Deliciously Easy Recipes
This easy strawberry fudge recipe brings together sweet buttercream, strawberry extract, and colored candy melts to create a beautiful red and pink strawberry fudge. It’s perfect for Valentine’s day but I enjoy it any time of year!
What I love about this simple recipe is that it’s a quick no-bake fudge. There’s no candy thermometer or double boiler to use here!
View postThis recipe for Classic Peanut Butter Cookies is simply the best for soft, chewy, and delicious cookies – straight out of great-grandma’s recipe tin. Best of all – these are an easy, NO-CHILL recipe!
This cookie recipe is so packed with peanut butter flavor. They are so delicious, making them a favorite among children and adults alike!
You just can’t go wrong with a soft and chewy peanut butter cookie. These have a light outer coating of granulated sugar that gives them the perfect crisp on the outside while having the most delicate crumble on the inside.
I spent some time over the past few months going through old boxes of heirlooms we have collected from family over the years. I was thrilled to find another one of my great-grandmother’s recipe tins.
There were so many recipes that I remembered from my childhood – I knew I had to make one of her great recipes that same day.
The family voted on her Classic Peanut Butter Cookies since I knew that the recipe had been passed down to her from her great grandmother – making it AT LEAST 5 generations old.
After a couple of batches keeping the recipe as written – I made a couple of tweaks to subsequent batches until I finally ended up with this one that I know you’ll love. It is peanut butter perfection!
These classic, chewy peanut butter cookies are just what you need for your next cookie swap, potluck, or party!
The ideal storage place for these is in an airtight container at room temperature. You may also wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap or a zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to a month.
For this particular cookie recipe, it isn’t necessary. However, if you love your peanut butter cookies to be really thick and round, you can chill the dough for an hour or two to help slow the spread of the dough as it bakes. But in my opinion – these are perfect as they are.
You can, and we do it often. The dough will work just fine when doubled. We encourage you to make a double batch when making these cookies to give as gifts.
This is really a personal preference. If you are happy with just a little salt to cut the sweetness, then use salted butter.
I usually use whatever I have on hand & I really don’t pay too close attention to what butter I have. But I typically keep salted butter on hand & I love that little bit of extra salt with the sweet in this recipe.
These days with groceries being more difficult to find – I basically get whatever the store has available at the time and make it work.
They may be baked ahead of time. Let the baked cookies cool to room temperature if you’d like to make them ahead of time. Then store them in an airtight container for up to three days before serving.
Yes – the baked cookies will keep when frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each cookie individually with plastic wrap and then place them all in an airtight container before freezing.
Yes – this dough can be frozen and baked later. If you would like to roll the dough prior to freezing, make sure to freeze the dough balls in a single flat layer. Once frozen they can be transferred to a zip-top bag for space-saving.
To bake – increase the baking time by 1 minute – no need to thaw the dough before baking.
Yes – that will work just fine. I just really love the added vanilla flavor you get when using the powder vs a regular extract. The powder is more concentrated so you have to use a lot less to get the same flavor impact.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
Yes – if you like a little crunch in the peanut butter – using the crunchy variety is the way to go. They might not be quite as soft overall- but still quite tasty.
Peanut butter cookie dough is denser than other cookie doughs. The hash marks in the cookie dough balls actually flatten the cookies during baking, ensuring more uniform cooking. Cookies that aren’t pressed won’t cook evenly.
This super soft and chewy cookie recipe is EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made peanut butter cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this simple cookie recipe.
If you love this easy peanut butter cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Classic Peanut Butter Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Immerse yourself in tradition and flavor with this handcrafted Italian Christmas Cake, made with nuts, candied fruits, and citrus zest.
As the holiday season approaches, I want to share with you a recipe for homemade Italian Christmas Cake, or Panettone. This traditional Italian sweet bread, with its soft cake texture, bursts with the flavors of candied orange peel, lemon zest, and a rich blend of dried fruits and nuts.
Each slice of Panettone is a sweet reminder of the festive season, filled with warmth and joy. It’s become one of my favorite Christmas flavors, and I’m excited for you to try it!
View postThese super Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies (or Rudolph Cookies during the holiday season) are incredibly easy to make! You’ll love them!
If you can’t decide between a classic sugar cookie and a super decadent chocolate cookie – you can get the best of both worlds with these Chocolate Sugar Cookies! The rich, deep chocolate flavor on top of a chewy, sugar cookie base is perfect for any occasion.
View postSoft, buttery cookies decorated with white chocolate and sliced pistachios make these the BEST Pistachio Cookies that everyone will love!
Looking for a festive cookie recipe to add to your Christmas baking list? Look no further! These pistachio cookies are easy to make and taste delicious.
They are great for serving at or bringing to a holiday party because they are so pretty. They are always the first thing to disappear whenever we make them for friends and family.
One of the things I love about these cookies is the pairing of the tender, buttery crumble of the cookie with the creaminess of the white chocolate coating.
Then you add the saltiness of the pistachios and it is a sweet and salty combo made in heaven. I know you’ll love these as much as we do.
I like to place mine in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days. Just make sure the chocolate has been completely set before stacking the cookies into a container.
Pistachio cookies are a type of cookie that is sometimes made with pistachios crushed into the dough or decorated on top as a garnish. They are often flavored with vanilla or almond extract and can be decorated with pistachios or other nuts.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
Pistachio cookies were first made in the 1800s by Italian immigrants who brought pistachios over from Pistoia, Italy. The cookies became popularized by the pistachio ice cream industry, and have since become a popular holiday treat.
Some variations of pistachio cookies include adding chocolate chips or dried fruit to the dough before baking.
You can also frost pistachio cookies with pistachio-flavored icing.
Another popular variation is to sandwich two pistachio cookies together with pistachio ice cream in the middle. Yum!
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
Yes – this dough can be frozen and baked later. If you would like to roll the dough prior to freezing, just roll between the plastic and then freeze. When you are ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temp for about 30 minutes – then cut the shapes and bake as directed.
This will depend on the size of the cookie cutters you choose to use. As you can see here – I used different sizes and ended up with about 30 cookies – including the small stars. If I had stopped with only the larger cutters, I would have had less.
You bet. This cookie dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to baking.
Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. You do not need to let it sit out at room temperature before rolling and baking. Just proceed with the recipe as written when you are ready to bake.
