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Blog, Recipes

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (and 30 recipes that are perfect for that)

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Baking and freezing cookies is a great way to reduce holiday stress.  Here are 30 of my favorite recipes for cookies that you can bake ahead of time and freeze for a month or two for holiday gifting! How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (and 30 recipes that are perfect for that)

I learned from my mom. When it comes to entertaining, she and I are a lot alike.  We plan in advance, we make lists, and we think about desserts as if they are the most important thing on the planet (duh).  For years, my parents threw a big holiday party for of their friends.  It was nice to see them work together to plan, execute and host… it’s definitely influenced how I go about celebrating holidays and special occasions today.  Anyway, when it came to dessert, my mom was notorious for a major dessert table (before dessert tables were even a thing).  We joked that she would have an entire dessert per couple (or per person??) but really what could be more fun?  The thing is, you can’t possibly entertain thirty plus people and expect to make everything two to three days in advance.  Well, unless you want your kitchen to be a disaster, your sleep to be non-existent and your stress level to be through the roof.  Instead, my mom developed a system of baking and freezing in advance for the items that would be just as good as freshly made. Among those items, cookies always worked so well.  Just bake them when you have some time, stick them in a ziplock bag, label that bag (I admit that this is one thing I actually taught my mom), and freeze for up to two months.  It’s also helpful to keep a running list of what you actually have baked so that you don’t have to check your freezer inventory every day!  The morning of your party, keep the cookies sealed in their bags and let them defrost at room temperature.  Within a few hours your cookies will be ready to go!

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies)

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts

1. Bake cookie of choice as directed.

2. Allow cookies to cool completely.

3. Place cooled cookies in flat layers in ziplock bags.

If the cookies are gooey or tend to stick to one another, separate layers in the bag with parchment paper.

4. Use a permanent marker to label the bags (include number of cookies, type, date of baking). Add cookies to a running inventory list.

5. Store cookies in freezer for up to two months.

6. When ready to defrost, take bags of cookies out of freezer.  Keep the bags sealed and allow the cookies to defrost at room temperature for several hours.

7. Plate cookies when ready to serve or package them for gifting.

Thirty Cookies to Bake and Freeze for Holiday Gifts

Fun Flavors

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies (how-to video here)

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (a great basic)

Chocolate Chip Mandelbread (a family favorite)

Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie Butter Pumpkin Bites

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Cookie Butter Pumpkin Bites)

Doughy Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies

Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Espresso Salted Dark Chocolate Biscotti

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies (<-one of last year’s favorites)

Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies)

Rugelach, Three Ways (Cinnamon & Chocolate, PB&J, Milk Chocolate Toffee)

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Caramel & Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

Spiked Mocha Chip Cookies

The Best Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookie Sandwiches

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling (<-one of my favorite early recipes)

Chocolate Chip Toffee Oatmeal Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cookie Butter and Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches (<-one of the most popular recipes on the blog)How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Cookie Butter and Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches)

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing (<-got SO many recipe requests from friends on this one)

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache

Mini Confetti Cookie Sandwiches (Just swap the colors to whatever holiday you are celebrating!)

Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches)

Pretzel Cookie Sandwiches

Gluten-Free Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF) (<-you won’t be able to tell they are gluten-free)

Chewy Ginger Cookies (GF)

Chocolate Chunk Meringues (GF)

Easy Chocolate Chunk Cookies (GF)

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these Easy GF Chocolate Chunk Cookies)How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (including these

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies (GF) (<-beyond easy)

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues (GF)

Happy holiday baking!

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

Blog, Recipes

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

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How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Beanilla.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. *

How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

I seriously love vanilla beans.  I tend to hoard them and save them for desserts that seem extra special and worth the high-end ingredient splurge, and when I do use them, I find that the flavor is always so much better.  A few examples of recipes that are packed and enhanced with serious vanilla bean flavor:

How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

So when I had the opportunity to work with Beanilla, I jumped at the chance to sample their products and expand my pantry collection of just basic vanilla beans.  In addition to vanilla-related products (I really need to try their vanilla bean paste next!) and different flavor extracts, they offer vanilla extract kits and nice jars for making your own vanilla extract at home.  Since, when it comes to baking, I’m always adamant that the quality of certain products (in particular baking chocolate, cocoa and vanilla extract) makes a huge difference in the dessert, I thought it would be fun and worthwhile to make my own vanilla extract.

