What Are You Baking For The Holiday Season?
Five years running and right after Thanksgiving, it’s time to talk holiday baking!
This year has felt slightly different for me since I have a bun in the oven. I wasn’t sure what I’d be able to bake, if I’d have time, when I’d have time and all that jazz – and heck, I still don’t! I figured I’d be too tired or pregnant to want to bake anything for the holidays, but it couldn’t be less true. I am PUMPED to bake, and that means a lot coming from a non-baker like me. Obviously, it’s the Mother Lovett nostalgia. I think it also means a lot when day in and out I have to cook food and test it multiple times and style and photograph it, so making recipes from years past without all those strings attached is mind-numbingly wonderful.
I’m still slightly concerned about timing – most of my cookie making and holiday foodie gifts don’t take place until mid-to-late December. I never freeze anything. And this year, that probably won’t be possible. But I am still going balls to wall with the holiday cookies while I can. We love to take humongous, obnoxious cookie trays everywhere we go over the holidays.
These are on the (very-ambitious-while-10-months-pregnant) list. Let me know below what you’re baking!
homemade peppermint pattie cookies. favorite favorite favorite.
and while we’re at it: homemade peppermint pattie brownies. UGH. these are so, so good.
homemade baklava. made in one pan, it’s fairly simple. and I’ve been CRAVING it.
cake batter chocolate bark. it’s just too fun to pass up.
classic peanut butter blossoms. I can’t stop with these. I don’t love the kiss but this was my favorite cookie growing up.
chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. one of the only ways I enjoy oatmeal…
chocolate fudge pistachio thumbprints. I’m not sure if my pistachio obsession needs explaining?
sparkling white chocolate lemon truffles. these are so different and so pretty.
soft snickerdoodles. no words.
soft gingersnaps. I’ve made this recipe for five years running and it’s to DIE for. no one in my family (including myself) likes traditional gingerbread, but these are pure perfection.
giant rainbow cookies. these are SO adaptable. and so delicious.
double chocolate cheesecake cookies. yes. cookies and cheesecake.
holiday thumbprints. complete with mother lovett’s pink and green food coloring, these are a total throwback but a tradition. not my favorite, but my mom and aunt love them. I will eat one to honor ML!
crazy confetti compost cookies. totally trashed up and oh-so good.
chocolate fudge s’mores thumbprints. I’m all over the s’mores.
mother lovett’s orange cookies. another tradition that makes me super nostalgic.
mocha coconut fudge. I love to make this version because Mother Lovett’s fudge was killer. This is my favorite flavor!
oreo truffles. HUGE throwback. old school. biggest hit ever.
the last few years, my cousin and I have also made Tracy’s candy cane vodka, homemade amaretto (always a gigantic hit), candied citrus peels and last year – my homemade cocktail bitters. I’m thinking at least two of these (especially the amaretto… for me) will make the cut this year.
Spill it – what’s on your list?!
50 Comments on “What Are You Baking For The Holiday Season?”
Oh yes. This is exactly why the holidays are the best. I’m probably going to be baking a yule log :)
Thanks for the round up – I love holiday baking! Hard to believe it is almost December.
Oh my that baklava looks amazing. Way to sneak that photo in at the end. I always need to make peppermint bark, chocolate krinkle cookies, and frosted sugar cookies.
oh man, what a great list! I’ll be making your crispy chocolate peanut butter cookie dough truffles again this year, along with butter toffee, crackled sugar cookies, and probably some linzer cookies, since I bought special linzer cookie cutters on sale last year & need to actually, you know, use them. Those soft gingersnaps might have just been added to my list too. YUM.
Also after reading this list, I think I’m definitely going to make some amaretto to give as gifts, and depending on time, may give the candied citrus peels a go as well.
Happy holidays from a fellow Pittsburgher!
I love your list, we have been delivering trays in my family for 15 years. It like to include black&whites, TKO’s, black bottom coconut bars and lemon glazed shortbread. We love your chocolate pistachio cookies!
We’re making gingerbread cake balls and eggnog cheesecake bars and that baklava looks like it might need to happen also!
