Baking Spirits Bright

Five no-fail recipes for easy Christmas treats

Giving treats as a gift this Christmas or looking for that perfect crowd-pleasing recipe? If so, we’ve got you covered! 

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

From Brown-Eyed Baker, these frosted sugar cookie bars are delicious! We’ve made them several times this season with rave reviews from every gathering we’ve taken them to. In addition to being a sure-fire hit, they’re also incredibly simple to make. Since it’s a bar cookie, you get the taste and beauty of frosted sugar cookies, but get to do the baking and decorating in one fell swoop. Get the recipe here. 

A note: As written, the recipe doesn’t call for almond extract, but who doesn’t love a bit of almond extract in a frosted sugar cookie? We subbed in 1 teaspoon almond extract and one teaspoon vanilla in the cookie base and about ½ teaspoon (in addition to the 1 teaspoon vanilla) in the icing. 

Amish Sugar Cookies

Our founder makes these cookies every Christmas as a gift for friends and family. This isn’t a frosted sugar cookie recipe or one you’ll want to use for rolling and cutting out with cookie cutters. Instead, it’s a simple, soft sugar cookie (with a smidge of cream of tartar) that’s slightly tangy and the perfect complement to a hot cup of wassail (which we have a recipe for here). Ready to make Amish sugar cookies? Here’s the recipe. 

Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon is the perfect spice for the Christmas season, making snickerdoodles one of the best cookies for the holidays! If you’re looking for a straightforward, non-fussy recipe, try this one from Lil’ Luna. You won’t be disappointed! 

Pumpkin Bread

Yes, fall is prime pumpkin season, but pumpkin bread includes all your favorite Christmas spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and more. If you’re looking for a quick, easy, no-fail recipe you can whip up for gifts, look no further than our recipe for pumpkin bread. Feel free to add in raisins, pecans or other mix-ins to your heart’s delight or enjoy it plain! 

Raspberry Sweet Rolls

Looking for a sweet roll recipe to enjoy on Christmas morning or gift a neighbor? Try Sally’s Baking Addiction’s raspberry swirl sweet rolls. They’re easy to make and you can refrigerate overnight and do the second rise/bake the day you want to serve them if needed. We thought the raspberry filling needed a smidge more raspberries, but that could also be user error (as in we should have rolled the dough a bit thinner and rolled the rolls a bit tighter). Even still, the recipe was pretty easy and a crowd-pleaser at brunch! Try it yourself. 

What recipes do you make during the holiday season? Share your ideas in the comments.