Holiday Baking
It started almost 16 years ago. I invited a small group of friends to my home on a Saturday in December for a holiday baking marathon. Each person brought either two favorite recipes with ingredients or prepared chilled dough. We would then bake for almost eight hours straight, stopping only for a 30 minute lunch. At the end of the day, everyone left with plates and containers filled with a variety of festive treats. I did that for three years.
2006. Waiting for the oven. It looks as if we made cupcakes that year.
2007. That is fudge on the right and apple chocolate pies in front. It may seem like a strange combination, but it is quite delicious!
2008. The baking begins.
Once my daughter started Kindergarten, a friend of mine suggested I host a holiday cookie exchange party, an event that had become very popular at the time. I invited all the children in my daughter’s class to bring a dozen treats to share. On that day, the kids decorated gingerbread men, had snacks and watched a holiday film. The parents chatted and everyone went home with lots of goodies.
Since then, I’ve hosted a cookie exchange party almost every year. Below are photos from a few of those years.
2009. My very first cookie exchange party. I even had a separate nut-free table.
2013
2015
2017. Those cookies in front are chocolate chip. They were the largest cookies I had ever seen! This was also the first year I made gingerbread men.
Fast forward to 2022 and I’m still hosting a holiday cookie exchange party. The attendees have changed over the years, but the concept is still the same. Everyone brings at least a dozen treats to share. It doesn’t matter whether they are homemade or purchased at the market. I always make two or three different varieties as well as provide savory and sweet snacks and hot drinks, including hot spiced cider and tea. It’s an enjoyable few hours to catch up on old friendships and introduce new ones. I’m already looking forward to next December!
2022
The cookies on the top tier were always on my mom’s holiday baking rotation. Back in the day, they were chocolate stars. Today, they are the popular Hershey’s Kisses.
My friend made this beautiful apple cake as well as two chocolate cakes.
Another friend brought rosemary shortbread and ginger cookies she had made with her daughter.
These are the very popular candies made from soda crackers. One is covered in dark chocolate and peppermint candies and the other one has coconut!