Top Christmas Baking Recipes for 2015

Today we’re sharing the Best Christmas Baking Recipes from 2015! Many of these have been staples for several years. Happy baking!

Every year my mother, sister, and I have a “Cookie Day” baking extravaganza… and I do mean extravaganza! We usually start before 8am (after having mixed some doughs and done some other preparation in the days leading up to The Day), and are baking and/or decorating for a solid 12-14 hours. We end up with hundreds of baked goods which gives us more than enough to eat, and lots to give away.

Some recipes are a staple – we’ve had them all 6 years and even before we started this event. We like to try new recipes each year too, though, and take great care scouring the internet for what we think will be the best mix of items for the year. In case you’re overwhelmed at all there is to choose from (thank you, Pinterest…), I’m sharing what made the cut this year!

The Cookies

• Reese’s-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
• Sugar Cookie Cutouts (your favorite recipe)
• Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Oatmeal Scotchies
• Angel Kiss Cookies
• Old-fashioned Sugar Cookies
• Classic Butter Spritz Cookies
• Christmas Swirl Sugar Cookies

The Rest

• M&M Pretzel Wreaths
• Christmas M&M Caramel Popcorn
• Dipped Ritz Cookies with Caramel Filling
• Dulce de Leche Chocolate Bars
• Peanut Butter Fudge
• Andes Mint Fudge
• Oreo Truffles
• Buckeyes
• White Chocolate Candy Clusters

Want to start a “Cookie Day” of your own? Here are a few tips:

• Plan early. You’ll need to gather recipes first, in order to make a list of all the ingredients you’ll need. Next, round up what you have in your cabinets (and/or the cabinets of those joining you), and figure out what you’ll have to purchase. There are usually great sales on baking supplies and ingredients in the weeks leading up to Christmas, so try not to wait until the last minute to go out and purchase everything on your list. (In doing so, you’ll be a lot better off than I am, since any more I tend to forget my own advice!)
• Pay attention to make-ahead doughs. Many recipes, especially sugar cookie cutouts, will require chilling for several hours between the time you mix the dough to the time you are able to begin working with it. Highlight or make a note of those recipes, and plan to make them in the days prior. They’ll hold up well in the refrigerator for a day or two before, and the freezer even longer. If you can’t make them in advance, be sure those are the first doughs you put together the morning of your event.
• Figure out what to make first. We have found the easiest way to organize our baking is by temperature. We begin with the oven on the lowest temperature and finish recipes in order of lowest to highest temperature setting. No waiting and wondering if the oven has cooled off enough! Someone can be making “non-oven” stuff simultaneously (dipped goods, stove-top recipes, no bake treats, etc)