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What's on Your Christmas Baking List?

In summary, some people are baking things like cookies, cake, and bread. Others are making something like Puppy Chow or anise cookies. And lastly, some people are just baking.
ChefBeckyD
Gold Member
20,376
Sooo, what's everyone baking for Christmas (or other Holidays you might celebrate)?

Some years I've gone way overboard for my Cookie Plates, but this year, I'm keeping them simple. This is what I'm making:

Homemade Marshmallows dipped in chocolate (still working up the courage)
Russian Tea Cakes
Sugar Cookies (decorated)
Date Balls
Peanut Butter Fudge
Spritz Cookies
After Dinner Mint Bars


However - I'm always open to new ideas and recipes, and I LOVE to hear what other people are doing - so tell me what's baking in your kitchen!
 
A friend gave me a recipe for cookies a few years ago..they are chocolate cookies with an Andes Candy melted on top..they are SO GOOD..I am also going to take Autumn Apple-Cherry Crisp to some family functions.
 
In years past, I have hosted a "Baking Day" at my house with me, my mom, my brother's wife and my DH's sister. Weeeeelllll, SIL that is DH's sister, has "issues" and we are on cordial terms now, not good friends like we used to be :( and SIL that is brother's wife is on a diet and doesn't want to be "tempted". Arrrrgggghhhhh :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:

So, this year is going to be extremely simple since I'm doing it myself and half the people won't eat it:

-chocolate covered pretzels
-oreo truffles
-peanut butter blossom cookies
-puppy chow
 
I'm going to make Festive Cranberry Crunch Bark as gifts for lots of people. it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy and so yummy! Plus you can get all the ingredients at Aldi!
 
I make homemade decorated sugar cookies, and pretzel rods dipped in almond bark and I am thinking of trying to make my own pepermint bark this year too. I also have a recipe for pepermints that are like a soft altoid. But I live in the south & can only make thoose when there is little to no humidity!

Lisa
 
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  • #6
DebbieJ said:
I'm going to make Festive Cranberry Crunch Bark as gifts for lots of people. it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy and so yummy! Plus you can get all the ingredients at Aldi!

The Aldi's by me hasn't had the white bark so far this year...very sad. :( I bought TONS of it there last year.
 
I tried baking thread once but it came out so stringy that no one wanted to eat it.

(Sorry, Becky, it just seams like a good way to needle you.)
 
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  • #8
The_Kitchen_Guy said:
I tried baking thread once but it came out so stringy that no one wanted to eat it.

(Sorry, Becky, it just seams like a good way to needle you.)

That made me laugh out loud. I love your puns...my husband is the same way, and my son is fast becoming a punster too. Me? I always think of them the next day, when it's too late.
 
I have too many favorite recipes. I usually try to make them all, but sometimes leave off a couple.Spritz Slims
Mini Muffin Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes
7 Layer Bars
Peanut Butter Blossoms
English Toffee
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip CookiesNew this year, I'm adding:
After Dinner Mint TrianglesAnd sometimes I make mini loaves of Banana Chocolate Chip Bread to give away to neighbors or DH's coworkers.
 
  • #10
Well my baking list is on the small side this year as well...mainly just beacuse I realized that I was spending about $100 or more on baking supplies for family eek!!!
So I am making:
Puppy Chow
Oreo Truffles
Mint Chocolate Bark
Toffee Bars
and that is it!!!
 
  • #11
I shudder to ask...who gets the Puppy Chow? :confused:
 
  • #12
This past weekend I made:
Funfeiti Cookies
Tea Cookies
Fudge
Peanut Butter Cookies
Pumpkin Bread

I still need to make:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Bars
Magic Bars
Almond Roca Bars
After Dinner Mint Bars

I want to get all of my baking done this weekend if I can. I have two show's and other holiday outings, so it may not be completed until next weekend. I bring in a goodie platter to my co-worker's as their gift and want to do that next week. I also send a platter with DH on X-Mas eve if he is working, which he is and so am I. :(

Can someone clue me in to what Puppy Chow is?
 
  • #13
Puppy Chow is where you coat Chex cereal w/ chocolate, peanut butter, and other stuff. I'll have to search for the recipe. Some recipes also have you toss them in powdered sugar.
 
