Holiday Baking Recipe Share

ladythrice · December 2017

Does anyone else like baking during the holiday season? My mom was always HUGE into making 'Christmas Cookies' every year and I've found that I enjoy carrying on the tradition.

I'd love to share my fave recipes and get inspiration from fellow bakers out there! What are your go to holiday cookie/candy/sweet treat recipes??

ladythrice · December 2017

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge - SUPER easy fudge that can't be messed up! If you've ever made candy or fudge from scratch, you know it's a true science and it can be screwed up... I've never messed up this recipe!

ladythrice · December 2017

Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 ¾ c. flour
1 c. butter
½ c. powdered sugar

Filling:

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
4 tbs. flour
6 tbs. lemon juice

Dusting:

2 tbs. powdered sugar

Mix crust ingredients in a mixing bowl, until well combined. Press into a 9 X 13 baking dish and bake at 350°, for 20 minutes. Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl and pour over baked crust, bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar. Cut into 32 bars.

ladythrice · December 2017

Espresso & Chocolate Chip Cookies

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ c. butter
1 ¾ c. sugar
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. finely ground espresso beans
1/3 c. flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 ½ c. semisweet chocolate pieces

In a medium saucepan, combine bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter, heat and stir over low heat until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, and ground espresso beans; beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until well mixed and color lightens slightly. Add cooled melted chocolate, beating until combined. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Stir in chocolate pieces. (the dough will look like brownie batter.)

Cover the surface of dough with waxed paper. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes (dough thickens as it stands.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil. Using a 3-ounce scoop, scoop dough in mounds 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in preheated oven about 13 minutes or just until tops are set and the cracks on top do not look moist. Let cookies stand on cookie sheet on a wire rack for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 24.

To Store: layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

ngolimento · December 2017

This is hands-down the absolute best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever used:

https://allrecipes.com/recipe/25037/best-big-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie/

Dumbgurl04 · December 2017

Yes LOVE this I also do a ton of baking for the holidays. I always like to look up so new recipes and try new things besides my normal cookies, brownies and oreo balls.

Last year I saw this recipe on facebook and made them. Everyone seemed to enjoy them, so if you like the movie Elf these cookies look like his morning spaghetti
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a50400/buddy-the-elf-cookies-recipe/

rach-j · December 2017

@ladythrice Lemon bars are my absolute favorite! Definitely trying this recipe for holiday parties this year!

irenejean · December 2017

These are my favorite holiday cookies, hands down. My friends love them too and this recipe has been shared countless times. The only edit I have is that I don't add the nuts:
https://allrecipes.com/recipe/9707/cranberry-pumpkin-cookies/

Correction, my other edit is that I add half a bag of white chocolate chips in addition to omitting the nuts. The white chocolate and fresh cranberries in the cookie are perfection!

Edited to add: this recipe is a variation of the above recipe, but the technique used here is a little more complicated. Sharing this though because I like the spices and the amounts of spices in this recipe a little better:

https://www.whiskingthroughlife.com/2014/11/pumpkin-cranberry-white-chocolate-chip.html

ladythrice · December 2017

@rach-j and they are SO EASY. I love lemon squares and was afraid to try and making them thinking they would be more complicated. Thankfully they aren't!

ladythrice · December 2017

Loving all the recipes. Keep em coming!!

sapphires-and-diamonds · December 2017

Normally I do peppermint bark and truffles.
The bark is so easy: melt some good quality white chocolate (or if you're not into white whatever your preference), a few drops of peppermint extract, smashed up candy canes. Spread over parchment paper and refrigerate, then break into pieces.
Truffles I may not do this year because they're a pain in my ass to coat. The recipe is simple as well. I do the Oreo version, which is Oreos (any flavor crushed in food processor) mixed with cream cheese then rolled into balls (I use a cookie dough scoop). Refrigerate for a few hours then dip into melted chocolate. If anyone has done these and knows of an easy way, please let me know!
So in lieu of truffles I am doing sugar cookies because DS is old enough to help decorate. Anyone have a good sugar cookie recipe?

