There’s nothing to get you into the Christmas spirit like blasting out Mariah Carey and getting your bake on! It’s definitely one of my favorite things to do this time of year and it’s almost a bit of a tradition that I’ve got going on. There are so many ways to go with holiday baking but I’ve definitely got more of a sweet tooth, so here are my favorite bakes for the season!
Brownie Trees
I made these last year for a secret santa filler (I’m one of those that can’t just give one gift, it doesn’t feel like enough’ and I’d never been so excited to make brownies before! I found the idea on Pinterest originally and it was pretty simple to recreate. Seeing as it’s only really the decoration that’s holiday-themed you can use any old brownie recipe (or a good old Betty Crocker mix if you’re lazy like me) and all you need to decorate is white chocolate (or icing) and sprinkles! You simply bake the brownies (preferably in a square tin and cut them into triangles when they’ve cooled down, melt the chocolate and drizzle it over the ‘trees’ lightly and stick some sprinkles on before the chocolate hardens – easy! I do prefer the look of star shaped sprinkles, but it’s all up to personal choice, and if you want an extra festive touch you can stick a candy cane or chocolate stick in the bottom to look like the leg of the tree!
Gingerbread
What is the holiday season without gingerbread? It’s a snack that I definitely gravitate towards at this time of year and it always feels a little strange to eat in summer, so it’s definitely a solid holiday bake! There are a ton of recipes out there and so far I haven’t come across any with ingredients that you can’t find locally (unless you live in the middle of nowhere I guess) but I do occasionally struggle with getting my gingerbread just right so I always look out for a ‘fail safe’ recipe (a quick Google will find you a ton) which make life a whole lot less frustrating! The beauty of gingerbread is that whilst it’s a great snack, or feast if you’re feeling adventurous, it’s also a great activity to keep kids or easily pleased adults distracted with icing duties. Just don’t forget your cookie cutters!
Apple Cinnamon Crumble
Let’s be honest, an apple crumble is great any time of year but it’s just so much more comforting during the holiday season. Plus, the cinnamon just screams holidays, so I guess it has more of an edge here. Most people know how to make a crumble (and those that don’t should have access to the internet) so you know how simple it is to whip up. Whether you’ve completely forgotten a dessert for Christmas day or you’re off to your neighbors holiday party empty handed, it’s a perfect quick fix that gives the impression you’ve made a big effort (those deceptive gestures are always my favourite)! You can use pretty much any kind of apples you can get your hands on, and the crumble itself is pretty basic – just don’t forget the cinnamon!