When the Christmas season comes around, that means a lot of different things. It could mean trees, shopping, presents, parties, and of course, FOOD! There are even parties that are centered on food (Cookie swap parties)!! While I know food is not the meaning of Christmas, it is something that is a part of celebrating this fabulous occasion.
For this upcoming holiday season, I’ve included a few foolproof recipes like cookies, mock Starbucks, and more that have been pre-approved by me.
The first recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser and pretty easy to make. The first time I tried this out was last year when I went to a cookie swap. It was a huge hit. And the best part about this recipe is that it is so versatile that you can make it any time of the year.
Confetti Cake Batter Cookies
From Sally’s Baking Addiction Blog
1 box (18.25 oz) vanilla/white cake mix, such as Duncan Hines
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil or melted coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sprinkles
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and baking powder. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla by hand. Add the egg mixture to the cake mixture and stir to form a dough- stir vigorously until all of the pockets of dry cake mix are gone. Gently mix in the sprinkles – you do not want to dye the cookie dough by overstirring the sprinkles.
Drop rounded 1-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes – do not let the cookies get brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes; they will be very soft at first. As they cool, the tops will settle down so you will not have to press the cookies down yourself. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, for up to one week.
One of the big places to visit at Christmas time or all year is Starbucks. So many people love Starbucks, but trying to get it every day can be annoying and expensive. In order to remedy this, I have tried out a mock recipe for the Gingerbread Latte.
Now when I was making this, I did not know that you are not supposed to make the temperature extremely high. Long story short, the sugar and water mixture boiled over, set my stove top on fire, and it took me about two hours to clean my stove off with polish and a scrunge. My tip would be don’t put the stove on high and be very careful about watching it while it is cooking.
Mock Starbucks Gingerbread Latte
From the Dallas Socials Blog
Gingerbread Syrup:
2 cups water
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
Combine all the ingredients in a medium pot. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and allow syrup to simmer. Leave uncovered for 15 minutes and then remove from heat.
½ cup coffee
1 cup steamed milk (optional)
Last but not least, with there being a lot of junk food around the holidays, I like to eat healthy as much as I can. Unfortunately I still have a sweet tooth. In order to curb my cravings while still getting what I want, I resort to FRUIT SALAD! This particular fruit salad is extremely tasty and still has that holiday spice.
Cinnamon Ginger Fruit Salad
From Healthy Crush
Ingredients:
2 chopped apples, any red-skinned variety
2 chopped pears
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
Juice of 1/2 orange
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
Toss chopped fruit with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Stir together orange juice, maple syrup, ginger and cinnamon. Pour over fruit and mix well. Transfer to bowl and serve!
I hope your cooking endeavors go as well as your holidays. Merry Christmas and Bon Appetit!
