This year, I mixed up dough for four different holiday cookies that I put in the freezer for leisurely baking throughout the season. The first batch I baked with my niece this past weekend; they were gingerbread pinecones using a wooden mold. It was a time intensive process but the outcome was well worth the effort once they were dusted with powdered sugar and the whole house smelled like gingerbread. Visually, they really pack a punch on your holiday cookie plates!
Next up will be one batch of spritz cookies which is more than enough fighting with the cookie press; the bright green Christmas trees are especially festive. Another favorite are peanut butter thumbprints with a Hershey kiss in the middle; hope I still have enough kisses once I get to baking them. Finally, a new recipe I am trying this year is cornmeal thumbprint cookies that I will fill with my pepper jelly; they should be enjoyable for those who enjoy a pop of heat.
I’ve been moving a big butternut squash around my countertop for months so decided to bake it and find some recipes to use it in. Pumpkin (squash) bars are always good but I decided instead to make molasses squash cookies that are tasty cake like treats, especially nice with morning coffee. I’m also thinking about squash pudding like the kind in pumpkin pie without the crust. I should probably wait until Paul comes home to make it or I’ll be tempted to consume it all in one fell swoop.
The last several years I made homemade marshmallows which are pretty easy. I like to gift them with hot chocolate but most folks eat them immediately. The ones swirled with pink coloring with a hint of peppermint flavoring are especially popular. I will probably skip the cut outs this year as we won’t be having much company and I don’t need them talking to me in the night through the New Year. I would love to make fudge and divinity again but they must be gifted immediately. Plus, I want try making a soufflé, either sweet or savory, but I hear they are difficult to perfect at elevation; 7000 feet here in Flagstaff. Maybe I should try an asparagus soufflé once I get back to the lake in the spring.
For big families or serious cookie gifting, I think cookie exchanges are a good idea. If 8 people each make 4 dozen of one kind of cookie, you can go home with a half dozen of 8 different cookies. Enjoy your holiday baking and eating!