Last year I made this chocolate peppermint roll cake for my boyfriend’s family and they loved it–this year I want to go all out and decorate it with meringue mushrooms so it really looks like a yule log. http://joythebaker.com/2011/12/chocolate-peppermint-roll-with-chocolate-ganache/
Also, I can’t wait to make these almond butter thumbprints with salted caramel again–I think they’re the best cookies I’ve made. To make them more festive, is it bad if I dye some sea salt red and green and sprinkle that on top? http://www.acalculatedwhisk.com/2014/10/almond-butter-thumbprints-with-salted.html
Oh man, give me alllllll the sweets!! This list is extensive and totally delicious!
This summer I made a chocolate cayenne pepper cookie – very wintery. it was awesome!
For my family’s Christmas festivities I’m baking chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodles, and Italian butter cookies, and peanut butter blossoms. All classics, per the requests of the family. I may also throw in pecan pie thumbprints.
For the office I’m either making pancake cupcakes with maple buttercream frosting with bacon crumbles on top OR those delicious-looking chocolate fudge pistachio thumbprints.
Decisions, decisions…
Yay for holiday baking! Wish I could come bake with you! I would make you dozens and dozens of gingersnaps:) xo
The baklava. OMG.
Yaay, it’s cookie baking time! Wonderful recepies!
I had that nostalgia too, but for my mom. I found that I cook and bake most during pregnancy and the first two months of babyville mostly because I want to taste the memories of my childhood.
Last year we did a big baking party and made a ton of things, but I haven’t decided what to do this year! I really want to make a massive batch of homemade cinnamon rolls and deliver them to all my neighbors Christmas morning, but I’m not sure. It’s my very first time waking up in my own home on Christmas morning since having kids so I don’t know if I’ll just want to lounge in pajamas and open presents instead!
I went Black Friday shopping for the very first time and OMG was that hysterical. I wanted to buy everything in the two stores we visited, one of which was A.C. Moore. I ambitiously almost bought a bunch of Christmas themed cupcake liners and cookie tins and such, but at the last second I put them back.
I’m really excited for you to have this baby!!! And then you can do so much shopping for tiny booties and hats and toys and such!
Now that I’ve written you a whole long email, I’m going to stop lol.
Here’s what my holiday bake-list looks like (…if all goes according to plan!)…
Sweet Soliders from Bakerella — http://www.bakerella.com/sweet-soldiers/
I’ve wanted to make these for years, but always leave it too last minute and then I can’t find all of the components for the soldiers. They’re in the “Cake Pops — Holidays” book. They look so cute. I hope they turn out! Knowing me, their faces will be crumply oval shaped blobs, but oh well!
These jumbo gingerbread men from Sweetapolita — http://sweetapolita.com/2012/12/jumbo-gingerbread-folk/ It seems like a fun activity for kids. I have siblings that are 13 years younger than me…and triplets…I might invite them over to make them with me.
My fave Toblerone shortbreads cookies.
I’m going to make this cake for my work potluck. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peppermint-layer-cake-with-candy-cane-frosting.html Candy canes. Yum.
This Martha Stewart cheesecake looks fun. My mom has an annual Xmas party for family & friends every year. I’m thinking of baking it and bringing it along.
http://www.marthastewart.com/317381/gingerbread-cheesecake?center=0&gallery=274405&slide=260558
I’m taking French lessons on Monday evenings and for the last class before Xmas we were told to bring some sort of International food to celebrate the end of the year. I’m going to attempt to make this croquembouche. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/candy-cane-croquembouche.html Too much? At least it’s a French pastry for French class!
This Gingerbread Caramel Corn looks like I would eat it all in one sitting. http://shaunasever.com/2013/12/gingerbread-caramel-corn.html
My infamous decorated sugar cookies will def be on the list as well. I just need to find the time. I usually make about six dozen decent sized cookies…I find it rather therapeutic to decorate them, but it’s definitely time consuming.
Also hoping to bake the gingerbread cookies from the Sprinkle Bakes book.
I’ll be obese by the holidays I think :-/
Share lots of photos on instagram of all your baking!!!
