What I baked this winter break
Winter break and the holidays is the best time to try cookie recipes. Sharing them with friends makes it all the more better! (Spread joy, give some gifts, and you don't have to eat cookies for every meal to get rid of them all.) Of the cookies I made this break, here are some of my favorites and some tips on the recipes.
These cookies from Justine Snacks were A+ amazing! Melt in your mouth dark chocolate flavor and a fudgy texture, they were my Dad's #1. Coating the cookies in powdered sugar was hard, but I found it easiest to drop some liquid batter in a bowl of powdered sugar and roll it with a spoon until it became coated enough to pick up without a mess.
- A tip -
Next time I plan to add in cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg to make Mexican hot chocolate cookies!
Also from Justine Snacks, these Chai cookies were a delicious, with
just the right balance of chai and espresso flavor. These cookies are best straight out of the oven or within a few days... otherwise the cake-like texture becomes stale.
A quick and easy shortbread makes a great filler for a cookie assortment! Only a few ingredients, these are always SO easy to make and a favorite of mine. I always take them out right before they look fully done, this way they stay soft and not dry as they cool.
-A tip-
I added in nutmeg, cinnamon, and chopped craisins (dried cranberries) to make these more seasonal, with a sprinkle of crystalized sugar on top. You can mix in ANYTHING to these cookies and it will be good!
Ok these were delicious! I halved the recipe (as usual) and made a quick batch of these one afternoon. They turned out amazing! Definitely one for granola people and granola lovers. I'm eating the last one as I post this!
-A tip-
I added in nutmeg to this recipe as well as raisins and pepitas (that's green pumpkin seeds). The combination was amazing! I am totally making these again for my next long hiking trip camping trek.
If you're baking a lot of recipes, a banana bread just has to be one of them. It is perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, and with any topping. Banana bread always goes fast in our house! For this banana bread, we were running low on butter, so I used a 1 to 1 replacement of pumpkin puree. It turned out amazing, and an even better consistency than it usually is with butter! Plus, the pumpkin gave it such a pretty golden color.
Buckeyes are an easy, grab-and-go type of treat that are super fun and not too messy to make. These actually don't take an oven so they aren't technically baking. Still.
These weren't my best... the version without powdered sugar tastes more like peanut butter and chocolate than a sweet treat. They're still great for a boost of appetizing protein as a snack, and much less processed than a protein bar. I used coconut flour instead of almond flour, giving it a more powdery texture, and topped the buckeyes with sesame seeds!
Of course my Christmas present to my dog had to be another homemade baked good! This recipe turned out really well, and he loved them! ... even though I halved it... and forgot the coconut oil... and didn't measure anything. But it turned out great!
-A tip-
I topped these "dog donuts" with something my dog loves, berries! Of course, he's a little odd, so you could always top it with bacon or sausage or fish skins for a more regular dog treat.
Baking is one of my favorite parts of the holidays. Being home and stuck inside from the cold and snow calls for something fun to do, and baking fills that just fine. Plus, it's a hobby that can be enjoyed by everyone in your household... after it comes out of the oven!
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