Baking Spirits Bright: Easy Holiday Recipes

The holiday season is upon us, which means it’s time to break out the mixing bowls, roll up your sleeves and dive into the delicious world of holiday baking! Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie in the kitchen, our easy holiday recipes will have you whipping up sweet treats that look —and taste! — like they came straight from a bakery.

Recipe #1: Peppermint Perfection

What’s a holiday without a batch of fresh baked cookies? If you're searching for an easy holiday cookie recipe, we’ve got you covered with this fuss-free favorite, courtesy of AllRecipes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Icing

• ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
• 5 teaspoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy canes, or to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
3. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until completely incorporated.
4. Mix in flour and salt to form a soft dough. Fold in crushed candy canes.
5. Roll dough into walnut-size balls and place 1 inch apart onto prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Cool on the baking sheet briefly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. For the icing: whisk confectioners' sugar and warm water together in a small bowl until smooth.
9. Dip the top of a cookie into icing, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Repeat with remaining cookies.
10. Allow icing to set before serving, at least 5 minutes.
11. Dig in! Don’t forget some milk!

Recipe #2: Fluffy & Easy Cinnamon Rolls

There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of warm, gooey cinnamon rolls on a chilly Christmas morning. These soft, pillowy delights are the perfect balance of sweet cinnamon, rich butter and creamy frosting. Ready to bake up something magical with Butternut Bakery?

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• 4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 packets rapid rise yeast, about 4 1/2 teaspoons
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

Filling

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temp
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. In a heat-safe bowl, combine the water and butter (cut into tablespoons). Heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until warm to the touch but not hot. The butter will not melt completely.
3. Pour into the dry ingredients with the egg and mix with a wooden spoon.
4. Add in 2 more cups of flour and mix. It should turn thick and sticky at this point.
5. Add in 1/2 cup of flour and mix again. It should now turn shaggy and become difficult to stir. Once it reaches that point, set the spoon to the side and use your hands to mix and knead the dough.
6. It will be sticky, so add another 1/4 cup of flour and continue to mix and knead by hand. It should turn into a smooth mass that’s soft and tacky. With a clean finger, press it into the dough. If your finger is sticking, add another 1/4 cup of flour and knead. If it’s not, then shape it into a ball and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
7. When the 10 minutes is up, the dough should have puffed up quite a bit but not quite doubled in size.
8. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough rectangle shape. Roll it into a 10×15-inch rectangle using a rolling pin.
9. Spread the room temperature butter into a thin and even layer, leaving about 1/2-inch border all around the outside of the dough.
10. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and spread it even with your hand. Then top it with the cinnamon.
11. Working from the 15-inch end of the dough, roll it up into a log. Place your hands at each end of the log and give it a gentle squeeze in to compact the log of dough. It may have stretched out a bit during the rolling process so this brings it back together.
12. For best results, use unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls. If you don’t have floss, you could also use a thin sewing thread. If using a sharp knife, gently saw back and forth and try not to press straight down into the rolls. This will squish them.
13. Using the floss, slide it under the roll and toss both ends of the floss over top. Pull them through to create a cut. Cut off the two ends of the log and then cut the remainder into 12 pieces.
14. Cut the entire log in half, then cut those two halves in half to create 4 segments. Cut each of those 4 segments into 3 rolls to get a total of 12.
15. Place the rolls in a buttered or greased 9×13 dish (you could also use two 9″ round pans, placing 6 rolls in each). It’s OK if all of the rolls are touching.
16. Place in a warm spot and cover with a towel to rise for 1 hour. If you live in a colder climate, preheat the oven to the lowest temperature. Once it’s ready, turn the oven off and place the rolls inside. This creates a warm environment for the rolls to proof.
17. Preheat the oven to 350°F (first remove the rolls if you proofed them inside) and check on the rolls. They should have doubled in size and now take up the entire dish.
18. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown.

Cream Cheese Icing

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and use a fork to mash the two together. Make sure they’re both softened to room temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mash again with the fork. Once the mixture starts to loosen, switch to a whisk and mix until smooth.
3. Spread onto the warm rolls.
4. Enjoy!

Once your kitchen is filled with freshly baked goodies, it’s time to package them up for gift-giving! Present your treats in a way that’s just as festive as they are delicious.

• Decorative tins: classic and reusable, perfect for keeping cookies fresh.
• Holiday-themed gift bags: add a cute ribbon and a personalized gift tag for a personal touch.
• Mason jars: great for gifting no-bake desserts like cheesecakes or layered cookie mixes.

With these easy holiday baking ideas, your holiday season will be filled with sweet smells, delicious treats and happy loved ones. Don’t forget to explore our holiday kitchenware collection to find the tools you need to make baking a breeze!