What Are You Baking For The Holiday Season?
For the fourth year in a row, we are talking COOKIES! Like lots and lots of cookies and holiday things. Delicious holiday things.
If you’ve been reading along, you know I love to bake a ton around the holidays. Even though I’m really much more of a cook than a baker, it stems from baking with Mother Lovett every Christmas for years and years and years. Once I was busier with school and activities, she’d usually make the dough but we’d still bake the cookies together. Doing this is therapeutic, mind numbing and nostalgic for me. I.love.it. We also love to take big cookie platters of treats (Eddie makes the BEST ones) to friends’/family’s homes over the holidays.
I’ve shared my list the past few years of things I hope to bake, but since my recipes are growing and growing, the list is getting seriously out of control. Believe it or not, this is my narrowed down list. I’m embarrassing. Last year due to some last minute travel, I missed out on a ton of my planned baking. I still managed to make a cookie or three, but nothing like I’d hoped. We’ll see how this year pans out.
Also, one of the biggest questions I get every year is about freezing cookies. I am not an expert in that because I do what Mother Lovett did and my own mom still does… keep them outside in the garage. Yes. I promise it’s not as white trash as it sounds. The weather here is usually freezing, the cookies are sealed as if they are made of fragile blown glass (think layers and layers of plastic wrap and foil in sealed containers) and we set them on shelves in our ice cold garages. It works. So in that sense, yes I think that most of these cookies will freeze well.
So… here we go. Please tell me what you’re baking! Leave me some links! Throw them my way!
double chocolate cheesecake cookies. they are so rich!
cake batter chocolate bark. we’ve loved it for years, but what’s really fun is the color pop it adds to cookie trays.
fat fluffy snickerdoodles. seriously adore this recipe.
and snickerchipdoodle cookies. made up… and amazing.
chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. an all-time favorite.
homemade peppermint pattie cookies. i’m such a sucker for chocolate and milk.
also, homemade peppermint pattie brownies. i think i like these even more than the cookies.
traditional peanut butter blossoms. growing up, this was my favorite cookie. i don’t even like the kiss. but still.
chewy lemon cookies. lemon is a recent thing for me but i find it super refreshing. these are a nice change from the chocolate extravaganza.
on the same note, these sparkling white chocolate lemon truffles. last year was the first year for these and – such a hit. so pretty too.
soft gingersnaps. i’m not a fan of gingerbread whatsoever, but these cookies do me in. we’ve made them for four years straight.
holiday thumbprints. obviously this a big throwback recipe and was one of Mother Lovett’s specialties. my mom loves them.
along with butterball cookies. i don’t go very nuts for these, but my mom and aunt do. total nostalgia in a dough ball.
homemade baklava. this is a labor of love.
giant rainbow cookies. i use this for basic chocolate chip cookies, as well as stuffed with red and green m&m’s.
peanut butter pretzel chocolate chip cookie bites. so crunchy.
crazy confetti compost cookies. is there a more “me” cookie?
these easy no-bake peanut butter cookies. so different.
salted dark chocolate truffle cookies. so much chocolate.
mother lovett’s orange cookies. huge family fave.
chocolate fudge s’mores thumbprints. you know i live and die for anything s’mores.
loaded chocolate bourbon fudge. because, um… bourbon.
mocha coconut fudge. one of the most popular recipes on my site, this is a modern remake of Mother Lovett’s old school favorite.
gooey chocolate coconut truffles. it doesn’t get much easier than this.
oreo balls. i don’t care how overdone these get. i never get sick of them.
crispy chocolate peanut butter truffles. a slightly kicked up buckeye. you know i need some texture.
old school creme de menthe brownies. these taste like childhood.
59 Comments on “What Are You Baking For The Holiday Season?”
These all look and sound incredible! Can’t wait to try some of the recipes this season! :) Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I want to eat all of those. I’ve been posting a few holiday-themed recipes on my blog since November, feel free to check them out! My blog is German but I have a translation tool.
Here are my Gingerbread Man-Cookies: http://fightoff-yourdemons.blogspot.com/2013/11/gingerbread-cookies.html
My Speculoos Muffins: http://fightoff-yourdemons.blogspot.com/2013/11/speculoos-muffins.html
My Hazelnut & Chestnut Cake: http://fightoff-yourdemons.blogspot.com/2013/11/haselnuss-maronen-kuchen.html
And my Almond Truffles: http://fightoff-yourdemons.blogspot.com/2013/11/mandel-pralinen-mit-weier-schokolade.html
I know, recipe overload, sorry! But I just love baking for Christmas.