  • #14
My fruitcake was baked a couple of weeks ago, and is aging in sealed containers (getting the occasional spritz of brandy from a PC spritzer). When I log off here, I'm going to shape a batch of my Grandma's anise cookies (I posted the recipe over the weekend in a thread about anise cookies). Those have to sit overnight, so I'll bake them tomorrow.Other than those, I think I'm just going to make a batch of Spritz and maybe some Triple Ginger cookies. DH won't take cookies in to work, and I don't really have anyone else to share them with. So I'm making a conscious effort to scale back this year.
 
  • #15
babywings76 said:
Puppy Chow is where you coat Chex cereal w/ chocolate, peanut butter, and other stuff. I'll have to search for the recipe. Some recipes also have you toss them in powdered sugar.

I use Crispix, and toss with powdered sugar. This is a staple with my family, mom started it a loooooooong time ago!!! Love it!!!
 
  • #16
I think it's also called Muddy Buddies?
 
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  • #17
I made a big batch of Puppy Chow this past weekend!:chef: We love the stuff...I try to tell myself it's pretty healthy as far as sweet treats go. :)
 
  • #18
babywings76 said:
Puppy Chow is where you coat Chex cereal w/ chocolate, peanut butter, and other stuff. I'll have to search for the recipe. Some recipes also have you toss them in powdered sugar.

And you didn't save any for ME?

http://images.cheezburger.com/imagestore/2009/12/7/129046726449589693.jpg
 
  • #19
Please share your Puppy Chow recipes :) Thanks!
 
  • #20
kcjodih said:
Please share your Puppy Chow recipes :) Thanks!

We call it People Chow. :D I will search for my recipe. I haven't made it in years but should this year!
 
  • #21
Muddy Buddies9 cups Corn Chex®, Rice Chex®, Wheat Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Print these coupons...
About Concordance™

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.CRISPIX PUPPY CHOW (SIMILAR TO CHEX MUDDY BUDDIES)
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 12 oz box Crispix cereal
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (Hershey's recommended)
1 cup peanut butter (jiffy recommended)
5 tbsp. butter (Parkay recommended)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz. or 1 lb.) powdered sugar
1. Pour out cereal into large bowl and set aside.
2. In 1-qt. saucepan, heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter over low heat, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour mixture slowly over cereal while stirring with a spatula to evenly coat. Pour into a 2-gallon resealable plastic storage bag or grocery bag. Add powdered sugar slowly. Shake until well coated. Spread onto wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Share with someone you love.(Serves about 12.)
 
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  • #22
And here's the recipe that I use - from Allrecipes.com


Puppy Chow


Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup creamy peanut butter
* 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1 (17.5 ounce) package crispy corn and rice cereal
* 1 pound confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Melt the peanut butter with the butter or margarine and the chocolate. Pour over the cereal and toss until well coated.
2. Place the coated cereal in a large paper sack then add the confectioners' sugar, fold down the top of the bag and shake to coat.



I melt the chocolate mixture in the microwave in the batter bowl...and mix it all up in the large (8qt) SS bowl. I store it in that bowl too.
 
  • #23
love the Puppy Chow, but my niece is allergic to peanuts, so none for our family gatherings :(
 
  • #24
Thank you Amanda and Becky! :)
 
  • #25
The Puppy Chow sounds yummy. I may have to add that to my list of things to make.
 
  • #26
I'm just not a planner, and pretty much what I make we eat here at home before it makes it to any functions. I won't know what I'm making until a day or two before I go anywhere. I already made and ate with my family, the After Dinner Mint Triangles and my now famous Double Chocolate Peppermint cookies. I entered the DCP cookies in a cookie bake off contest and won....an over the range microwave. Need one? Anyway, I will probably make the ADMT again because they are so good. I wish they would harden up a little more because they are messy. I like to have fudge, so if other family members don't make it, I'll make it.
 
  • #27
JAE said:
I'm just not a planner, and pretty much what I make we eat here at home before it makes it to any functions. I won't know what I'm making until a day or two before I go anywhere. I already made and ate with my family, the After Dinner Mint Triangles and my now famous Double Chocolate Peppermint cookies. I entered the DCP cookies in a cookie bake off contest and won....an over the range microwave. Need one?

