Next week is Halloween and most people are thinking about candy and costumes. Since my kids are older and don't dress up anymore or go trick-or-treating, I'm not as focused on Halloween as I used to be.
Since it's never really been one of my favorite holidays to decorate or bake for, I tend to buy a few bags of candy and just enjoy the little kids coming to my door, afraid to even say "Trick or Treat!"
While so many others are planning for their Halloween parties, costumes and scaring people for fun (and it really is fun! Scaring people or being scared is my favorite part of this time of year!) but I am making a list and checking it twice.
Yes, that's right...I am planning for Christmas! I obviously bake all the time but my Holiday baking is off the charts! I bake for work, I bake for gifts, and I bake for home. I make down home, traditional bakes and fancy, elaborate creations, some in the name of recipe development and some as part of longstanding traditions.
There are a lot of cookie recipes in the world but some are just classics. Vintage recipes are my favorite because they come with nostalgia as well as being amazingly delicious. There is a reason that a recipe stays around for a long time!
I have a list of cookies, cakes and candies that I make every year for trays of goodies, to fill the cookie jar and to wrap up to give as gifts. But every year I add several new recipes to my list. It's tough to take out some of the classics but I do tend to swap them out to keep the list manageable.
Another way to manage making so many recipes is to mix up multiple batches of cookie dough and freeze them. All of these dough's freeze well and you can bake a bunch or just a few whenever you have a craving for freshly baked cookies! I mean, no one says that you have to give away ALL the cookies!
Below is a list of most of my classics - the most used recipes on my cookie list. Some of these are my recipes and some of them link to other sites but these are the recipes that I use over and over.
I also have other cookie recipes that are scribbled on note cards or pieces of scrap paper that will eventually make it on to Global Bakes for me to share with you. Slowly but surely, I will get them all baked, photographed, and written up!
But in the meantime, take this list, decide which ones you want to make for your family and friends and bake them up!
Click each title to go to the recipe!
Cranberry, Orange and White Chocolate Biscotti
Gingerbread for eating AND construction
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crackers
Yes, this is a long list! But it makes for a pretty satisfying display of treats! Just pick 2 or 3 and give them a go! Enjoy and let me know in the comments which recipes are your favorite!
Emily says
Girl I am so with you!!!! I do have little kids who have lots of Halloween plans but I have already been planning my Xmas Baking (and was thinking of blogging about it). 1st week of November I’m planning on snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies that I can keep in the freezer and bake as needed.