You can also bake ahead of time – store the baked cookies in an airtight container and then decorate later on.
I have not personally tried it, so I can’t say how that would turn out. But if you would like to try it, I suggest a product that offers a 1:1 swap. Please let me know how it turns out.
Yes – the baked cookies will keep when frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each cookie individually with plastic wrap and then place them all in an airtight container before freezing.
The official way is to spoon the flour or corn starch into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the light and fluffy ingredients aren’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry. make sure to spoon and level when measuring.
I think you could possibly get away with using a hand mixer if you have firm beaters.
I don’t recommend using a whisk or even the whisk attachment on a stand mixer for this dough as a whisk isn’t strong enough for this dough.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.
The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.
Without chilling, the dough would not only be too sticky to really it out and hold the shape once cut. But it would also spread way too much while baking – leaving flat and not very appealing cookies in the end. Please don’t skip the chilling process.
I think that as long as the dough isn’t too large you can make them like drop cookies or rolled cookies. But rolling out with a rolling pin and using the cookie cutter makes them so much cuter.
This pistachio cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made cut out cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this adorable cookie recipe.
If you love this Easy Pistachio Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Pistachio Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Looking for an easy meringue cookie recipe to impress your friends and family this Christmas? Look no further! These meringue cookies are simple to make and taste delicious.
Do you love meringues? Growing up they were my mom’s absolute favorite – so we had them in the house all of the time.
She would just pick them up at the store but since she was also a baker, every once in a while I’d wake up to find her making huge batches of them early on a weekend morning. It was positively wonderful!
Meringues are incredibly easy to make with a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in the house – especially during the holiday season.
They give the appearance of being difficult – so you can really impress everyone you gift them to. They don’t have to know that they were easy to make.
I really love that it’s easy to make this recipe in big batches – making it great for dividing between multiple gift trays for the neighbors and friends.
MOST IMPORTANTLY – make sure the meringues are completely cooled before packing them in an airtight container. If they have any warmth to them at all once they are packed – the warmth will create just enough condensation to ruin the texture of the cookie.
Once completely cooled – you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. I have heard that they can be frozen so long as they don’t get any moisture in the container. But I personally don’t like to do that.
You can, and we do it often. It might take a bit longer to get all those egg whites to whip to the proper peaks, but overall doubling works fine.
Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites and prevent cracking. If you don’t have it, this recipe can definitely be made without it! But I highly recommend it.
Yes – if you aren’t a fan of peppermint extract or you are just craving a different flavor – you can use any extract flavor you like. I almost always make my meringues with vanilla – but once in a while, I will use cotton candy, coffee, cake batter, or even rum extract.
Yes! You can use powdered egg whites + water – (1 teaspoon of egg whites & 1 tablespoon of water for each egg you wish to replace) to replace the eggs in this recipe.
Sometimes because of the delicate nature of the meringue whip, it can separate as it dries out. If you want to avoid this, I recommend using Cream of Tartar. It helps stabilize the egg whites and prevent the dreaded cracking. If you don’t have it, this recipe can definitely be made without it!
Yes – you can do that too! Use the same measurements as you would when using powdered egg whites.
Caster sugar, sometimes also spelled castor sugar is basically a super-fine grain sugar. Smaller than granulated sugar but not quite ground to the point of being confectioner’s sugar.
When shopping for Caster sugar you can also look for Superfine Sugar or Baker’s Sugar.
Because of the speed at which the egg whites need to be whipped in order to reach the stiff peaks stage, I don’t recommend trying to make this recipe by hand. You can try it with a hand mixer – but even that will be quite an arm workout.
Yes – of course! If you want plain white meringues – just skip the step of painting the lines on the inside of the piping bag. If you want to make them a solid color – just gently fold in the desired color of food coloring before adding it to the piping bag. Be very gentle, making sure to not deflate the egg whites!
This recipe calls for granulated sugar – but you can use caster sugar because of its ultrafine texture – which makes it easier to dissolve in the mixing process.
You will also end up with a slightly lighter meringue due to the shortened mixing time.
This meringue cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade meringues before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this simple treat recipe.
If you love this Easy Meringue Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Easy Peppermint Meringue Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Church Window Cookies are an easy no-bake holiday treat made with chocolate, colorful mini marshmallows, nuts, and coconut made to look like stained glass windows. They are a Christmas classic.
Church windows are festive and fun, but oh so simple to make. Church windows can be made with your choice of nuts and made for any occasion.
I really love these because they are no-bake, which makes them so simple and easy to whip together in no time. Because we all know that this time of year is pure chaos. I like to keep it as effortless as possible while still making everyone happy.
View postCreate a batch of our quick and easy Frosted Christmas Cookies with a few everyday ingredients. They’re the perfect addition to your holiday baking. So soft, chewy, and full of flavor.
Who loves a good sugar cookie? They are a favorite in this house – which means we make them a lot.
While I like to enjoy them without any decorations – the family likes to have them iced or frosted. I’m not always in the mood for icing, which is where these Frosted Christmas Cookies come in. The frosting is easy to make and add to the cookies – a win-win!
What I love about these cookies is that they are so tasty – even without the frosting. But the frosting is so simple and so delicious.
Plus it spreads on fast – making it a great option for a cookie decorating party or just keeping it quick when you need a plate of cookies at the last minute.
I know you’ll love these as much as we do!
I like to place mine in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also use a zip-top bag but I find they get jostled a bit too much with this and then you have broken cookies.
Keep in mind that even though the frosting will set and form a sort of crust – they will still get dented if you stack them or let them shift around in a bag. I like to keep them in a single layer as much as possible.
Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder.
Please make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly and that they are at room temperature when you start the mixing.
Also – something to keep in mind- make sure you are placing the dough on a cool baking sheet. The cookies will bake differently if you are placing the dough on the hot baking sheet you just removed from the oven.
Make sure you have a rotation of baking sheets so you can always place the unbaked dough on a cool tray.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
Yes – this dough can be frozen and baked later. If you would like to roll the dough prior to freezing, make sure to freeze the dough balls in a single flat layer. Once frozen they can be transferred to a zip-top bag for space-saving.
To bake – increase the baking time by 1 minute – no need to thaw the dough before baking.
I like to roll the dough between my hands to soften the outside of the dough before baking – this helps the cookies have the freshest texture once they are baked.
You bet. This cookie dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to baking.
Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. You do not need to let it sit out at room temperature before rolling and baking. Just proceed with the recipe as written when you are ready to bake.
Yes – the baked cookies will keep when frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each cookie individually with plastic wrap and then place them all in an airtight container before freezing.
I’m not sure just yet. I have been meaning to give this a try but haven’t had a chance. If you do try this, I would recommend using a 1:1 flour like this one as I don’t believe it would require additional ingredients that are typically called for when trying to make baked recipes in a gluten-free version. Please come back & tell me how it turned out.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
I think you could possibly get away with using a hand mixer if you have firm beaters. But I must warn you, this dough is very thick and it will be quite an arm workout.
I don’t recommend using a whisk or even the whisk attachment on a stand mixer for this dough as a whisk isn’t strong enough for this dough.
When making a sugar cookies recipe like this one, I like to keep the butter unsalted.
Yes, I do it often. You can use almond extract if you want a more traditional sugar cookie flavor. Sometimes I like to do 1/2 a teaspoon of each to balance out the flavors a bit.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.
The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.
Without chilling, the dough would not only be too sticky to really roll it into balls. But it would also spread way too much while baking – leaving flat and not very appealing cookies in the end. Please don’t skip the chilling process.
Unfortunately, this dough isn’t for rolling. But I do have a very good rolled sugar cookie recipe that is perfect for that.
Now I know that when you go to the store there are things like sanding sugar that is labeled as sprinkles. Those are not sprinkles.
Please make sure to use nonpareils as they hold their color better and their shape and won’t soak into the dough as easily. Or you can use jimmies – which are really great at holding their color and shape.
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
If you love this Frosted Christmas Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Homemade Frosted Christmas Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Grinch Donuts is a fun Christmas morning breakfast. This easy donut and donut hole recipe – decorated with green frosting and a single Grinch heart make for the cutest holiday morning that the kids will love.
The holiday season is so incredibly busy. There is so much to do – especially on Christmas morning. No one wants to cook or spend all day in the kitchen. But we have to eat and we can’t live off of the candy in the stockings all day.
So I like to plan out some quick and easy breakfast ideas to serve on Christmas morning. I like to keep it simple, something I can make the night before and people can grab as they get hungry so there isn’t any pressure to sit down for a formal meal. That’s where these super cute Grinch Donuts come in.
View postCashew brittle is a delightful confectionery treat with a rich, buttery sweet brittle candy mixed with the salty crunch of cashew nuts.
Imagine biting into a piece of homemade cashew brittle: a perfect balance of buttery, sweet caramel infused with the rich, nutty crunch of premium cashews. This delightful treat has a golden color and a satisfying snap that makes it irresistible.
Whether you’re enjoying it as a mid-day snack or serving it at a gathering, cashew brittle brings a touch of homemade elegance to any occasion.
View postMake your holiday parties fun and festive with these Ugly Sweater Cupcakes. They are easy to make and bring so much joy and laughter.
Welcome to the world of Ugly Sweater Cupcakes – where the wackier, the better! These cupcakes are a fun, festive twist on the traditional cupcake, inspired by those delightfully gaudy Christmas sweaters we all secretly adore.
You’ll love these soft, fluffy cupcakes topped with vibrant frosting, sprinkles, and whimsical decorations, each designed to mimic the outrageous charm of an ugly Christmas sweater.
View postDecorated Christmas Wreath Cookies are a festive holiday dessert. Perfect for a cookie exchange or to enjoy with family and friends.
Are you short on time but do you want to give a semi-homemade gift? Or maybe you are hosting a cookie decorating party and you need ideas for how to keep it simple and easy without it becoming overwhelming.
I have the perfect solution for you. These Decorated Christmas Wreath Cookies are super cute and bring big smiles. You can make them with pre-packaged cookies and a handful of other ingredients.
They are so adorable and make it look like you spent all day in the kitchen – but in reality – they come together in about an hour. I know you’ll love them as much as I do.
What’s fun about these cookies is that they can be decorated however you like. Customize them for any holiday celebration or gathering.
The sky is the limit because everyone has a different creative idea for their wreath. This is why I love offering this as a quick way to put together a cookie decorating party for the little ones. It lets them do something creative and keeps their hands busy – even if they are taste testing as they go.
Once the chocolate has completely firmed up you can transfer them to an airtight container – making sure to keep them in a single layer.
These cookies do not need to be refrigerated and can be kept at room temperature for several days. I do not recommend stacking as the gel colors don’t firm up and will get ruined when stacked.
While you can use white chocolate chips and then tint the chocolate if desired, I have found that it often requires a bit of coconut oil or shortening to get the chocolate to melt to the right consistency.
I like to use candy melts because the chocolate is made with just the right formula so that it performs exactly as needed. PLUS it already comes in the color that I need – making it so much faster and easier. I have had instances where the white chocolate melted fine and then seized once I tried adding the food coloring.
The candy melts come in a multitude of colors, varieties, and flavors so the sky is the limit on what you can do with them when it comes to making these cookies.
You bet. You can coat the cookies with the chocolate ahead of time if you want to keep things simple when it comes time to decorate.
Just keep the coated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The chocolate coating tends to sweat when it sits out at room temperature after being refrigerated – which can make the decorating part more difficult.
All that being said – the decorations adhere to the cookies better if they are being added when the chocolate coating is still semi-soft and not fully set.
So, because we are melting the chocolate, I have found that chocolate chips don’t always temper well for recipes like this. Sometimes you need to add coconut oil to get it to melt creamy enough for it to coat the cookies well.
Sometimes – usually with white or colored chocolate- it likes to seize and then you are stuck with an unusable mess. I highly recommend using candy melts for this recipe.
Note – if using Nonpareils to decorate, there is a chance that they will sweat when refrigerated and the colors will bleed.
When your chocolate wafers become chunky rather than creamy, it is said that the chocolate is seized. This is typically due to overheating or contact with water or steam.
In the first case, the chocolate is just burning from excess heat, but in the second case, there is a negative reaction between the chocolate (which is waxy and has many oils that are hydrophobic, or “water-fearing”) and the water, causing the components of the chocolate to separate.
Be sure to refer to the package directions when melting chocolate to prevent this from happening.
These delicious Christmas Wreath Cookies use fudge striped cookies that are dipped in vanilla-flavored candy melts and decorated with sprinkles, candy, and edible glitter/sparkle gel! Decorate them any way you’d like to customize your own wreaths.
