It makes decorating so much easier. In fact, it’s a bit like painting by numbers. Just follow the same Excel template we used earlier.

Start with red details first:

Let the red icing dry completely before filling the rest of the cookie with white icing or the colors will “bleed”.

That’s it! =)

Happy Holidays!