Tips & tricks for perfect candy cane cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

These candy cane cookies are a staple of our Christmas celebration (although, if I'm honest, I end up eating most of them myself!). Every time I share a picture of them on social media, though, people ask questions or share their stories of failed cookies. Since this is the one "impressive" thing I can do…

Continue ReadingTips & tricks for perfect candy cane cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

Chocolate chunk & toasted pecan oatmeal cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

Looking for a "healthier" Christmas cookie that doesn't sacrifice taste in the process? This is the one! Made with white whole wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, and coconut sugar, these oatmeal cookies meet my criteria for perfect oatmeal cookies -- slightly crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. With toasted pecans and dark chocolate, they're…

Continue ReadingChocolate chunk & toasted pecan oatmeal cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

Dutch speculaas {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

Dutch speculaas are thin, crisp cookies flavored much like German pfeffernüsse. They're typically baked for St. Nicholas' Day on December 5th or 6th and are, traditionally, stamped with images from the life of St. Nicholas on the front.  It turns out that I really like traditional Christmas cookies from this part of Europe, with their strong spices and unique textures! I…

Continue ReadingDutch speculaas {101 Days of Christmas}

Austrian kipferl {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

Ancestor to the croissant, kipferl cookies are fragile crescent-shaped cookies that literally melt in your mouth. They are made from ground almonds and have the slightest hint of almond flavor and a sweet vanilla sugar coating. These cookies are so good that my husband fought over the last cookie of both batches I made. Despite their "fancy"…

Continue ReadingAustrian kipferl {101 Days of Christmas}

Cinnamon-chip snickerdoodles {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

When my sister tried one of these cookies yesterday, she exclaimed, "Mmm! Tastes like a snickerdoodle." Which I suppose is a good thing since they are, in fact, snickerdoodles! With a cup of King Arthur Flour's melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon chips and a coating of cinnamon-sugar, these snickerdoodles (which I adapted from this King Arthur Flour recipe) offer…

Continue ReadingCinnamon-chip snickerdoodles {101 Days of Christmas}

Dulce de leche-filled alfajores {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

Similar to the French macaron, alfajores are a South American treat. While the specifics vary by region and country, the basic idea is a sandwich cookie with a sweet filling in the middle. This version incorporates a rich dulce de leche between two melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch cookies! The alfajores cookies are easy to make, using just a few…

Continue ReadingDulce de leche-filled alfajores {101 Days of Christmas}

Quick & easy springerle cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Baking

Springerle is a flat, white, crispy cookie traditionally made in Germany, Bavaria, or Austria. The designs are added before baking using a carved springerle rolling pin or flat mold. Traditional springerle are made from just eggs, powdered sugar, and flour and flavored by sprinkling a surface with anise seed and placing the cookies on top…

Continue ReadingQuick & easy springerle cookies {101 Days of Christmas}