These cookies already taste delicious on their own, but already having a hole in the middle makes them the perfect cookie to use as a wreath.
It is anticipated that this recipe would take about an hour depending on how you choose to decorate them. The time may vary by how organized you are and how efficiently the chocolate melts in the microwave.
The time it takes to set will depend on the climate in and around your home. Warm and humid climates may take longer for the chocolate to solidify.
Yes. It is recommended that choosing types of toppings should be limited to dry ingredients, but you may choose to add your favorite topping.
If you love this Easy Christmas recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Decorated Christmas Wreath Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
A classic holiday treat – these buttery, chewy Christmas Rice Krispie Treats are made into Christmas trees and topped with festive sprinkles.
Do you love Krispie treats? We sure do – mostly because they are so easy to make and incredibly delicious. They were one of my mom’s favorites – so of course, we make them all the time.
A friend came over and like every time I have a friend over, we always end up in the kitchen. We wanted to create something quick and easy – with few dishes, that we didn’t have to wait forever before we could enjoy.
These super adorable Christmas Rice Krispie Treats were the perfect recipe. I know you will love them as much as we do.
I think you’ll love this recipe because not only are they quick to make – but you can make a ton of them in very little time. This makes it easy to have these as the treat you bring to a holiday party or a classroom party for the kids.
The little ones love to help with these. You can add some squeeze bags of frosting to let them decorate them like you would a cookie with candies and frosting.
You can also leave the colored sprinkles off and maybe dip them in melted chocolate before decorating too. The possibilities are endless.
These treats are best at room temperature. So once you add the pretzel, you need to wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap or place them in individual zip-top bags. I don’t like to place them all together in one large bag because they tend to stick together.
I don’t recommend refrigeration because the pretzels will absorb the cool, moist air and become soggy – which is no good.
You can also cover them in the pan and store them before cutting. (then just make your cuts and add the pretzels right before serving.
If you use a metal baking pan – just a bit of foil or press-n-seal on the top works just fine. But I like this baking dish with the lid for ease.
Yes – you can make this recipe with any size of marshmallows – just be sure to check this marshmallow conversion table below to make sure you are keeping that ratio just perfect when making these treats.
While I’m not a fan of freezing treats in general, I have plenty of friends that swear that these will do just fine in the freezer. If you plan to do this – I recommend doing it prior to adding the pretzels – for the same reason I mentioned above. The cool air makes them soggy.
I also recommend making sure you have color-fast sprinkles. The nonpareils used here tend to bleed when stored in a moist environment. This will not look pretty when you are ready to serve.
I recommend wrapping each bar individually in plastic wrap. Then place them all in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let sit at room temperature to thaw before serving again.
For the best possible results – follow these tips so you can make THE BEST KRISPIE TREAT CHRISTMAS TREES EVER!
That is the best part about this recipe – it is so easy to make it into something different. You can change up the color of the food coloring – then just use cookie cutters to cut them into any shape you can imagine. So fun and easy enough to let the kids help out too.
If you love this Easy Christmas treat recipe, you’re going to love these other cute treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Christmas Rice Krispie Treats as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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Simply the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that’s soft, chewy, and packed full of chocolate chips. Great for any occasion, gifts, and more!
This time of year it seems I am baking nearly every single day. I don’t mind – as you probably guessed, I love to bake.
There is always someone we are whipping up goodies for around here. We have so many people in our lives that we are thankful for and we like to show our appreciation for them with something homemade.
This post is sponsored by Ghirardelli, all opinions are my own.
I’m happy to say that we have partnered with Ghirardelli to bring you this post. We thank them for helping us to bring you great recipes like these cookies today.
Don’t miss our double chocolate chip cookies and these amazing no-chill cowboy cookies!
When it comes to goodies – I probably make these chocolate chip cookies more than anything else. They are the most requested by friends and family and for good reason.
This particular cookie recipe is super soft and chewy and the cookies stay that way for days after baking. They are also super easy to make because we use melted butter. That means no mixer is required, the dough creams together nicely with just a whisk and a rubber spatula. Gotta love that!
But what I really love about these cookies – THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS! These cookies are made with Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% Cacao Baking Chips which adds the perfect chocolaty flavor with just the right amount of sweetness.
Aside from just loving the texture and flavor of Ghirardelli, I choose Ghirardelli because it is high-quality chocolate. When I’m baking for friends and family, I want only the best. It is everyone’s favorite and their eyes light up when they see the package.
With Ghirardelli’s “Bean to Chocolate” sustainability and sourcing practices, I can feel good about my chocolate too.
But most of all – I love that I can find quality chocolate while doing my weekly shopping at Walmart. It makes it simple and easy to add to my order – saving me time and money.
I like to place mine in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also use a zip-top bag but I find they get jostled a bit too much with this and then you have broken cookies.
Don’t miss our Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter or eggs. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.
The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.
Because we are using melted butter, the dough is very soft when it is first blended together. If you were to try to bake the cookies when the dough is like this – the dough would sort of melt together into one big, flat cookie on the sheet pan. Please, please chill the dough for a minimum of 3 hours.
Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder. Please make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly and that they are at room temperature when you start the mixing.
Also – something to keep in mind- make sure you are placing the dough on a cool baking sheet. The cookies will bake differently if you are placing the dough on the hot baking sheet you just removed from the oven. Make sure you have a rotation of baking sheets so you can always place the unbaked dough on a cool tray.
Yes – this dough can be frozen and baked later. If you would like to roll the dough prior to freezing, make sure to freeze the dough balls in a single flat layer. Once frozen they can be transferred to a zip-top bag for space-saving.
To bake – increase the baking time by 1 minute – no need to thaw the dough before baking.
I like to roll the dough between my hands to soften the outside of the dough before baking – this helps the cookies have the freshest texture once they are baked.
Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But light or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.
Want to know how to make your own brown sugar – visit my Homemade Brown Sugar post here.
**For a little something extra – tuck a Walmart gift card in with the cookies and bags of Ghirardelli chocolates. Gift cards are always appreciated and then your recipient can use the card to buy more Ghirardelli too!
I like to add cornstarch because it is the little secret ingredient that helps keep the cookies extra soft. I’m super picky about my cookies and often won’t eat homemade cookies beyond the first day because they dry out too much for my taste.
