Have you started as yet, See this A Variety of Christmas Baking Ideas.
Christmas is a time for baking, whether you’re making cookies or other goodies! Make it even sweeter by preparing your own edible gifts!
Date Balls
Ingredients:
200g package of plain biscuits like Arrowroot or plain tea biscuits
500g regular pitted dates
225g butter
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
Unsweetened coconut to coat
Method:
Melt butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a saucepan.
Add dates and simmer until the entire mixture is soft – it takes a good 20-30 minutes, even with constant stirring and mushing!
Temper the egg into the mixture and cook together for another few minutes.
Break the biscuits into small pieces (this might involve a hammer or heavy rolling-pin) in a large bowl.
Add the date mixture to the biscuits and mix to combine.
Allow it to cool (I did about 20 minutes in the fridge) and then roll into balls.
Roll each ball in unsweetened coconut to coat.
Shortbread
Ingredients:
500g butter (REAL butter, no margarine) at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1tsp salt, only if using unsalted butter
4 cups flour
Preheat oven to 320°F.
Method:
Add butter and icing sugar (and salt, if used) to the mixer and combine.
Add flour one cup at a time and mix very well.
That’s basically it. The dough will be quite stiff.
Press it into a parchment-lined baking sheet to flatten and poke holes throughout with a fork.
If you have a baking tray with a cutter, this will work like magic. (We use my biscotti baking tray and cutter)
Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cut immediately and allow to cool completely before handling.
Let it cool completely before you try to break the shortbread fingers apart.
Can dip into chocolate if you prefer
The flavors really develop over a couple of days, and it keeps well for at least 3 weeks.
This recipe is ideal to make in huge batches.
Easy Microwave Fudge
Ingredients:
500g (2.5 cups) Sugar
112g unsalted butter
397 g (1 can) can condensed milk
5 ml (1tsp) mint essence
Method:
Place all the ingredients except the vanilla essence in a heat-resistant bowl (it should be large enough to prevent the mixture from boiling over).
Microwave on full power for 4 minutes, remove from microwave and stir well until sugar has melted (important step – do not skip or skimp!)
Microwave on full power for 8 minutes, remove from microwave, add vanilla essence and beat for a few seconds with a wooden spoon until thick and creamy (adjust the times according to your oven – look at the color. Should be the color of the fudge.
If too light microwave more. Do not let it get too dark as well!)
Pour into the parchment-lined square dish (we made a double recipe and used a baking tray with a rimmed edge).
Decorate it before it is set with candy cane pieces for a festive twist and added mint flavor.
Once you sprinkle the candy cane, drop the tray a few times for the candy cane to sink in slightly and stick properly.
Allow cooling slightly before cutting it into bite-size pieces.
Nougat
Ingredients
2 tbsp Butter
500g White Mini Marshmallows
450g White Chocolate Chips
2 cups small Gumdrops (cut with scissors in half)
Method:
In a large bowl melt the first 3 ingredients in the microwave on med/high stirring at 30-second intervals until all combined
Mix in gumdrops.
Please ensure that you have everything ready as you should not waste any time, as the mixture will start to set and then the gumdrops may fall off.
Spoon out and spread the mixture out on the parchment paper-lined 9 x 13-inch pan.
Chill overnight in the fridge.
Cut into squares.
We made a second batch and used craisins and golden raisins/muscats as a variation.
Chipits Skor Treats
Ingredients
1 cup softened butter
1 cup demerara sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 x 200g Hershey’s Skor (toffee bits) Chipits
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat oven to 350F
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy
Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract
Stir in flour and 1 cup of Chipits until well combined
Press dough evenly into a parchment-lined 15 x 1010-inch rimmed baking tray
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot base.
Let it stand for 5 minutes or until chocolate softens
Spread evenly with the back of a teaspoon over the base.
Sprinkle the rest of the bag (1/4 cup) Chipits evenly over the chocolate
Once you sprinkle the Chipits, drop the tray a few times for the candy to sink in slightly and stick to the chocolate.
Cool for 3 hours (or place it in the freezer if in a rush) or until chocolate is hard and set.
Cut into squares and then diagonally to make triangles or however you prefer.
Ensure that the chocolate is properly set before you start to cut the treats.
Store in an airtight container. Can also be kept in the fridge.
I intend to bake some more cookies, but this was all done in one day so the rest will have to stand over for another day.
All the above recipes tried and tested by Corlea Smit and Esme Slabs
This is a compilation of our Christmas Baking for 2017.
I’ve never tried making nougat before. Your recipe sounds good!
Thank you so much Kyla – this is a cheat way of doing it, but still very yummy
I have never made date balls with biscuits. It must give a very interesting texture.
I just love it, we make it every year for Christmas as it’s not Christmas without the Date Balls and yet the cookies provide a nice texture. Enjoy
Thanks so much, highly appreciated
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the share of our annual Christmas baking event. We look forward to this and always try to do something different each year for edible gift packages. Enjoy
These Christmas goodies are so delicious looking we will feature them this week on the Blogger’s Pit Stop to get us into the Christmas mood.
Kathleen
Blogger’s Pit Stop
Hi Kathleen – Oh my hat – thank you so so much for your kindness and for letting me know and sharing this. I am on cloud 9 and so honored. Thank you thank you and again thank you ♥
Awesome.. Will start this weekend with your easy yummee treats. Thank you for these recipes
Mwah – Thank you so much for the compliment. Enjoy and any feedback would be welcome.
Oh my goodness, these creations look delicious, and even better, they don’t look difficult to make at ALL! Thank-you so much for sharing your clever recipes 🙂
Mwah – thank you so much for your kind words. Please try them, as you say, all very easy and quick and super delicious to make.