So far have made gingersnaps and 7 layer bars (with marshmallows instead of butterscotch chips, bc those are gross). Will make sugar cookies with the frosting soon...perhaps just after Xmas

I made these Rugelach Pinwheels yesterday after someone on here suggested them. They are pretty and tasty. I used raspberry jam instead of the traditional apricot

https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/11/rugelach-pinwheels/

Baked for just a few hours on Friday/Saturday. Made Raspberry/Chocolate Spritz cookies, Anna Olsen's ice box cookie dough orange bars, my favorite pecan bars (joy of baking), then some brownies, cakes, marshmallows, and toffee.

DD made a YouTube cat cookie. Super cute.

Anonymous wrote:who else is baking today? At least that's my plan once I finish this breakfast of champions (coffee, doritos, and an orange) and get off the couch.

Yup, I baked and prepped/froze appetizers for Xmas eve.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling so undecided about what to make this year. Has anyone already started baking and do you have recommendations for cookies that have made you super happy?

I'm thinking I will do something with jam and magic bars, just due to ingredients I want to use up, but need some inspiration!

I always make Ina Garten's jam Thumbprints and they are a big hit

Also making: amaretti cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies and pecan sandies

I'll try that recipe, thanks! During Thanksgiving, I ended up with three really nice jars of opened jam that we won't eat otherwise.

I don't love this recipe and I like a lot of the Barefoot Contessa recipe. It's a lot of steps and effort, make the dough, roll the dough, dip in egg wash, roll in coconut, make indentation, fill with very scant amt of jam, bake for long time etc. And the results are only ok and they don't fly off the cookie plate like other varieties. Many cookies require a lot less work with better results.

Yeah, I was planning to use this recipe, but I already used coconut in my 7 layer bars and didn't want to do two cookies with coconut since it's a polarizing ingredient

Honestly the coconut flavor doesn't even come out that much. And because there is so little jam that flavor isn't really there either. It's trial and error because if you add too much jam it melts and runs all over the place so it has to be just a very tiny amount which then doesn't really add that much flavor overall to the cookie. It ends up just being very bland. It looks pretty, and I've made them a few times, but never seems worth the effort and kids skip right over them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling so undecided about what to make this year. Has anyone already started baking and do you have recommendations for cookies that have made you super happy?

I'm thinking I will do something with jam and magic bars, just due to ingredients I want to use up, but need some inspiration!

I always make Ina Garten's jam Thumbprints and they are a big hit

Also making: amaretti cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies and pecan sandies

I'll try that recipe, thanks! During Thanksgiving, I ended up with three really nice jars of opened jam that we won't eat otherwise.

I don't love this recipe and I like a lot of the Barefoot Contessa recipe. It's a lot of steps and effort, make the dough, roll the dough, dip in egg wash, roll in coconut, make indentation, fill with very scant amt of jam, bake for long time etc. And the results are only ok and they don't fly off the cookie plate like other varieties. Many cookies require a lot less work with better results.

Yeah, I was planning to use this recipe, but I already used coconut in my 7 layer bars and didn't want to do two cookies with coconut since it's a polarizing ingredient

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling so undecided about what to make this year. Has anyone already started baking and do you have recommendations for cookies that have made you super happy?

I'm thinking I will do something with jam and magic bars, just due to ingredients I want to use up, but need some inspiration!

I always make Ina Garten's jam Thumbprints and they are a big hit

Also making: amaretti cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies and pecan sandies

I'll try that recipe, thanks! During Thanksgiving, I ended up with three really nice jars of opened jam that we won't eat otherwise.

I don't love this recipe and I like a lot of the Barefoot Contessa recipe. It's a lot of steps and effort, make the dough, roll the dough, dip in egg wash, roll in coconut, make indentation, fill with very scant amt of jam, bake for long time etc. And the results are only ok and they don't fly off the cookie plate like other varieties. Many cookies require a lot less work with better results.

Baked yesterday

gingersnaps
7 layer bars
jam thumbprints (they do not look pretty but they taste good)
chocolate chip (laughed because when I asked people what they wanted, the requests were chocolate chip and peanut butter)
oatmeal brown sugar with m&ms

I have some almond paste I want to use but haven't decided what to make, and I will make a batch of peanut butter cookies for my friend who requested them.

We will be baking tonight and tomorrow. Our plans include

-Buried cherry cookies
-Caramel apple cider cookies
-Oatmeal cookies with cranberry/white choc chips
-Lemon marscaponee rosemary cookies

I only have one more work day this year, so yesterday we put the tree up and I started my baking battle rhythm- take butter out in the AM, make one real time recipe during the day, and make one recipe that needs to go in the fridge for several hours at night. So far I made palmiers and slice and bake icebox cookies with candied fruit. I know I have nut balls to make, as well as pistachio cookies my family likes, and another coconut cookie. Now I have to find one or two others that I switch out every year.

I am another one who loathes the peanut blossom (don’t like Hershey’s milk chocolate and I have gone to one too many cookie exchanges where multiple people bring them so I go home with a ton of them and not much else). However, I found this recipe and I think I may try these to please the peanut people: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/peanut-butter-and-jelly-thumbprint-cookies-3414432

Not me. I’m watching the World Cup and then decluttering.

who else is baking today? At least that's my plan once I finish this breakfast of champions (coffee, doritos, and an orange) and get off the couch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm feeling so undecided about what to make this year. Has anyone already started baking and do you have recommendations for cookies that have made you super happy?

I'm thinking I will do something with jam and magic bars, just due to ingredients I want to use up, but need some inspiration!

I always make Ina Garten's jam Thumbprints and they are a big hit

Also making: amaretti cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies and pecan sandies

I'll try that recipe, thanks! During Thanksgiving, I ended up with three really nice jars of opened jam that we won't eat otherwise.

Spritz recipe w three egg yolks. https://finefoodsblog.com/spritz-cookies/

Then I make peppermint meringues w the whites.

Anonymous wrote:This may be a dumb question, but how do you keep these fresh? Do you freeze them after baking?

I make all the dough in big batches and freeze half. Then I bake a batch of cookies early (like now) to bring to work or give to people (and we eat some). I bake the rest right before Christmas so we have them on Christmas itself.