But the cornstarch in these cookies keeps them just as soft as the first day – even into day 4. (if they last that long in your house) You can leave it out if you don’t have it without changing anything else in the recipe. But I highly recommend it.
You bet. This cookie dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to baking. Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. You do not need to let it sit out at room temperature before rolling and baking. Just proceed with the recipe as written when you are ready to bake.
Yes – the baked cookies will keep when frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each cookie individually with plastic wrap and then place them all in an airtight container before freezing.
Be sure to head to Walmart to pick up Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% Cacao Baking Chips for these cookies. While you are there, be sure to grab Ghirardelli Chocolate Caramel Squares and/or Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares to pair with the cookies as a nice little gift package.
If you prefer to shop online as I do, here are the links to the products for easy shopping.
For the Cookies
For the extras in the gift basket
These are a STAPLE in our house during the holiday season, which makes it so nice to be able to gift our favorite goodies to those we hold dear to our hearts too. Ghirardelli really Makes the Holidays a Bite Better.
If you love this easy cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other great recipes using chocolate chips too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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These indulgent chocolate chocolate chip cookie bars aka double chocolate chip cookie bars are an excellent recipe for making classic, all-time favorite chocolate chip cookies in a bar form.
A match made in heaven: gooey melted chocolate chips inside chewy, thick cookie dough bars. More chocolate never hurts anyone, especially during the Christmas season.
View postSoft sugar cookies cut into cute Grinch faces and decorated with sweet royal icing. These Grinch Cookies are the perfect holiday treat for kids of all ages.
Do you or your kids love the Grinch? We all grew up with that iconic character and I think we all probably know a few people in real life that we might refer to as the Grinch. (lovingly or otherwise) I kid!
This time of year I love to make something super cute and this year it was these Grinch cookies. I invited a friend over who is great at cookie decorating and we had a little holiday fun making these adorable little goodies.
My mom was always the one to make goodies like these. She was so patient with the process and made them turn out so adorable.
I love that these ones have eyelashes – just like my mom used to make on all her faces she would create when making fun decorated treats like this. The best part is that you can get as creative as you like with these cookies.
They make a great treat for an office party, fun church potluck, kids class party, or leaving out for Santa. I know you’ll love them as much as we do.
You can store the frosted cookies for several days in an airtight container. Be sure to store between layers of parchment paper so they are less likely to stick together.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
You bet. This cookie dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to baking. You may need to let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling out and cutting into shapes.
You can also make the cookies up to 2 days prior to decorating them. Just make sure to cool them to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container.
This works great if you are hosting a cookie decorating party. Just make all the cookies a couple of days before the party and then they are ready to go when you have all those extra hands to get them all decorated.
PRO TIP – Dip your Grinch cookie cutter and stamp in flour between cutting out and stamping cookies to make sure the dough doesn’t stick to the cutter or stamp.
Royal Icing with Egg Whites: If you cannot find meringue powder or prefer to use raw egg whites, you could just replace both the water and meringue powder called for in the recipe with 2 large egg whites and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.
The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.
Without chilling, the dough would not only be too sticky to really roll it and cut it. But it would also spread way too much while baking – leaving flat and not very appealing cookies in the end. Please don’t skip the chilling process.
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
I understand wanting to cut this recipe in half. Aside from trying to cut an egg in half – there is already a small amount of dough overall, cutting the recipe would make it more difficult to work with.
You would be better off making the recipe as written and then freezing half of the dough for a later time.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
You can, and we do it often. I actually find it easier to work with a larger portion of dough – but I do have to use my larger mixer to accommodate the increase in volume.
This Grinch Sugar Cookie Recipe is SUPER CUTE and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made decorated sugar cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe.
If you love this Grinch Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Homemade Grinch Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Super soft and chewy ginger cookies dipped in white chocolate and decorated for the holiday – These White Chocolate Ginger Cookies are sure to warm up any winter day.
Everyone who knows me also knows that I am a ginger cookie fanatic. They are my absolute favorite, and I eat ginger cookies year-round.
So now that it is the holiday season it is only natural for ginger cookies to make an appearance here because ginger cookies are an absolute holiday staple. Ginger cookies and Christmas go hand in hand – so, of course, we make these each and every holiday season. I know you’ll love them as much as we do.
View postSnowman Cookies are fun for the kids and super easy to make with just 4 ingredients. Great with hot chocolate on a chilly day!
Who doesn’t love fun and festive holiday cookies? These snowman cake mix cookies are super easy to make, and they’re sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Plus, they’re perfect for a last-minute treat!
This homemade vanilla cupcake recipe is topped with a swirl of red and green frosting making these Christmas Cupcakes a festive way to celebrate the holidays.
Growing up I had a lot of cake around. You see, my mom decorated cakes professionally when I was really little and then continued to do them for friends on the side for special occasions.
So for me – the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without cupcakes or some sort of cake around. A friend of mine came over and we whipped up these whimsical Christmas Cupcakes with red, green, and white swirled frosting that are positively delicious.
View postIndulge in the perfect blend of rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint with our delectable Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
Today, I’m excited to share with you a recipe that’s sure to bring holiday cheer to your kitchen – Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. Have I caught your attention? My mouth is watering already!
These cookies are a perfect blend of rich chocolate flavor and refreshing peppermint, making them an irresistible treat for Christmas. They are seriously yummy. Imagine biting into a soft, chocolatey cookie, enhanced with the crisp, cool flavor of peppermint, and adorned with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes.
View postWhether you’re looking to make a bunch of cookies for cookie exchanges or Christmas parties, or you want to create an amazing holiday cookie platter at home, you can’t go wrong with these Christmas shortbread cookies.
These cookies are just a basic buttery shortbread but they’re decorated with holiday colors and dotted with chocolatey goodness. And they couldn’t be easier!
Candy Cane Cookies are peppermint cookies shaped like candy canes. Their festive look is perfect for a cookie exchange or holiday party.
Candy canes are synonymous with the holiday season. This is why these candy cane cookies are an absolute must to make.
Not only are these super adorable – making them perfect for cookie exchanges, neighbor gifts, potlucks, and leaving out for Santa – but they are super delicious too. Soft and chewy with a slight hint of peppermint flavor – YUM! Don’t forget the hot chocolate to go with these too!
