What’s more fun that holiday baking? It’s certainly a tradition for most families during the holidays. I have many traditional cookies that I make every year. Recipes from my mother, grandmother or friends that we love. Rum balls, peanut butter blossoms, shortbread tea cakes, and magic cookie bars, for example. But I love trying new recipes and every year I find have a select few to try.
Two of the new cookies I tried this year are Triple Chocolate Peppermint Cookies and Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies. Both cookies are a hit with my family. The chocolate cookie recipe does have coffee extract as an ingredient. However, I didn’t have that in my pantry so I didn’t add it, and the cookie did not suffer in flavor one bit. The batter for this cookie is rich and thick. If you like to bake large cookies, it holds up well. I topped mine with cut up Andes Peppermint Crunch candy for another blast of peppermint. So good.
The Cranberry White Chocolate Chip cookies are soft and chewy. They are loaded with white chocolate chips and cranberry pieces. I used the reduced sugar dried cranberries for a little less sugar and more tart flavor. They don’t spread much and create a chunky cookie. Another winner.
Next up, Fudge. I haven’t made fudge in quite a while so I decided to have it this year for the goodie bags I give to friends. Ashley, of the Baker by Nature Blog describes her fudge recipe as decadent. And it truly is. I added pecan pieces to mine just because we like nuts around here and it is delish.
The most exciting new recipe I did this year is homemade marshmallows. I see recipes on Pinterest all the time for marshmallows and always want to try them and just never have. I put it on my list for this year and found a recipe for chocolate marshmallows on the blog She Bakes Here. It wasn’t hard, just different from baking. I learned a couple new skills in candy making (like making a soft ball) and using gelatin. And oh my goodness how amazing these marshmallows are. Soft, spongy, fresh little clouds of sweetness and chocolate. I didn’t know what to expect but Wow are they addictive. This is a new addition to my annual holiday baking.
My peanut blossoms got a makeover this year. I made the traditional peanut butter cookie but used the white chocolate peppermint kiss in them instead. They are tasty, but I think if I ever use these kisses again, I will make dark chocolate blossoms instead as that may be a better match for the kisses.
Last but not least, my goodie bags included White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn this year. Another home run. Chocolatey, sticky, bursting peppermint flavor. The recipe from Skip to my Lou blog was easy. I melted my chocolate on the stove, I don’t like melting chocolate in the microwave, particularly white chocolate. This is something kids could do and it goes fast so make a lot! Hint: use kettle corn.
Hope you enjoy the holiday and try some of these recipes when doing your holiday baking. Let me know what you think! Try my pumpkin bread recipe for Christmas morning, too!
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