Love, Julia
When I see some of these links and pics, like the easy no-bake peanut butter cookies from 2010, I actually remember that post! And it brings back memeories of what I was doing, where I was living, age of my child, etc. I love it when you dig up some gems from your archives!
And you dont like gingerbread/molasses? Who knew! I made a soft molasses gingerbread cookie a couple weeks ago with no butter – just coconut oil – and they’re my faves ever.
Can’t wait to see what you make this season!
I am bitten by the cookie bug too. I have made so many right now it is over crowding my kitchen.
Some of these recipes are great!
Thanks for sharing, lots of wonderful recipes there….will be a hard decision to choose which ones. I will also be making some gingerbread men (cookies) :) Yum! Will need to increase my running to make up for all these cookies haha!
Your Christmas baking list is my go to every year. I have already started my Christmas baking working off of your 2012 list. However, I just added a couple more to my list after looking at the 2013 list. Can’t wait to try the truffles!
What an incredible list! So much holiday baking inspiration. Thanks for that. I started with the Christmas cookie business already a few weeks ago. Every year I face the same problem: where to start and where, oh where, to stop!?! The next 3 weeks I’ll be covered in flour and sugar.
Like you, I LIVE for Christmas cookie season. I’m planning on making batches and batches of Fudge Crackle Cookies (http://kinseycooks.com/2013/07/15/fudge-crackle-cookies/), some of my Salted Pretzel, Speculoos, Chocolate Chunk Cookies (http://kinseycooks.com/2013/10/28/salted-pretzel-chocolate-chunk-speculoos-cookies/), and some Meyer Lemon Lavender Cookies (http://kinseycooks.com/2013/05/16/meyer-lemon-lavender-cookies/), and well as any other cookie recipes that come my way (gingersnaps? I’m coming for you!). Best of luck to all of you cookie bakers out there!
Baking becomes a full time job for me a couple of weeks before Christmas. My husband’s family – each family/older kid not living at home anymore get a box of cookies from me. It usually ends up being 12-15 boxes, depending on the year. Each one usually has 2 dozen cookies. I make some extras and give them to neighbors and friends.
Each year, there’s usually a (smaller scale) complimentary side. One year I did homemade chocolate truffles, another pb & chocolate fudge and yet another various takes on that saltine/chocolate bark (omitting saltines and using pretzels for one batch, graham crackers/marshmallows, etc)
Why do I do this to myself?!!?! :)
Your snickerdoodles & rainbow cookies have replaced my old standbys…so thank you, Jessica!
So many of these are going onto my “Must Make” list this year. They all sound so incredibly delicious! I can’t wait to get started. In fact, I plan to try at least 2 or 3 recipes today so THANK YOU for sharing today!
Oh man, I adore this list! I can’t wait to try those lemon truffles! My 12 year old niece and I have recently gotten into the habit of baking together and last Christmas we did a big day of baking and delivering to friends and famil. So fun! Can’t wait to add a few of these to our trays.
These all look amazing! I just started my holiday baking with a bunch of lemon sugar cookies for a Hanukah party. They had to be VEGAN and nut-free, but they were SO good! Coconut oil really gives butter a run for its money: http://www.acalculatedwhisk.com/2013/11/lemon-sugar-cookies-vegan-nut-free.html
All of these recipes sound fantastic! I am definitely going to try a couple!
during the holidays i like to whip up these figgy pudding cookies:
http://theactorsdiet.com/2011/12/09/bring-us-some-figgy-pudding-cookies/
I wrote a post about my holiday baking plan, but after seeing all of these ideas I think it just about quadrupled in length! :)
http://www.ahealthymrs.com/1/post/2013/11/a-few-of-my-favorite-things-christmas-baking.html
Wow these all sound DELICIOUS!!! I’m bookmarking all of these recipes =D
xoRosie
Oh my goodness,these all look and sound SO delicious. I’m so tempted to start going down the list and bake each kind of cookie.
But I can’t stop looking at the picture next to the brownies…. Anyone have any idea where I could find the recipe to THAT?! Because holy guacamole, does that look delicious or what?!
it’s the baklava! linked above.
