Holiday Baking Thread

[Anonymous]

I made cardamom cherry walnut rugelach (tastes good but looks messy, jam leaked), my times guchujang cookies, Mexican wedding cookies with dried cherries and pistachios and a variation of chocolate chip cookies with white chocolate, dark chocolate and hazelnuts. Hazelnut butter in the dough as well.

Also made an orange almond cake and making this tomorrow:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017758-sticky-cranberry-gingerbread?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.Y7ff._c1NPvQ2k9Yt&smid=share-url

And just finished Browning 12lbs of Swedish meatballs.

[Anonymous]

I have been having health problems since Thanksgiving, so I’ve only managed chocolate raspberry crumb bars and lemon cream cheese cookies this year. You do what you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid wanted to bake cookies for school club so I helped do molasses crinkles and brown butter snickerdoodles. 4 batches of cookies later, I'm pretty much done. I did 2 rounds of homemade chex mix (tabasco garlic, and a sweet&savory south Indian version) for neighbor/friend gifts. I was going to do homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, but the take-and-bakes were on sale and, well, I'm okay with that for this year. We always have way too many sweets and treats, even when I'm not the one making them!

I want some Chex mix. I’ll have to try and make some today. The stuff that you buy is just nowhere near the same.

+1
Chex mix is a great idea for us savory types on this baking thread.
I'll try to score some of these to swap out for the very unpopular pretzels:
They never have them at the grocery stores but I have seen them at cvs I think.

I made some at thanksgiving and it wasn’t as good as I remembered. I found the bagel chips at grocery store.

Thanks - yes bagel chips from around the deli aisle will work! I wonder why it wasn't as good this year? I use extra worcestershire.

[Anonymous]

I made 5 dozen sugar cookies that we decorated with our kids and friends, gingerbread houses yesterday. I’m doing a red velvet cheesecake and taking it to a friend’s who is hosting Christmas Eve and tomorrow I’ll be baking dinner rolls from Sally’s to bring to family Christmas dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I made cardamom cherry walnut rugelach (tastes good but looks messy, jam leaked), my times guchujang cookies, Mexican wedding cookies with dried cherries and pistachios and a variation of chocolate chip cookies with white chocolate, dark chocolate and hazelnuts. Hazelnut butter in the dough as well.

Also made an orange almond cake and making this tomorrow:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017758-sticky-cranberry-gingerbread?unlocked_article_code=1.-08.Y7ff._c1NPvQ2k9Yt&smid=share-url

And just finished Browning 12lbs of Swedish meatballs.

This year I replaced cardamom for any cinnamon in cookies. So so good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been having health problems since Thanksgiving, so I’ve only managed chocolate raspberry crumb bars and lemon cream cheese cookies this year. You do what you can.

I'm sorry. Last year I tripped and broke some bones in my face and didn't bake. It's tough and I feel for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bought a bunch of cookie ingredients but now I don't have the energy, maybe I'll do it after Christmas.

DH made fudge from a giant tub of marshmallow fluff, overcooked it, and now I don't know what to do with two big trays of brick hard fudge. I asked him to just make half at a time but ....

OMG, same. I was just staring into my kitchen wondering if I could manage to get up and make the easiest-to-make cookies. I think it's a "no."

Every fudge recipe says to cook to 235° but that always ruins it. 225° is soft and creamy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid wanted to bake cookies for school club so I helped do molasses crinkles and brown butter snickerdoodles. 4 batches of cookies later, I'm pretty much done. I did 2 rounds of homemade chex mix (tabasco garlic, and a sweet&savory south Indian version) for neighbor/friend gifts. I was going to do homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, but the take-and-bakes were on sale and, well, I'm okay with that for this year. We always have way too many sweets and treats, even when I'm not the one making them!

I want some Chex mix. I’ll have to try and make some today. The stuff that you buy is just nowhere near the same.

+1
Chex mix is a great idea for us savory types on this baking thread.
I'll try to score some of these to swap out for the very unpopular pretzels:
They never have them at the grocery stores but I have seen them at cvs I think.

I made some at thanksgiving and it wasn’t as good as I remembered. I found the bagel chips at grocery store.

I make chex mix after Christmas. We have a week with everyone here and sick of sweets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I make chex mix after Christmas. We have a week with everyone here and sick of sweets.

Great idea! I think I’ll do that too.

[Anonymous]

Meringues in the oven now. Making a Swiss roll cake later today (maybe it will become a buche de noel this year maybe just a Swiss roll...)
Making cinnamon rolls, will start the dough this afternoon. And cranberry orange bread.

[Anonymous]

Chocolat chip cookies
Brownies
Peanut Bloosom Hershey Kisses cookies
Coffee cake
Sugar cookies
Mandel Bread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bought a bunch of cookie ingredients but now I don't have the energy, maybe I'll do it after Christmas.

DH made fudge from a giant tub of marshmallow fluff, overcooked it, and now I don't know what to do with two big trays of brick hard fudge. I asked him to just make half at a time but ....

OMG, same. I was just staring into my kitchen wondering if I could manage to get up and make the easiest-to-make cookies. I think it's a "no."

Every fudge recipe says to cook to 235° but that always ruins it. 225° is soft and creamy.

I can't manage fudge for some reason even with a candy thermometer. I do much better just buying it. Luckily we live near candy shops where there are always fudge choices. And you only need a little bit of fudge anyways.

If people are really good at fudge and are gifting it I would say that's the one last homemade thing that people are grateful for.... and fudge only. None of that peanut butter horror!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meringues in the oven now. Making a Swiss roll cake later today (maybe it will become a buche de noel this year maybe just a Swiss roll...)
Making cinnamon rolls, will start the dough this afternoon. And cranberry orange bread.

Wow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have made ginger snap cookies, Christmas frosted sugar cookies (the cut out kind), and going to attempt to make a Buche de Noel on Christmas Day for dinner. A bit nervous about that one. Send tips my way or if you have a tried and true recipe for one

I'm going to do Sally's Baking Addiction Buche de Noel next week for an after Christmas party that I'm hosting. I just made her Chocolate Cake Roll and the Buche de Noel is almost identical, except different flavors/ingredients. When I unrolled the cake after it cooled, it did crack. But once I frosted it with the chocolate ganache, it covered the imperfections. So I would imagine the same would be true with the Buche. I used a towel instead of parchment paper when I rolled it. And go slowly when unrolling.

The PP and I ended up also using Sally’s recipe. It turned out perfect! Not a single crack! I did a different recipe for the mushrooms since I wanted to do a Swiss meringue. It was a two day process with some of the steps requiring multiple cooling hours. I don’t think I could have made it if I was making an entire Christmas meal. But I was just responsible for dessert this year.

And now I have a whole bottle of Frangelica liqueur to use up! Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I made eggnog cookies for a school event and they were amazing! Wish I’d made a double batch at the time, because I was too tired to bake again before Christmas. When I have the time, I like making peanut butter blossoms and double chocolate crinkles (Sally’s Baking Addiction).

The kids helped me make peppermint bark, saltine toffee/ “Christmas crack” (which we all hated and threw away), and Rice Krispie treats (with sprinkles, marshmallow bits, and chocolate shell drizzle).