Anyway, I will probably make the ADMT again because they are so good. I wish they would harden up a little more because they are messy. I like to have fudge, so if other family members don't make it, I'll make it.

I've put them in the freezer before. They freeze well and then you can set them out at room temp for a while to thaw. Or even just stick them in the freezer for a short time.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to cut them though. When ever I try to cut them (even when they are fresh and not frozen or partially chilled) the crust part always seems to break. It's easier to cut them into squares. My triangles always seem to break at the points.
 
  • #28
Any of the recipes would be great.
 
  • #29
Just made some Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge and Rolo topped Pretzels.

Will also make Peanut Butter Cup Cookies in the mini muffin pan and sugar cookies to decorate.
 
  • #30
crockpot candy, chocolate covered cherries, peanut butter cups, peppermint bark, decorated sugar cookies, peanut brittle, pints of salsa and almond joy balls, coconut bon bons and whatever else I find time for.
 
  • #31
babywings76 said:
I'm still trying to figure out the best way to cut them though. When ever I try to cut them (even when they are fresh and not frozen or partially chilled) the crust part always seems to break. It's easier to cut them into squares. My triangles always seem to break at the points.


I've been lining the pan with an oversized sheet of parchment paper, and then when I'm ready to cut, I lift it all out of the pan and take my FC Chef's knife and cut all the way across in one "rocking" kind of motion. Then take the knife at a diagonal and cut into triangles. (Didn't explain that perfectly, but hopefully you get my drift). Then I lift onto the serving plate with mini spat.
These are SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!
 
  • #32
Russian tea cookies (snowballs)
Seven layer bars
Peanut butter (maybe blossoms)
Decorated sugar cookies (maybe some from the spritz, probably some cut-outs)
Chocolate chip (maybe)
Snickerdoodles

Since the first three have nuts, I have to include an equal number of cookies that don't. I give a container of cookies to each of my siblings.
 
  • #33
babywings76 said:
I've put them in the freezer before. They freeze well and then you can set them out at room temp for a while to thaw. Or even just stick them in the freezer for a short time.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to cut them though. When ever I try to cut them (even when they are fresh and not frozen or partially chilled) the crust part always seems to break. It's easier to cut them into squares. My triangles always seem to break at the points.

The other day when I made them for the third time, I had my friend (helper) really crush the cookies fine, like the recipe says. Sometimes I don't follow directions and realize later there's a reason for the directions. Anyway, the cookies were easier to handle. Also, we only froze the crust for 10 minutes, instead of like the first time when I froze the crust for at least an hour.

I also have a problem cutting through the piped chocolate w/o smearing or breaking the lines. This third time, I put them in the frig for just a couple minutes after piping the chocolate lines. That way the chocolate lines weren't so hard that they broke and they weren't so soft that they smeared terribly. It was almost perfect. Unfortunately, I was chatting with my friend and I totally cut the triangles in the wrong directions. That's okay, though. We just wanted to eat them, anyway. It wasn't for a show. :)
 
  • #34
babywings76 said:
CRISPIX PUPPY CHOW (SIMILAR TO CHEX MUDDY BUDDIES)
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 12 oz box Crispix cereal
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (Hershey's recommended)
1 cup peanut butter (jiffy recommended)
5 tbsp. butter (Parkay recommended)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz. or 1 lb.) powdered sugar
1. Pour out cereal into large bowl and set aside.
2. In 1-qt. saucepan, heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter over low heat, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour mixture slowly over cereal while stirring with a spatula to evenly coat. Pour into a 2-gallon resealable plastic storage bag or grocery bag. Add powdered sugar slowly. Shake until well coated. Spread onto wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Share with someone you love.

(Serves about 12.)

http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/cute-puppy-pictures-practsin-smile.jpg
 
  • #35
Nutty Eggnog Bars
Rae's Famous Fruitcake Bites
Sweet Sprinkles Pumpkin Mini-Muffins
Gingerbread for the gingerbread house (The Furry Guy will be helping with the decorating)
Cranberry Twists (Christmas morning)ETA: While it's not actually baking, I'll also make:Chocolate Orange Craisin Fudge
Festive Cranberry Bark (for our pastors)
 
Last edited:
  • #36
JAE said:
The other day when I made them for the third time, I had my friend (helper) really crush the cookies fine, like the recipe says. Sometimes I don't follow directions and realize later there's a reason for the directions.