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i just loooove holiday baking too. I’ve been cooking up a storm last week with all sorts of delicious holiday baking things and I have to remind myself every once in a while that I should be eating savory things too! Lol. Great ideas you have here!
I love coming back to your lists like this every year! You always have the best ideas. I’m always super inspired :)
I have to confess I gasped when I clicked over to see this lovely today…seriously, it was embarrassing… maybe because I’ve had enough pumpkin pie, chocolate peppermint brownies sound divine. Still finalizing the baking list which I really need to do because baking starts this week! It’s always hard to make all the traditional favorites but try something new and still keep the list to under 16 kinds….but clearly from what I’ve read above, I’m not the only one with a long list of sweet baking wishes!
I WANT TO MAKE EVERYTHING YOU POSTED! But specifically, I will be baking a lot of blondie and brownie varieties for the holidays :)
Too many to list here!! I’m interested in your bitters, they look amazing!! Where did you buy your tonka beans? Every place I look they say they can’t ship them to the US!
As for baking pregnant…it’s great!! Had 2 of my sons in January and the other the 19th of December…so I know!! lol!
Oh my gosh I cannot pick just one. Everything looks yummy!
-Anne’s Scribbles and Doodles-
I’ve been making a lot of Nipples of Venus as well as other truffles like coffee cream and pumpkin pie spice. I’m more of a candy maker than a cookie baker so I’ll probably make salt&pepper bark with dark and white chocolates, all kinds of rocas like almond roca, pistachio roca and cashew roca, and maybe some Butterfinger and Milky Way candy bars. Obviously the list isn’t complete; I’ll just end up making whatever strikes my fancy when it’s time to create.
Love this time of year! You’ve got a great list going…wish we were neighbors so we could visit each others dirty kitchens all through the season :)
My list grows every year; right now I have:
Grandma’s cut outs
Grandma’s frosted date cookies
Candy Cane Snowballs
Almond sugar cookies
Swedish coconut cookies
Thumbprints
Toffee Cresents
Irish cream sandwich cookies
PB cup cookies
Toblerone almond cookies
The best Gingersnaps
Lemon tea cookies
Espresso dipped cookies
Dark Chocolate sugar cookies with white chocolate drizzle
Eggnog logs
Lime Coconut snowballs
Mexican wedding cookies
Hot chocolate cookies
Butter Rum Triangles
Cornflake wreaths (kids love these!)
French Pistachio Buttercreams (my very favorite!!)
M&M white chocolate pretzels
Homemade Toffee
Chocolate covered coconut
It’s more joy to give these as, typically, most people don’t do that much baking, than it even is to eat them (for me anyway)…I look forward to seeing all you create this year!! xo
Megan where do you live in Michigan I want to come bake with you!! all your your treats sound amazing. signed Sheila also in the mitten ;)
All these delicious pictures are making me hungry for sweets! Especially cookies :)
Yum! I have cut my list back this year but have to make icebox cookies, birds nests and oatmeal gumdrop cookies. My MIL is making some family favs as well ~ old time family favs like shortbread, cherry balls and peanut butter balls ~ so good ~ cannot wait!!
I just don’t even! Too many choices!
About the PB blossoms… I switched to using those Dove holiday chocolates with a snowflake on? They are thinner so they soften all the way and when they re-solidify, they have the texture of ganache and bonus cute snowflake on top! I never liked the hard chunky kiss on top either…
omg… thank you!
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My mom & I always make butter cookies & pizzelles, and last year we made italian 7 layer cookies (sometimes called rainbow cookies), and here’s hoping we’re continuing that tradition this year.
I love your list! you’re going to be sooo busy!
this year I am making Krispy chocolate/peppermint bark, Nutter butter truffles, Oreo truffles, sugar cookies, and cinnamon roll cookies
Have fun in your kitchen this holiday!
No matter how hard I try, I just cannot get on board with peanut butter as a holiday baking flavour! I like to be more Christmas themed with my Christmas baking, haha. It wouldn’t be Christmas in my house without my mother’s shortbread cookies, so I always make those. This year I think I will also do some chewy ginger molasses cookies, imitation Cranberry Bliss (Starbucks) bars, and some salted caramel snickerdoodles. That seems like a manageable list!