My favorite thing about these cookies is their whimsical shape. Those red and white twists just make me smile. But then you add how quick and easy they are to make and they rise to the top of my list when making treats to give away.
I’m all about homemade gifts because they are so much more personal. So this time of year I almost always make cookies – because I’m already baking anyway and they come from the heart.
I guarantee these will bring HUGE SMILES to everyone you give them to!
Because this recipe requires whipping the butter and then the dough at a high speed to create the right texture, this will require some sort of mixer to achieve the final end product of this cookie. However, you don’t need to use a stand mixer, these can be made using a hand mixer too.
Actually- with this cookie recipe, no chilling is required – which is why I love it so much. You need the dough to be soft and pliable so you can roll it into the ropes and then twist it into the candy cane shape. So these cookies are not only delicious but quick to make too.
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder.
Make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly, and that those ingredients are fresh. Things like baking powder can be less effective within just a few months after purchasing.
But just make sure the butter is at room temperature when you start the mixing. If the cookies are flat- your room could just be too warm, making the butter too soft. If that is the case, you might need to chill the dough for a few minutes.
Once the cookies have completely cooled, you can place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. These tasty little cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.
You can, and we do it often. I actually find it easier to work with a larger portion of dough – but I do have to use my larger mixer to accommodate the increase in volume.
But if you are making these for a cookie exchange or to give as gifts for neighbors – doubling is recommended.
This peppermint cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe.
If you love this Easy Candy Cane Cookies recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Peppermint Candy Cane Shaped Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Who says the Grinch doesn’t have a heart? These sweet and salty Grinch Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods are dipped and drizzled in rich green chocolate and topped with a single red heart. These delicious treats will make any holiday sweet!
Does your family love the story of The Grinch? I grew up with the original version and we love watching the un-animated version that came out many years ago.
So we decided to whip up some cute little Grinch-Inspired chocolate-covered pretzel rods. I love the neon green paired with the single red heart. Not only are these super simple to make, but the kiddos love them too.
What’s even more fun is that they are so easy to make – you could even let the little hands help out. I know our kids loved to be in the kitchen helping me with goodies every chance they got.
It makes for special family memories, and quality bonding time too. So turn on some holiday tunes, gather the kids and whip up this super easy treat that you can enjoy while watching The Grinch movie later on.
When your chocolate wafers become chunky rather than creamy, it is said that the chocolate seized. This is typically due to overheating or contact with water or steam.
In the first case, the chocolate is just burning from excess heat, but in the second case, there is a negative reaction between the chocolate (which is waxy and has many oils that are hydrophobic, or “water-fearing”) and the water, causing the components of the chocolate to separate.
Be sure to refer to the package directions when melting chocolate to prevent this from happening.
Because pretzels tend to get soggy when exposed to moist air (as you find in a refrigerator or freezer) I don’t recommend trying to refrigerate or freeze these pretzel rods. Just place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature.
Do keep in mind that depending on the age of the candy melts and your climate – the chocolate may bloom (look like it has a white film on it) after a period of time.
While it is unappealing – there is actually nothing wrong with the chocolate and it is still fine and safe to eat.
If cake pops, chocolate truffles, or other chocolate-dipped treats intimidate you, don’t fret! These chocolate-covered pretzels are SO much quicker and easier and you can customize them a million ways. These Grinch-inspired pretzels take very little time to make start to finish and are perfect for packaging up in Christmas treat bags for the little ones!
While you can use white chocolate chips and then tint the chocolate to make these pretzels, I have found that it often requires a bit more coconut oil or shortening to get the chocolate to melt to the right consistency.
I like to use candy melts because the chocolate is made with just the right formula so that it performs exactly as needed. PLUS it already comes in the color that I need – making it so much faster and easier. I have had instances where the white chocolate melted fine and then seized once I tried adding the food coloring.
The candy melts come in a multitude of colors, varieties, and flavors so the sky is the limit on what you can do with them when it comes to making these pretzels.
Note – if using Nonpareils to decorate, there is a chance that they will sweat when refrigerated and the colors will bleed.
I haven’t tried using sugar-free chocolate. But I think that will work just fine. If you give it a try, please let me know how it turned out.
You can, and we do it often. It might take a bit longer and you might want to work in batches when it comes to melting the chocolate – working portions of the bag each time.
This Grinch Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made chocolate covered pretzels before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cute holiday recipe.
If you love this Easy Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rod recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Grinch Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are so fun to make and are perfect for parties, gifts, or enjoying with your favorite holiday movie. Merry Christmas!
My friends – this time of year our house basically turns into cookie central. We have so many cookies being made around here – but the one recipe that is most requested is the one for these Christmas Pinwheel Cookies.
These cookies are soft and chewy and say fresh for UP TO A WEEK if kept in an airtight container. That’s what makes them great for parties, mailing to family out of town and leaving them out for Santa to enjoy on Christmas Eve.
The family thinks I’m crazy because I typically don’t like cookies beyond the first 24 hours. But that is with most other cookies. These are unlike any other cookie – they are just as good on day 4 as they are on day 1 – which is HUGE for me.
These cookies stay so soft and chewy and you just can’t beat that adorable, whimsical swirl in those fun Christmas colors. These are definitely at the TOP of my favorites list when it comes to treats. I know you’ll love them too.
You can, and we do it often. I actually find it easier to work with a larger portion of dough – but I do have to use my larger mixer to accommodate the increase in volume.
I understand wanting to cut this recipe in half. But it would be quite difficult to separate that small amount of dough into separate parts and then roll it into the log.
You would be better off making the recipe as written and then freezing half of the dough for a later time.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.
The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.
Without chilling, the dough would not only be too sticky to really roll it into balls. But it would also spread way too much while baking – leaving flat and not very appealing cookies in the end. Please don’t skip the chilling process.
Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, place them in an airtight container or zip-top bag. They should stay soft for several days. I don’t recommend refrigerating them.
This is important – just because the package says “sprinkles” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is in fact sprinkles.
I see a lot of people using colored sanding sugar that is labeled as sprinkles.
This will not work as well because when that sugar gets wet – like when mixed into a moist dough or when placed in the refrigerator, it will sweat & the color will bleed out.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
This cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made pinwheel cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe.
If you love this Easy Pinwheel Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Christmas Pinwheel Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Decadent, soft, and chewy Nutella cookies packed with vanilla, chocolate, and hazelnut flavor and loaded with gooey Nutella filling.
