What do our teachers like to make for their families during the holidays? We asked them to share their MOST favorite go-to recipe just for you our blog reader!
M R S . B R I T T A N Y
First up, we have Brittany Dollar's favorite recipe: Candy Cane Cookies. This was one of her favorite recipes growing up and one she still makes to this day. She even taught this recipe for one of our baking classes in 2020!
Candy Cane Cookies
Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients:
½ cup Shortening
½ cup Butter
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 Egg
1.5 tsp Almond extract
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2.5 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Red food Coloring
¼ cup Crushed peppermint
¼ cup Sugar
Directions:
Cream together the shortening, butter, and powdered sugar.
Add one egg in at a time and mix until it’s combined.
Add in extracts and mix until it’s combined.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt.
Add flour mixture in two parts and mix just until combined, do not overmix.
Separate the dough into two halves, then add one half back into the mixer.
Add the red food coloring to the half that’s in the mixer and mix until combined.
Divide each color into 24 pieces.
Roll one of each color into a log, making sure each one is the same length.
Place one on top of the other and twist them in opposite directions.
Place on a cookie sheet and turn one end down making a hook.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom/edges are slightly brown.
While cookies are baking, mix together the crushed peppermint and sugar and set aside.
Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle the peppermint sugar mixture on top. Let cookies cool completely before eating.
M R S . E M I L Y
Next, we have Emily Masters' family favorite: Poppyseed Bread. She says, "My mom makes this every Christmas and some years I do as well. We keep some for ourselves and gift some to others."
Poppyseed Bread
Makes 3 regular size loaves
Ingredients:
Bread:
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 tsp Baking powder
3 Eggs
1.5 cups Vegetable oil
2.5 cups Sugar
1.5 cups Milk
1.5 TBSP Poppy seeds
1.5 tsp Almond extract
1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
1.5 tsp Butter flavor extract
Glaze:
1/4 cup Orange juice
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Butter flavor extract
Directions:
Mix wet ingredients and then add the dry ingredients until all of the ingredients are mixed together. Beat for 2 minutes.
Pour into greased and floured baking pans.
Bake 3 loaf pans at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
For the glaze, whisk all ingredients together. Leave bread in pans and pour glaze over the top.
M R S . H I L L A R Y
"Apricot cookies are required for Christmas," says Hillary Ryan. "Even when my grandparents were in California for Christmas one year, my grandma made them and shipped them to us. I have her original recipe called, The One and Only Apricot Cookie, and, fun fact, it says at the bottom that it's from 1960. This recipe is a multi-day affair. Even though we're in the 21st century, I cook my own apricots just like she did. But, you can use apricot preserves if you want (don't tell grandma I said that)."
Apricot Cookies
Makes 8-9 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 lb Dried apricots
½ cup Sugar (to sweeten apricots)
6 cups All Purpose Flour
2 cups Sugar
4 large Egg yolks, beaten
½ lb Butter, softened
½ tsp Salt
1 TBSP Vanilla extract
1 cup Milk
2 tsp Vinegar
2 tsp Baking soda
Additional sugar
Directions:
Cook the dried apricots the day before you make the cookies. To cook the apricots, place them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook 1 hour, stirring often, until apricots are soft and the consistency of preserves.
Add ½ cup sugar to apricots. Let cool before making cookies.
Put flour and sugar in a large bowl, making a well in the center.
Add beaten egg yolks, butter, salt, and vanilla into the well.
In a separate bowl, combine milk, vinegar, and baking soda. Add to well.
Gradually bring all ingredients together to form the dough. Do not overmix.
Remove a portion of the dough and place on a floured surface. Keep remaining dough covered.
Roll out dough paper thin, adding in flour as needed. Cut into 2 ½ inch cookie rounds. You will need two rounds per cookie.
Place 2 tsp of cooled, cooked apricots on a cookie and cover with another cookie with a small hole in the center (to let the filling show through). Pinch the two cookies together around the edges.
Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle each with sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Serve and store at room temperature.
M R S . C A N D I C E
On her blog Celebration Day Studio, Candice Butterfield shares her favorite recipe for Sugar and Spice Holiday Cookies. She says, "I have been making these delicious crinkle cookies for over a decade now and have fine-tuned this recipe over the years! They are truly melt in your mouth and soooo good fresh out of the oven." Get the recipe here.
M R S . C E L E S T E
On her blog Sugar and Spice by Celeste, Celeste Ward shares her go-to recipe for Absolutely Sinful Cinnamon Rolls and says, "I’ve made them every Christmas Eve since 2008!" Get the recipe here.
M R S . J E S S I C A
Growing up gluten-free, Jessica Hamby's favorite Christmas desserts were always the confections - Martha Washington Balls, White Chocolate Covered Pecans, Divinity, Corn Flake Balls, and Fudge. In 1991, her Aunt Rene made Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge and it instantly became her favorite. She kept a copy of the recipe and has been making it again and again through the years.
Ingredients:
4 TBSP Salted butter
1.5 cups Reese's peanut butter chips
14oz can Sweetened condensed milk, divided in half
1.5 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Line an 8x8-inch pan with wax paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
In a small saucepan, place 2 tablespoons butter, peanut butter chips, and half of the sweetened condensed milk over low heat and stir until fully melted.
Pour into the prepared pan and smooth into one even layer.
Repeat the process with the chocolate chips by heating the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter, chocolate chips, and remaining sweetened condensed milk over low heat until fully melted.
Pour on top of the peanut butter layer and smooth out the top.
Place in fridge for 4 hours or until firm.
Remove from the pan using the overhang of wax paper. Peel off the wax paper and cut the fudge into squares with a sharp knife.
Give these recipes a try and let us know what you think! Got a favorite of your own? Share it in the comments below. You never know, we just may feature it on our blog!