I’m probably going to make those Fat Fluffy Snickerdoodles tonight – because Monday-after-a-holiday blues, and because they sound delicious and comforting – and I cracked up reading how Mother Lovett called the cookies “fat” and you “plump” when you were 13. My Mommom (now passed away, as well) also made a comment about me being “puffy” when I was a teenager, and I took great offense to it. She also kept longggg-expired food in her kitchen. Definitely miss the matriarchs around this time of year even more. Thank you for sharing!
Totally making your fluffy snickerdoodles now, and I’ll make Tracy’s bourbon caramels and tropical bark again, and my take on her krispy peppermint bark using pretzels instead of Krispies – crunchy, salty, creamy peppermint goodness.
I love your holiday baking round ups. It helps motivate my to do list. I also love that you wrote “going balls to the wall with the holiday cookies”. It the best way to sum up my own mind set with holiday baking. Best wishes to you and yours this holiday season.
This all looks absolutely fantastic! I was already thinking about baking my first batch of Christmas cookies, and now I MUST ;)
I have been gluten free (sigh) for the past 2 christmases and it presents its issues with holiday baking though i do ok.
so far on my list
peanut blossoms – the kiss is the best part : )
coconut macaroons
maybe some GF sugar cookies though i dont want to waste my time if they are crappy
butterfinger truffles
cabernett dark choc truffles
peanut butter fudge
mexican chocolate fudge
almond orange snowballs
hawaiian choc bark (with macadamian nuts & coconut)
etc
I’m looking everywhere for GF white chocolate. Anyone seen any ? i love white chocolate fudge w gluten free oreos but cant find any “good” white chocolate anywhere that is GF.
not positive about the ingredients here – but have you tried lindt white chocolate?? http://www.lindtusa.com/shop/chocolates/white-chocolate/white-chocolate-classic-recipe-bar
Lindt is all contaminated with gluten : (
thanks though for the suggestion.
http://sweetbsimpressions.blogspot.com/2014/11/cookie-monster.html
Here’s the link to my annual cookie baking list. It’s cookie season!
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Definitely making more of this chocolate babka: http://challahwithdinner.blogspot.com/2014/12/salted-chocolate-babka-two-loaves.html
I used to make a whole list of yummage. Even individually wrapped caramels, but then came four kids in five years and I paired it down to a few good things. Gingerbread Caramel Corn -easy to make a big batch and bag up
Cinnamon Rolls – also easy to make a big batch and make in pretty tins with a bow for friends and neighbors
Salted Pretzel Toffee – also easy and makes a big batch
someday I will get back to all the fancy cookies, maybe ;)
Love your list!
I always make snickerdoodles and a new cookie I’ve never tried before. But this year I might be making three cookies instead of two since I’ll also be making oreo cheesecake cookies. On the list is also Savory Sweet Life’s Black Tie Cheesecake and I am eyeing the oreo truffles and sparkling lemon truffles on this list.
My list grows daily. So far this is what is on my mind:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Confetti Cookies
Peppermint Cookies or Brownies
Peanut Butter cookies (which I’m going to smoosh milk chocolate chips into the top of like my fav local bakery does)
Snickerdoodles
Mexican Wedding Cookies
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Jessica, I just discovered your blog and add me to your lost as a big fan!
Cookies are my passion too! I can think of no better way to end a meal than with a cookie. Here’s what I’ve been baking!
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-first-night-of-chanukah-pecan-toffee-squares/http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-second-night-of-chanukah-oat-pistachio-cookies/
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-third-night-of-chanukah-macadamia-coconut-white-chocolate-shortbread/
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-fourth-night-of-chanukah-perfect-chocolate-chunk-cookies/
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-fifth-night-of-chanukah-chocolate-crunch/
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-7th-night-of-chanukah-florentines/
http://www.saltandserenity.com/2015/12/on-the-8th-night-of-chanukah-chocolate-pretzel-peanut-butter-squares/
Jamaican fruit cake