It’s here! It’s here! Eeeeep. Christmastime is officially here.
We spent the last 24 hours turning our house into a winter wonderland for Max, and we’re both fully in the Christmas spirit. Max is at such a fun age right now! We already have three trees up and I’m really excited to bake this year. The last two holidays I barely had time — I was with Max nearly every second — so I didn’t get to indulge in baking as much as I wanted.
Baking big cookie trays to share with friends and family is one of our favorite holiday traditions (Eddie makes incredible trays), and I love keeping up my Mother Lovett tradition. For me, baking these familiar recipes is relaxing. Most of my kitchen time is usually spent recipe testing and styling food for photos, so making these tried-and-true treats is a welcome escape. It’s nostalgic and joyful.
Here’s what’s on my baking list this year. Also — after five years of refusing to bake gingerbread because I’m not a big fan — I’m planning to make it with Max this year. Who has a fantastic gingerbread recipe?
Tell me below: what’s on your list?
Thin and chewy spiced oatmeal cookies — a new favorite.
Peanut butter blossoms — it wouldn’t be Christmas without them.
Pink peppermint bark macarons — they’re just too pretty.
Peppermint pattie brownies — and peppermint pattie cookies because I can’t choose between them.
Mother Lovett’s pink and green thumbprints — a classic.
Mother Lovett’s orange cookies — my mom adores these.
Soft gingersnaps — I always double this recipe; sometimes I make four batches. So good.
Perfect cut-out sugar cookies — I can’t wait to decorate these with Max.
My soft snickerdoodles and chewy chai snickerdoodles — both irresistible.
Double dark chocolate peanut butter cup cookies — obviously.
DoubleTree Hotel chocolate chip cookies — the only chocolate chip cookie I need.
Double chocolate cheesecake cookies — these are ridiculous, in the best way.
A few batches of truffles — probably old school Oreo truffles, chocolate coconut truffles, and maybe buckeyes.
Also planning lots of orange cinnamon pull-apart bread.
My cousin Lacy and I always make Tracy’s candied citrus peels and her homemade amaretto. They make incredible gifts. We also make whiskey pretzels, and I’m thinking of writing a post about our adapted recipe this year because we’ve put our own spin on it.
So — what am I missing from my list?