Yummy cookies are an easy sweet treat and dessert for both: every day and holidays. The thicker, the chewier cookies are and the more the filling is oozing – the better. And nothing pairs better with perfectly soft and chewy cookies than a generous dollop of Nutella spread.
View postTwist on the traditional holiday treat with this Velveeta Fudge. It’s so creamy and easy to make. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter.
Today, I have a unique and delightful recipe to share with you – Velveeta Fudge. Yes, you read that right!
This fudge, with its creamy texture and rich chocolate flavor, is a delightful twist on traditional fudge recipes. The secret? Velveeta cheese!
View postRicotta Cookies are the tastiest cookies! This classic Italian treat is perfect for Christmas but so good that they’ll be on your cookie tray year round!
This time of year tradition is important. With most of our family gone, we like to try to bring back the things that remind us of those people we have lost.
I grew up with goodies like these ricotta cookies. They were always there at our holiday gatherings. So it just makes sense to make sure they continue to be a holiday favorite for years to come.
Ricotta cookies are soft with a moist crumble. While they contain lemon zest and ricotta cheese – you don’t really taste either of them prominently in the cookies.
The lemon flavor is light and gives a fresh taste, while the ricotta helps with the texture of the cookies making them positively irresistible.
Once the icing hardens, you can place the cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. These Ricotta Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.
Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder.
Make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly, and that those ingredients are fresh. Things like baking powder can be less effective within just a few months after purchasing.
But just make sure the butter is at room temperature when you start the mixing. If the cookies are flat- your room could just be too warm, making the butter too soft. If that is the case, you might need to chill the dough for a few minutes.
Ricotta is typically located near the milk and eggs in most grocery stores.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
This is important – just because the package says “sprinkles” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is in fact sprinkles. You want to make sure you are buying nonpareils.
I see a lot of people using colored sanding sugar that is labeled as sprinkles.
This will not work as well because when that sugar gets wet – like when mixed into a moist dough or when placed in the refrigerator or on top of a moist icing, it will sweat & the color will bleed out.
That being said – the nonpareils will also bleed if refrigerated or frozen – they just take a bit longer to do so than if you used sanding sugar.
Ricotta cookies are typically made with ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
Also known as Hares or Lepre, they are an Italian tradition typically eaten during Christmas time. Ricotta cookies are very easy to make, keep well and taste delicious! Ricotta Cookies were first made as a tradition in the Italian town of Campagna.
Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.
The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.
Without chilling, the dough would not only be too sticky to really roll it into balls. But it would also spread way too much while baking – leaving flat and not very appealing cookies in the end. Please don’t skip the chilling process.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
Because this recipe requires whipping the butter and then the dough at a high speed to create the whipped texture, this will require some sort of mixer to achieve the final end product of this cookie. However, you don’t need to use a stand mixer, these can be made using a hand mixer too.
You bet – if you want to make fewer cookies – this recipe reduces well. However they make a great gift for friends and family – or you could take a goodie tray to the local fire or police department. I’m sure they would appreciate it.
Yes, these can be frozen – but are best when frozen before decorating. To freeze, just roll the cookie dough into balls & then place the dough balls on a plate or cookie sheet & flash freeze them.
Once they’ve been flash-frozen, transfer them to a zip-top bag & freeze for up to 1 month. When you want to make the cookies, just thaw the dough for 20-30 minutes, place it on the baking sheet, add the decorations, and bake!
I don’t recommend trying to freeze with the decorations as the nonpareils will bleed when exposed to the moist air. This will result in a less than desirable look. Please add those just before serving.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
This cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love these. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe.
If you love this Easy Ricotta Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Ricotta Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
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This is a rich, creamy, decadent Christmas Cheesecake with a hint of peppermint, a chocolate Oreo crust, and decorated with festive candy. Positively delicious and the perfect cookie alternative treat for Santa.
Our family sure loves cheesecake. My New York-style recipe is nice and thick and oh so creamy. So I wanted to spin-off of that and make something for the holiday season
I paired down the recipe, used a chocolate mint Oreo crust, added a hint of peppermint flavor and, of course, holiday sprinkles to make it super festive. It is fun, cute, and oh so tasty!
While cookies are the traditional treat to leave out for Santa or to serve at a holiday gathering – I’m always wanting to change it up and offer something different. Also – Santa is often asking me to cheesecake and I’m happy to oblige.
Especially when the cheesecake whips up so easily as this one does. Plus it’s just so cute with all the holiday colors and candy. You can’t go wrong with this one.
The lumpy filling comes from the cream cheese being too cold. When you add the other dry and room-temperature ingredients to the cold cream cheese, it won’t blend and emulsify with the ingredients completely, leaving little lumps of cream cheese speckled throughout the filling.
Oh yes, of course! You don’t have to add holiday candies to this cheesecake unless you want to. Adding other toppings like chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, plain caramel sauce, crushed cookies and so much more.
While many think it originated in New York, cheesecake actually originated from Greece about 4000 years ago. There they would pound cheese into a thick paste and sweeten it with honey before adding to a crust made with wheat.
It is similar to the cheesecakes we know today and I am so glad they thought to make something so delicious that we enjoy today.
Of course. If you don’t want to use Oreo cookies, you can use about 9 full-sized graham crackers (the rectangle) instead. You can also substitute another cookie that has a firm crumble.
Cheesecake isn’t really considered diet food. It is rich and creamy because of the full fat that is in the cream cheese.
Because of this, I don’t recommend using a low-fat or fat-free product to make this recipe.
Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.
When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.
Well, yes and no. If you want a traditional round and tall cheesecake like you see here, then the answer is yes. Without being able to remove the sides of the pan as you do with a springform, you won’t be able to remove the cheesecake and keep it in slices.
However, if you want to make this in a 9×13 shallow pan, that would work too. When working with a more shallow pan and cutting into bars instead of slices, the cheesecake is easier to remove and serve.
Honestly, this really depends on how large or small you cut them. But I like to cut a decent-sized slice because when it comes to dessert, I don’t mess around.
You can reasonably get 16 slices out of this cake and not be skimpy.
You don’t have to have a stand mixer to make this recipe. Using a handheld mixer & a very large mixing bowl will work just fine for the batter. Just make sure your ingredients are at room temperature & that you blend everything really well.
