2023 Holiday Cookie Box

 

For the 2023 Holiday Cookie Box I stuck to the tried and true classics that everyone seemed to love along with the new addition of vanillekipferl.  Year after year I vow to cut back on the different types of cookies I make to save myself the time and effort, yet every year I never do.  I can't help it, baking is my love language and what better way to show someone you care than by gifting them a box of homemade treats?

 

Ginger Molasses

Walnut Snowballs

Vanillekipferl

Viennois

Checkerboard Sablés

Italian Rainbow 

Gingerbread 

 

Packaging (Item 851445940P)

Checkerboard and Marble Sablés

 

French butter cookies are a personal favorite of mine and this year I made them as Checkerboard and Marble Sablés.  Don't be intimidated, the checkerboard pattern isn't as difficult as it may appear.   I made two batches of Cook's Illustrated sablés recipe, one flavored vanilla and the other chocolate, to create these beauties.  For the design I turned to this King Arthur's video which was super helpful.  As you cut the rods of dough to make the checkerboard you inevitably end up with many scraps.  Don't throw them away!  When you smoosh the scraps together you get the marbled cookies.

  

These cookies will impress anyone and they taste fantastic too.  Not too sweet, buttery and crunchy.  They will be the stars in this year's holiday cookie box.

Vanillekipferl

 

Vanillekipferl are crescent-shaped almond shortbread cookies traditionally made at Christmas time in many European countries, e.g., Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They're a very close cousin to nut snowballs or Mexican wedding cookies, but the dough is much smoother with the addition of almond flour.  I love that they aren't too sweet so you don't feel guilty eating so many.  I'll be including them in this year's holiday cookie box.  

Rice Krispies Turkey

For Thanksgiving I present to you a Rice Krispies Turkey.  

 

I love a 3-D cake pan so when I saw this turkey shaped one I had to add it to my (evergrowing) Nordic Ware collection.  My favorite use for these type of cake pans is to make molded rice cereal treats like the ones I've done for Easter, here and here.  Note to self for the next time I make it: prepare 2x the treats recipe in order to fill both cavities of the mold.  Unfortunately I only had enough ingredients for one recipe so my turkey is only half formed.  Oh well...still tastes great!

Happy Thanksgiving!