sjn00 · December 2017

Now im hungry... lol! Im not much of a baker, but y'all have inspired me! Thank you!

julzy · December 2017

Love this idea! I’m supposed to be gluten free due to a wheat allergy. Anyone have good gluten free cookie recipes? I haven’t mastered gluten feee baking yet!

frenchiekinplusone · December 2017

@julzy ughhh GF baking is so hard! DH went gluten free last fall and I tried cookies for thanksgiving and different ones for Xmas and they were terrible. Legit the texture of sand. Found out the hard way with the first ones that you CANNOT just substitute GF flour for regular flour in a recipe, lol. Since then I’ve only used cookie and brownie mixes from Bobs Red Mill, which are actually great. I might try from scratch again this Xmas but will do a home test run first. I’ll report back if I find anything good!!

tooraloorah · December 2017

DH is the baker here. I’ll see what recipes he uses for his cookies. They’re awesome.

A family traditional cookie is the pizzelle and I don’t know my grandmother’s recipe but I know I only like her pizzelle’s because she uses anise extract and anise seeds.

Mattel · December 2017

We are away for the weekend so I don’t have any of my recipes. @sapphires-and-diamonds I have a couple different good recipes for cutouts at home I will post tomorrow.

I have one one that is so easy and fun to do with little helpers. You mix one can of vanilla frosting with a few drops of peppermint extract, to your taste. You can color the frosting red or green if you want. You make a sandwich with the frosting and Ritz crackers, then dip the whole thing in melted chocolate. You can decorate them with crushed candy canes or sprinkles while they’re still wet. The salt and chocolate and vanilla and peppermint..... yummmmm.

sapphires-and-diamonds · December 2017

@Mattel those sound yummy! Also fun (and easy) for little ones!

pghren · December 2017

@sapphires-and-diamonds I only use the Betty Crocker sugar cookie recipe. Skip the almond extract and do that amount in more vanilla. The key is pulling them out of the oven at the right time.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-sugar-cookies/90993177-b5fe-4cc7-a6b6-8f58913d36e8

sapphires-and-diamonds · December 2017

@allowachick thank you!

mikkimikey · December 2017

Mint chocolate brownies. Totally easy and totally YUM!

https://www.wineandglue.com/mint-chocolate-brownies/

appleblossom8317 · December 2017

@julzy Macarons are gluten free! They're made with almond flour. They aren't the easiest to master, but if you have a little patience, they are amazing! You can make them in so many flavors as well. I have a pretty solid and easy chocolate macaron with chocolate ganache recipe if you'd like it. You can google them as well- which is where I find my recipes for all of them.

ekendall09 · December 2017

one of our family favorites is the spritz cookie and we use the cookie press to make various holiday shapes. We didn't frost ours growing up but I have with DD the past couple years. (frosting of powder sugar and milk until good consistency).

I don't have my grandmothers recipe on hand but I know i've googled generic "spritz cookie" and they are all basically the same. The almond extract is what makes them the best!

icalynn · December 2017

This is one of our favorite cookies we make them year round. https://www.thebellevieblog.com/himym-sumbitch-cookies/

structuralmama · December 2017

We always make buckeye balls, but use dark chocolate so some of the lactose intolerant family members can share in the yumminess. https://allrecipes.com/recipe/15171/buckeye-balls-ii/

ladythrice · December 2017

I made these "Easy Decadent Truffles" and they are delicious! I followed some of the tips in the comments on recommended adjustments to some amounts of ingredients and I'm pretty impressed.

https://allrecipes.com/recipe/41236/easy-decadent-truffles/

sapphires-and-diamonds · December 2017

ladythrice said:

I made these "Easy Decadent Truffles" and they are delicious! I followed some of the tips in the comments on recommended adjustments to some amounts of ingredients and I'm pretty impressed.

