Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and soon bellies will be full of turkey and pie. But after comes the most awaited holiday of them all: Christmas. With the holiday season arrives the craziness of Black Friday shopping, the adornments of Christmas decorations everywhere and, last but not least, the indulgence in baking sugary, seasonal treats.
If you’re looking to pass the time with more than just your last-minute shopping and Christmas day planning this December, this list of homemade recipes will attract the entire North Pole to your door.
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
If you miss the mintiness of mint chocolate chip ice cream but are too cold for a bite of that treat, these peppermint meltaway cookies will satisfy that desire. The soft, melty consistency of these cookies comes from the inclusion of one cup of unsalted butter, which is a perfect substitution if you’re craving a treat that melts in your mouth.
While the cookies themselves have peppermint extract in them to really capture the ideal flavor, the buttercream frosting is what truly takes the cake (or in this case, the cookie). The ingredients of vanilla and peppermint extracts, crushed candy canes and a drop of red food coloring come together to serve as the best, colorful topping on these bites of Christmas.
Gingerbread Latte Cookies
Gingerbread houses are more for decoration than consumption, so an edible alternative for that classic gingerbread taste are these gingerbread latte cookies. Nothing is more festive during the Christmas holiday than gingerbread, and these cookies will give Santa a run for his money.
Combining two kinds of ginger, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and more are just what is needed to give the cookies a burst of the right amount of ginger flavor. Topped with a coating of granulated sugar, espresso powder and ground ginger, no one can resist this substitute for their usual gingerbread men.
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Are you tired of the typical cup of hot chocolate for your winter mornings? If so, these cupcakes will change your taste buds’ perception of what “hot chocolate” truly is. Using actual hot chocolate powder in the baking process, the cupcakes contain the same amount of chocolate-y richness as their hot cocoa counterpart.
The cupcake itself is not the only interesting twist to a typical cupcake recipe. As all cupcakes need a perfect crown of icing, the recipe’s marshmallow buttercream frosting will make you forget all about the tiny marshmallows that melt so easily in a mug of hot cocoa. With the perfect amount of caster sugar for the meringue and syrup, it replicates the likeness of an actual marshmallow.
Fruitcake
My introduction to fruitcake was from a Spongebob Christmas special episode, and that is all I think of when I hear the name of this seasonal treat. If you’re similar to me in associating the cake with a childhood cartoon, or you’re just looking to bake a classic for this Christmas’ dinner, then look no further than this fruitcake recipe.
As the name suggests, this recipe calls for sweeter versions of its chosen fruit, such as candied pineapple and candied cherries, as well as golden raisins. As chef Lindsey Farr talks about on her website, it is her grandmother’s recipe and it is perfectly moist. While it does include brandy as an ingredient to maintain the moistness, a non-alcoholic alternative can be orange juice or apple cider.
Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Bars
This recipe for sugar cookie cheesecake bars is the perfect mix of a creamy cheesecake and a soft sugar cookie. Using a tube of Pillsbury Ready-to-Bake Sugar Cookie Dough, this recipe turns the cookie portion into a crust for its cheesecake creaminess. Then, sprinkling Christmas-colored sprinkles on the crust to bake simply enhances the festiveness of the dessert.
In addition to topping these bars off with sprinkles, you can also add a dollop of whipped cream when serving to add to the fluffiness of the bars.
Peppermint Bark Brownies
Brownies are always a good go-to for any holiday get-together, but transforming them into these peppermint bark brownies will really get your family and friends talking about your baking skills. No matter what, people love peppermint bark during Christmas time, even if it is just a topping in this case.
The recipe starts with a standard brownie recipe, then it ascends to something greater when you begin making the peppermint frosting and the bark. It’ll look similar to the cheesecake bars, but the frosting and abundant chocolate barks placed on top will make you want to bake this every Christmas instead of just regular peppermint bark.