Just keep it refrigerated for up to 7 days. As long as you don’t let it sit out at room temperature for too long, this should keep well when chilled.
Make sure to cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil before refrigerating.
Keep in mind that when you add the colored candies and then refrigerate them – the moist air will cause the colors to bleed. It also tends to cause the peppermint candies to melt.
So this does make for an unappealing dessert. I recommend only adding them at the time of serving and consider removing them before refrigerating the remaining cake.
Yes, absolutely. If you are one that really loves a thick crust that comes up the sides of the cheesecake, just double the ingredients for the crust portion of this recipe & make sure that it is chilled & solid before adding your filling.
Keep in mind that doing this it will make the filling less likely to fit inside the 9″ pan – if you are doubling the crust – I do recommend moving up to the 10″ or 12″ pan.
I recommend freezing the cheesecake before the candies are added. Leave the cheesecake in the pan, cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When serving you can add the candies to the thawed cheesecake.
Cutting this recipe in half would drastically change the baking time. For the best possible result, it would be better to make the recipe as it is written & then give away or freeze whatever portion you won’t use immediately.
That being said, this cake will keep for 4-5 days, so there is plenty of time to enjoy it all.
Absolutely! You don’t have to add the buttercream frosting to the top of the cheesecake. You can add a layer of whipped topping instead.
Of course, the traditional New York-style cheesecakes have a layer of sour cream on top. But that doesn’t seem very festive to me – which is why I went with the frosting instead.
I have not personally tried it, so I can’t say how that would turn out. But if you would like to try it, I suggest a product that offers a 1:1 swap. Please let me know how it turns out.
This holiday cheesecake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a homemade cheesecake before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cheesecake recipe.
If you love this Easy Christmas Cheesecake recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
If you love this recipe for Homemade Christmas Cheesecake as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Whipped Shortbread Cookies are so festive! They are super easy to make, positively delicious, and are beautiful for the holidays.
This time of year cookies are made in abundance in our house. Seems every single week I have several batches of various types of cookies being baked at any given time. No one around here is complaining about that.
One cookie that is a holiday classic, but is often overlooked are these whipped shortbread cookies. They are so simple to make.
These require only a small handful of ingredients, are egg-free and if you don’t add the additional dipped chocolate, they can be done and ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes. Pretty good if you ask me!
Now – I love these cookies because they can be decorated in so many ways – and they always look so pretty. This makes them perfect for just about any holiday.
The hubs, he loves these cookies with his coffee. I think it’s because they aren’t too sweet, with most of the sweetness coming from the decorations. These are more buttery and just sort of melt in your mouth.
Whipped Shortbread is a shortbread that has been whipped using a mixer to add lightness to the dough and then decorated with some sugar or sprinkles for decoration. Whipping the dough gives it an airier texture than a traditional rolled and cut shortbread cookie.
Whipped shortbread is often used on holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, New Year’s Eve, etc. These Shortbread Cookies can be decorated with sprinkles or candies on top to make them look amazing.
Once the melted chocolate hardens again, you can place the cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature.
This recipe works best when made in full. However, you can make the full batch of dough and then divide it – freezing the other half for a later time.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.
I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.
But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.
I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.
This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.
My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.
You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.
Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder.
Normally I would tell you to make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly, but these particular cookies don’t call for those ingredients.
But just make sure the butter is at room temperature when you start the mixing. If the cookies are flat- your room could just be too warm, making the butter too soft. If that is the case, you might need to chill the dough for a few minutes.
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your cookies too dry.
Because shortbread can get quite crumbly very easily with too much flour – please be sure to measure the flour for these cookies as described above.
This is really a personal preference. If you are happy with just a little salt to cut the sweetness, then use salted butter.
I usually use whatever I have on hand & I really don’t pay too close attention to what butter I have. But I typically keep salted butter on hand & I love that little bit of extra salt with the sweet in this recipe.
These days with groceries being more difficult to find – I basically get whatever the store has available at the time and make it work.
Nope – that is what I love about these cookies. No chill time is required – which makes them super fast when the cookie craving strikes.
Because this recipe requires whipping the butter and then the dough at a high speed to create the whipped texture, this will require some sort of mixer to achieve the final end product of a whipped cookie. However, you don’t need to use a stand mixer, these can be made using a hand mixer too.
Yes, these can be frozen – but are best when frozen before decorating. To freeze, just roll the cookie dough into balls & then place the dough balls on a plate or cookie sheet & flash freeze them.
Once they’ve been flash-frozen, transfer them to a zip-top bag & freeze for up to 1 month. When you want to make the cookies, just thaw the dough for 20-30 minutes, place it on the baking sheet, add the decorations, and bake!
This shortbread cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made shortbread before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love these cookies. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe.
If you love this Easy Shortbread Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
Peppermint Shortbread Kiss Cookies
If you love this recipe for Whipped Shortbread Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Easy No-Cook Fudge is a quick holiday recipe made with just 5 simple ingredients (+ any mix-ins) whipped together and chilled before serving.
I’m so excited for the holiday season! We are getting the house decorated and I am whipping up so many treats.
This is such a fun time of year – but a busy one too. This is why I am always looking for ways to streamline our favorite things so we can still enjoy them, even when the schedule gets too full. That’s where this super easy no-cook fudge recipe comes in!
I’m excited to partner with Reynolds Wrap® for this post.
I like to use Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty foil in this recipe because it won’t tear and makes clean-up an absolute breeze. It has a new blue box with the same great quality and strength. It’s easy to find when I shop, I can just add it to my weekly online Walmart order – saving me time and money!
View postTiramisu Cupcakes are loaded with expresso and Kahlua flavors and topped with sweet mascarpone frosting and a dusting of cocoa powder.
Get ready to be whisked away to a little piece of dessert heaven! You love tiramisu cake, right? I mean, does cake really get any better than that?
Well, maybe it does. What if we could take that amazing tiramisu flavor that we all know and love and shrink it down to cupcake size?
View postStruffoli is a deep-fried dough or pastry that is covered with honey or syrup and topped with sprinkles. It is thought to bring good luck to the home it is made in.
When it comes to the holidays, I’m all about making traditional and nostalgic treats. So I’m always looking back at old family photos to see what was included in the holiday spread.
I’ll often see something I had completely forgotten about or something that I had been trying to pinpoint for years so I could recreate it now for the family to enjoy. One of those recipes is Struffoli.
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