https://allrecipes.com/recipe/41236/easy-decadent-truffles/

My mom makes these and they are super yummy. She rolls hers in coconut. Definitely one of my favorites she makes for Christmas.

ladythrice · December 2017

sapphires-and-diamonds said:

ladythrice said:

I made these "Easy Decadent Truffles" and they are delicious! I followed some of the tips in the comments on recommended adjustments to some amounts of ingredients and I'm pretty impressed.

https://allrecipes.com/recipe/41236/easy-decadent-truffles/

My mom makes these and they are super yummy. She rolls hers in coconut. Definitely one of my favorites she makes for Christmas.

What a great idea! I got lazy... tired from all the baking I was doing... and ended up just rolling these ones in cocoa powder. Next time I make these I'll definitely try all the different ideas for coatings!

mrs_massie · December 2017

I havent seen anyone post anything about "Magic Bars" but they are my all time favorite. They are just so easy to make too and if you dont like an ingredient you can substitute just about any other sweets.

I use a 9x13 baking pan
1 cup graham cracker crumbs mixed with a melted stick of butter. When its the consistency of wet sand, spread it on the bottom of the baking pan. Use the back of a spoon to mush it and spread it around. It wont look like its enough to fill the bottom, but it is because you only need a thin layer.
Then you pour a small can of sweetened condensed milk over the graham cracker crust and evenly spread that around too.
Next, a thick layer of chocolate chips.
Then a layer of chopped walnuts.
Top with a layer of coconut (a lot of people dont like coconut, but the chocolate and graham cracker really disguise the coconut flavor).
Pack it all down with a fork and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until the coconut starts to toast.
Cute it into squares like brownies.

They are always a hit!
@julzy these could easily be made gluten free too if you can find gluten free crumbs!

g_amoss · December 2017

I was looking for a different recipe when I found one for Pumpkin Pecan Pie (so yummy)! It’s an old print out, but it’s basically the recipe below, but in 2 9inch grahm cracker crusts. Made my version today and going to sample it before taking second one to Christmas party tomorrow

ladythrice · December 2017

Oh man, I went crazy this weekend. I think I'm done baking... maybe one more thing... but then I'm done!

Here's my list of completed cookies/candies:

Chocolate Almond Cups
Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
Truffles
Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies
Lemon Bar Squares
Sugar Cookies with frosting

I think I want to do one more Chocolate coconut candy... we shall see

ekendall09 · December 2017

anyone have any good diary free recipes!? ughhhh..we're fairly certain DD has a dairy sensitivity as a minimum and i'm trying to adapt. I bought lactose free butter to attempt spritz cookies but am at a loss since so much revolves around dairy in the bake world!

ladythrice · December 2017

@ekendall09 Hmmm, as long as you have an acceptable butter substitute I think most recipes I made this year would be compliant! Unless the chocolate has milk in them... But I'm pretty sure its easy to find chocolate chips that are dairy free (/vegan friendly). I think the Costco brand is dairy free!

ekendall09 · December 2017

@ladythrice enjoy life makes dairy/soy free choc chips! I've never baked with either so it'll be a trial and error type of deal i'm sure!

pghren · December 2017

@ekendall09 my go-to butter substitute is coconut oil, but it may spread more than you'd expect with butter

rach-j · December 2017

@mikkimikey Made your brownie recipe and everyone loved them!

ngolimento · December 2017

@Irenejean I tried the secind pumpkin cookie recipe ypu posted and they are aaaamaaaazing! Thank you so much, I think I will rock my office cookie exchange.

mikkimikey · December 2017

rach-j said:

@mikkimikey Made your brownie recipe and everyone loved them!

Ahhhhh, that’s so exciting!!! I’m glad y’all liked it!

Want a personalized experience?

Holiday Baking Recipe Share

Re: Holiday Baking Recipe Share

Choose Another Board

Search Boards