It’s that time of year when I need to start thinking about what I want to cook and bake for Christmas.
I’m hoping for some choices that are not terribly difficult to make, but really make for a nice impression.
Any ideas?
We only tried making something once !
Chocolate truffles.
Yum.
Fudge is my favorite to make and my favorite to receive. The version with chocolate chips and marshmallow creme is soooo easy to make, it’s almost cheating.
Followed closely by New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies, again to receive and to give.
Love to give fancied up Refrigerator Pickles in fancied up jars as gifts. Gotta make sure the receiver likes pickles, though. Love to get Puerto Rican Coquito for the Holidays and will not turn down West Indian Ponche Crema. Sure they’re alcoholic, but you still gotta sorta cook it.
Racine Danish Kringles. I give two to my brother and family, and two for sister and family. And I usually get one or two for myself just because.
They are heavenly.
Thanks everyone! These are all terrific ideas.
I’m watching the Great British Baking Show to get in the mood. I only wish I were as talented as most of the bakers on there.
We like cookies and yes, we like Fruitcake.
Buckeyes are my favorite candy to receive.
Those buckeyes look great. I think I could manage to make those!
I really like the fruitcake from Costco. I might give that one some thought, but I couldn’t claim to have made it myself. I couldn’t keep a straight face. Darnit.
Thank you again everyone.
I was going to say that fruitcake would be my favorite to receive, but no one’s ever given me one.
I spend a day making a ton of Oatmeal Scotchies (the recipe on the back of a bag of Nestle butterscotch ships) and give them as gifts. People don’t tend to make them themselves - they’re not hard to make they’re just not chocolate chip. And they are such a delicious cookie, everyone looks forward to getting them.
My go-to Christmas food presents to give are:
Cumin-Cured Olives
kittenblue’s Cheeze Spread
“Bad Boys” Raspberry Jam bars
Recipes on request.
My daughter and I always make/give Needhams (chocolate-dipped coconut candy) and spritz cookies (almond-flavored butter cookies formed with a cookie press).
Last year I gifted homemade Irish cream liqueur (think Bailey’s). Recipes are readily available online, and it is super easy. Buy some cute bottles at the craft store, tie on a tag with some twine, maybe add a packet or two of Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix.
I would love to receive all of the treats mentioned above, especially the fudge, buckeyes, and oatmeal scotchies. Anything homemade, really.
That’s such a chintzy amount of chocolate; my one friend’s family recipe has 54 ounces per batch.
I sometimes make monster cookies. There are recipes on line but a lot of them contain peanut butter, which mine do not. Chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, flaked coconut, oats, rice krispies and the usual butter, sugar, brown sugar…
I’ve sent relatives confetti popcorn a couple of times. One of my sisters would have Hallmark Christmas Movies on 24/7 if she could and I sent her a batch to much on while watching TV.
Same sister also tends to send us samplers from New Braunfels Smokehouse at the end of the year and I’ve sent her a wurst selection from Hermann Wurst Haus for her birthday.
If you know anyone who has to watch their sugar content and would like kringle:
Rum balls are easy to make, and if you have a rum fan (or bourbon, etc.), the balls will be very well appreciated.
Nanaimo bars. Can be messy, but oh so good.
Home made caramel popcorn balls.
Traditional fudge is one of those gives I love to receive because it’s difficult to make.
And if somebody gave me buckeyes, I would not share. They are mine. All mine.