Christmas Baking 2015
 

Dark Fruitcake ... 2 batches of Shortbread (white & dark brown sugars) ... done.
Next up Carrot Pudding then the rest of the Christmas cookies.
It's too soon to bake the dinner rolls and Cinnamon buns yet...
Our village's Santa Claus Parade is this afternoon and I need some baking for after the parade. BTW this is the first year DH has had the Christmas lights up before the parade in a great many years.

Anyone else doing Christmas baking?

Yes, I bought the ingredients for some favorite cookies candies, ect. The decorating is done now, so hope to start cooking next weekend.

Looking the weather forecast we are o have weeks of Rain and Snow starting Dec. 13, so guess what with Christmas; our kids may not make it from out of town. Mariah

Made 3 batches of oyster cracker munch, now working on batch 4 of chex mix -- only 6 more batches to go. Then I will make some fudge and almond roca crunch. Most of it will go to my daughter and daughter-in-law.

I'm baking some loaves of bread for small presents to people I don't know well who have helped my mother-in-law as her health declines.

I've made a big batch of sugar cookie cutouts (baking session with two quilting bee friends) and last night I baked Stir-n-Drop cookies (an old Betty Crocker recipe) for a cookie exchange party this afternoon. I learned to make these when I was a child and they are so easy. I think the original recipe used white sugar on top, but I made some with red, some with green and the rest with red and green. As for the cutouts, I gave away some, my husband and I ate more than we should have but we still have a dozen or so left. I probably should freeze them! (PS--I've never heard of dark brown sugar shortbread...have to look that up!)

Dark brown sugar shortbread is the same as shortbread made with white sugar - just substitute dark brown sugar. I also use golden brown sugar but really like the appearance and taste of the dark brown sugar.
I have also in the past added in/substituted - ground oatmeal (oat flour), finely chopped nuts, grated chocolate. But I find I prefer the plain shortbread.

The weekend after Thanksgiving, my DD, SIL and I made 15 BATCHES of cookies. This is the 11th year that we have done this. We share the cost and divide an equal amount of cookies between us. We pop them in the freezer until we are ready to deliver. My DD makes holiday gift bags for her co-workers (24 this year) and makes up holiday plates for people who have done something extra nice for her during the year. I send half of mine to the grand kids in NC, then half of what's left goes to a dear friend who hates to bake but whose husband loves cookies. Not sure what the son-in-law plans for his share. Over the years we have done different types of cookies, but we try to mix it up so our gifts look colorful, some with frosting, some with drizzle, chocolate, peanut butter, cranberries, green sprinkles, coconut. Every year we say we are going to cut back, but then we can't seem to decide what type of cookie to leave off of the list.

Thanks, SuzzyQ, That sound easy enough! I'll try.

Love to bake,but part of the family lives in another state,so it's just my husband & myself.I stick with the old faithful recipes. Made a doubled recipe of date nut pinwheels.He likes raisin oatmeal,fruitcake cookies & pecan sandies.
Will be using our last frozen fruitcake.....from 5 yrs ago.
3 more cookies to make,along with sugared walnuts & a couple cranberry loaves.Not making any other candy this yr. Think that is it. Plan to finish this wk.

Thanks for the ideas. I am just about to kick into gear for holiday baking. This last week I made 2 yummy pecan pies for the Christmas Women's Celebration at my church last night. Came home with some left over pie so I am going to experiment with freezing it. The brown sugar shortbread sounds wonderful. That will be first on my list to make.