How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

Turns out it is extremely easy and definitely worthwhile.  All you need is a few vanilla beans, an alcohol of choice and a resealable jar.  Plus, homemade extract can make a great gift for any of your friends that like baking.  If you start now, you can make a few batches to give out for the holidays!

For this batch, I chose to pair the bourbon vanilla beans with, well, bourbon, so that I end up with a vanilla that has a nice rich flavor.  Plus, Matt loves all things bourbon and desserts that are full of that great vanilla bean flavor so I have a feeling he will be very happy when I start baking with this.

How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract
 
Save Print
Ingredients
  • 5-8 vanilla beans
  • 237 milliliters / 8 fluid ounces alcohol of choice (I recommend a mid-level vodka, rum, bourbon or brandy)
Instructions
  1. Slice vanilla beans open lengthwise (do not cut pod in half) so that inside beans will be exposed; you can cut them in half in the other direction if they are too tall to fit into your container
  2. Place vanilla beans in container of choice and pour in alcohol; make sure vanilla beans are completely submerged in the liquid
  3. Seal jar and give it a shake
  4. Store in a cool dark place for two months, checking on the jar every couple of weeks and giving it a shake at that point
  5. After two months, use vanilla extract as desired
Notes
You will need an 8-ounce (or larger) resealable glass or jar
Make vanilla extract two months (or more) in advance for best results
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How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

 

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

Blog, Recipes

How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer

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This basic recipe for salted caramel is all you need for the perfect sauce or dessert component.

How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer

I’ve decided that January will be salted caramel month on the blog.  There are a few recipes that I’ll be sharing over the next few weeks that incorporate one of my favorite dessert components, but I didn’t want to dive into them without going over the basics.  This salted caramel sauce recipe is easy to make, even if you don’t have a candy thermometer!  It only requires a few basic ingredients, your stove, a heavy duty pot and a whisk.   The sauce is perfect for topping ice cream, fruit crisps, pies and other desserts but it also is great for enhancing things like cookies and cakes.  After you try it once, you might never go back to store-bought caramel!

How to Make Caramel Sauce

How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer
 
Save Print
This basic recipe for salted caramel is all you need for the perfect sauce or dessert component.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons milk (any type)
  • ½ tablespoon coarse or flaky sea salt*
Instructions
  1. Combine the sugar and water in a medium** heavy-duty saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves
  2. Let boil for several minutes without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, watching closely so it doesn't burn; Once the caramel begins to darken, the rest of the process happens very quickly (see photos above for caramelization process)
  3. As soon as most of the sugar water mixture is a deep amber, whisk in the cream (be careful as mixture will bubble up) and remove from heat immediately
  4. Whisk in milk and sea salt; serve warm or store covered in refrigerator up to two weeks***
Notes
*If looking to make a basic caramel sauce without the extra salt flair, reduce to ½ teaspoon
**If doubling, use a large pot and allow extra time for caramelization
***For thicker sauce, chill in refrigerator for a few hours before using or serving; re-heat gently if desired
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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

You might also like:

Over 25 Recipes Using Salted Caramel

Over 25 Recipes Using Salted Caramel

Salted Caramel & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars

Salted Caramel & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars

Salted Caramel Oreo Bars

Salted Caramel Oreo Bars

Blog, Recipes

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies: A How-To Video!

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Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies: A How-To Video!

Remember when I promised you eHow videos?  Well, I’m going to try to get past my embarrassment and share them, yikes!  You already have the recipe, but I figured you might like the video for how to make these Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies.  I’d love to hear what you think!