I am glad to know that I am not the only one who does this!!!
 
  • #37
Teresa Lynn said:
crockpot candy, chocolate covered cherries, peanut butter cups, peppermint bark, decorated sugar cookies, peanut brittle, pints of salsa and almond joy balls, coconut bon bons and whatever else I find time for.

what is crockpot candy? sounds intriguing!!!
 
  • #38
JAE said:
The other day when I made them for the third time, I had my friend (helper) really crush the cookies fine, like the recipe says. Sometimes I don't follow directions and realize later there's a reason for the directions. Anyway, the cookies were easier to handle. Also, we only froze the crust for 10 minutes, instead of like the first time when I froze the crust for at least an hour.

I also have a problem cutting through the piped chocolate w/o smearing or breaking the lines. This third time, I put them in the frig for just a couple minutes after piping the chocolate lines. That way the chocolate lines weren't so hard that they broke and they weren't so soft that they smeared terribly. It was almost perfect. Unfortunately, I was chatting with my friend and I totally cut the triangles in the wrong directions. That's okay, though. We just wanted to eat them, anyway. It wasn't for a show. :)

What method do you use for crushing the cookies? I thought mine were pretty fine, but maybe they haven't been fine enough. But then you mix them with chocolate, so when that hardens I thought that's what I was seeing as the crumbles. Does that make sense how I'm explaining it? :blushing:
 
  • #39
I follow the directions and crush them in a zip loc freezer bag using a meat tenderizer. The third time I made them, I had my friend really crush them up. If I had a food processor, I would have used it because it wasn't for a show.
 
  • #40
Just saw this and got some great ideas! However, with my newfound pneumonia (*sigh*) and two sick kids, I'm scaling waaaay back this year. Unfortunately, I'm finding I get exhauted very easily thanks to the pneumonia. Oh well. What I'm doing is packaging these up nicely and I'm goinng to end up putting them in gift baskets. For my aunt and uncle, I'm arranging 2 nice bottles of wine and these goodies. Yum!!

oreo truffles
chocolate dipped pretzel rods
chocolate dipped peanut butter balls
mint chocolate meringues

(why on earth do I feel as if I'm forgetting one or two??)

As for mini loaves - I really want to try my hand at those this year, especially since I finally have the PC mini loaf pan - someone on here mentioned they make chocolate chip banana bread - wanna share the recipe? :blushing:
 
  • #41
I forgot chocolate dipped peppermint sticks. Apparently, I like to dip things. :rolleyes:

They all can be jazzed up to look really fancy, for minimal effort. Can't go wrong with that. :D
 
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  • #42
ChefJoyJ said:
I forgot chocolate dipped peppermint sticks. Apparently, I like to dip things. :rolleyes:

They all can be jazzed up to look really fancy, for minimal effort. Can't go wrong with that. :D

Ugh! I had pneumonia in Sept/Oct...I've never had anything knock me for a loop like that did. Take it easy, and don't do too much. I know - that's much easier said than done, especially with little ones!

I'm not one to ask for help, but I did let a friend take my son every afternoon for a week, so that I could rest. It helped immensely to be able to take an uninterrupted nap!
 
  • #43
Hi, I'm new on here. Thought I'd share what I'm making

Chex Mix
Peanut Butter Balls
Martha Washington Candy
Peanut/Marshmellow Clusters
Peanut Butter Fudge

Our only Child will be coming home from College (Culinary School) next Saturday and knows mom will have the traditonal stuff!

Carol
 
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  • #44
Caro6798 said:
Hi, I'm new on here. Thought I'd share what I'm making

Chex Mix
Peanut Butter Balls
Martha Washington Candy
Peanut/Marshmellow Clusters
Peanut Butter Fudge

Our only Child will be coming home from College (Culinary School) next Saturday and knows mom will have the traditonal stuff!

Carol

Welcome Carol! This is a great place to be!

What is Martha Washington candy???
 

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