Oh my goodness, thank you thank you!! I clicked on most of the links but I guess I skipped right over that one!
I’m all for holiday baking!! (Well, pretty much baking at all times of the year.
I am planning on making my Nutella Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting that I made a while back:
http://atasteofmadness.blogspot.ca/2013/11/nutella-filled-chocolate-cupcakes-with.html
A cake for Xmas day and one for work,but I bake cookies every year, at least 4 different types (used to be 7 but it’s just me and the hubby now)! Hubby wants homemade Hobnobs and I am seriously jonesing for some American gingerbread cookies. I think I’m adding those chocolate truffle cookies to the mix too, thanks!!!
I want to make them all! Can I just call out of work until Christmas and make one of these each day? That would be ideal.
No way did you grow up putting your cookies in the garage!? We did this too! My parents live in Ohio and growing up with snow and FREEZING temps meant that the cookies stayed perfectly in tupperware in the garage throughout the holidays. Plus, it always gave us an excuse to continue to add to the stack. I can remember my dad always bringing in the stack of tupperware every night after dinner. It was a GROWING tower! it’s definitely different now for me though since I live in SC and don’t have that luxury….still too warm. :(
I can never decide on an exact list of things to make. It grow & grows til the point that I end up making all the traditional items AND THEN SOME! Buckeyes always hold the #1 spot though. I already made baklava for Thanksgiving and I’m on a hunt for the perfect fudge recipe. Mine is good, but I always like to look. :)
Last year, I made two cookies that will forever be my go-to Christmas cookies: meyer lemon cookies and rosemary lemon cookies. Both are mind-blowing and amazing. Obviously I tend to lean towards savory cookies but holy cow, these are good!
Meyer lemon: http://www.everylittlethingblog.com/2012/12/meyer-lemon-roll-out-cookies-for-christmas/
Rosemary lemon: http://www.everylittlethingblog.com/2012/12/food-blogger-cookie-swap/
It’s my favorite time of the year – cookie season! But for real, so many of these cookies look amazing. I always make my family’s version of Mexican wedding cookies, choc chip cookies and double choc chip cookies, saltine chocolate bark, and then the list grows from there to an insanely long list that I could never possibly eat. Last year I made chocolate crinkles and peppermint patty stuffed cookies, which are both making a repeat appearance this year. Umm the buckeye cookies from Michelle’s site, along with the peanut butter pretzel cookies. And for sure the peppermint brownies you linked to…
I now have every single recipe link from this post, open on my computer. I’m waiting for my internet to crash at any moment, haha.
I’m especially excited to make your “kicked up buckeye” treat. Ohio pride :D
Great recipes, as usual! I can’t even count how many of your recipes I’ve already tried, but I do remember all of them being 100% successful.
Are you crazy to post stuff that looks SOO delicious?! I almost tried to bite my computer …. :D kidding. :D
Sticking to the basics… making peanut butter blossoms, chocolate chip cookies and your snickerchipdoodle cookies :)… also think I might finally take a stab at baklava!
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Our family freaking LOVED your Sparkly Lemon Truffles last year….So elegant..so easy…SO delish!!!….Cannot wait to try out more of your options this year …just WHERE do you find the time to actually concoct these marvels?!
Love the outside/garage/make-shift “freezer” element….and I thought I was the ONLY one!…We retrieve them as the indoor “stores” dwindle…as needed!..I mummify varies sorts in wrap/foil and layer them in mega-huge Tupperware-ish storage containers…THE way to go!!
Your orange cookies look fab! My grandmother used to make ones that look exactly like that (also from Western PA!) , and my dad’s been making them the last few Christmas. Look’s like I’ll be joining the tradition!
Great list and normally I would be excited about trying something new since I normally start baking two weeks before Christmas and all of my Christmas gifts are something from the kitchen. This year; I close on a new home mid December and I just can’t imagine that effort in the current kitchen I’m using so there will be a break in that tradition.
Still, the only cookie I HAVE to have, whatever you might call them, are Pecan Butter Balls. More of a Scandinavian background than Mexican or Russian they are buttery, nutty round cookies covered with confectioner’s sugar. This is my grandmother’s recipe and I have had these cookies on a plate on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember…and this year will be no different!
http://www.creative-culinary.com/pecan-butter-balls/
Thanks for all the yummy recipes! I think you should definitely try one of my absolute favourites: lemon, ginger and thyme shortbread cookies!
http://www.weekitchen.com/2013/02/lemon-ginger-thyme-shortbread-recipe.html
I hope to make all of the cookies you listed…
And these! :-)
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/gingerbread+ninja+cookie+kit.do
I haven’t completely decided yet, but I’ve lately been wanting to make gingerbread cookies of some sort-I realized that I’ve never made any gingerbread related recipe, yet I love it! Also, buckeyes of course! And you reminded me that I need to try my hand at making baklava. My grandmother used to always make it and I have her recipe, but have always been hesitant to attempt it. Think I’ll try that this holiday season!
I made these for Thanksgiving – Healthier but Yummy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
http://peppermintandpaisley.com/2013/12/02/light-pumpkin-spice-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting/
Bekah made Sweet Potato Pie – http://peppermintandpaisley.com/2013/11/28/sweet-potato-pie/
I’m also going to make some tea-infused cupcakes and a variation of this popcorn
http://peppermintandpaisley.com/2013/03/14/chocolate-and-candy-cane-popcorn/:
haha, my family puts our cookies in the garage too (definitely picked that up from mom and grandma)…gave me a good chuckle….i always do snickerdoodles and peanut butter blossoms…this year i want to try your soft gingersnaps!
Christmas and baking cookies … part of the tradition with my girls. As for freezing the cookies … we always used to sneak the shortbread from the freezer when we were kids … still think it tastes best that way.
Those look wonderful fluffy and moist.
Great sweet treat with lots f spices,mmh!
Love it! 27 recipes…you go girl!! (A little 80’s encouragement for ya!)… I do about 18 recipes with my favorites being French pistachio buttercreams, chocolate dipped toffee crescents and candy cane snowballs….my grandmas cut out recipe are the labor of love in my stash! Pretty much every cookie I make has a frosting, dip, or filling….for me, a Christmas cookie isn’t complete without an embellishment…
I too do two citrus cookies to balance all the sugary sweetness…Coconut lime snowballs from two peas in a pod blog and Lemon Tea Sandwich cookies…
On feeezing cookies: Due to have our kitchen redone this fall I am wayyyyy behind; typically I start making and freezing dough in September…it all freezes perfectly when wrapped in wax paper and put in a ziplock. Then, when that mess is all done, I take the doughs out at my convenience and start baking. If that’s as early as November, I put the baked cookies back in freezer safe containers, and into a fridge or freezer (I have 3)….I have no issues, ever! In fact when I started doing this, I started getting more compliments! I think it’s cause it seals in the moisture so when they come to room temp, the cookies are perfect texture! HIGHLY RECOMMEND FREEZING DOUGH AND COOKIES!!
P.S. we keep them out in garage in the cold Michigan weather too… Happy baking Jess!!!
Chocolate Bourbon Fudge. Holy crap holy crap.
I just want to give a HUGE thank you for doing these holiday baking lists. I look forward to these every single year and rely on them for most of (and now, basically the entirety of) my holiday baking. Your recipes always turn out fabulous and I know I can rely on you for a cookie/treat tray that will always wow! I’ve never made a recipe of yours that hasn’t turned out 100% perfect, so thank you for always being such an inspiration and a pioneer of food creativity. I’m already looking forward to your Superbowl recipe list!!
I would love a platter with one (well, maybe two so I can share with the ♥) of each, please. I still need to bling something out for you!
which recipe is the first photo of the chocolate chip cookies from? they look soooo good!
They’re not very Christmasy, but every time I make these, they are gone within minutes! I’m definitely adding them to my Christmas cookie trays this year. http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2013/04/meltaway-lemon-cookies/
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These all sound AMAZING. The cake batter bark? I’m making it this holiday.
We have an awesome peppermint thumbprint recipe to share. Check it out: http://bit.ly/18UyKuO
the picture that is right below the crème de menthe brownie recipe, what are those? the gooey chocolate…mmmm
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I made the soft gingersnaps above yesterday!! I went to my first cookie swap. OMG. How fun and amazing. We had chocolate chip cookies with sea salt, ricotta cookies, molasses ( my absolute favorite) and parmesan cheese cookies, SO weird but SO good!