Holiday Baking

It’s become somewhat of a tradition for me to bake a large amount of Christmas cookies over the weekend and then take the leftovers to work the following Monday. I love baking and love making different kinds of cookies, but there is no way we would be able to eat all of them. My colleagues are happy to help!

I made two that I make every year (hazelnut bells and Linzer cookies) and two new kinds (almond macaroons and coconut macaroons). All were delicious.
If you’re still looking for cookie inspiration here are the recipes. You can find more recipes on the blog posts from 2014 and 2013. Enjoy!

Leila Lindholm’s Hazelnut Bells

  • 50 g butter, melted
  • 200 g ground hazelnuts
  • 80 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • hazelnuts for garnish

Preheat the oven to 175°C and cover a baking sheet with baking paper. In a bowl mix the ground hazelnuts with the melted butter, the sugar and the egg. Make little balls and and place on the lined baking sheet. Gently press one hazelnut on top of each cookie.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 18 minutes until golden. Makes about 18 cookies.

Store in an airtight jar.

Linzer Cookies

adapted from “Field Guide to Cookies”
1 1/4 cups ground almonds
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raspberry (or blackberry) jam

Combine the almonds with the flour, spices, salt and baking powder.

Cream the butter and sugar together, add the egg and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Turn the dough on a clean surface and flatten to a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Roll the dough to about 1/16″ thick. Once dough is rolled, cut with desired cookie cutters and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Using a small cutter, cut a shape out of half of the cookies which will be the tops.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely.

To assemble spread a little bit of raspberry jam on bottom cookies and place the top on the jam, applying a bit of pressure so the cookies stick.

Coconut Macaroons

adapted from Half Baked Harvest

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 cups flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds
  • 5 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the caramel: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the maple syrup, coconut milk and coconut oil. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously, for 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly and reduced to 1/2 cup. The caramel should be easily pourable. Remove from the heat.
Add the coconut, ground almonds and the caramel to a food processor. Pulse until the mix is finely chopped and holds together when squeezed into a ball.
Drop 1 tablespoon size balls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the balls are packed tight; if needed, use your hands to finely pack the balls together. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops of the macaroons just begin to appear toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a water bath and pour into a small bowl. Working quickly, dip the macaroons into the chocolate and let dry on a wire rack. Once the chocolate has set, reheat an melt the remaining chocolate over the water bath and drizzle the rest over the macaroons.

4 Replies to “Holiday Baking”

  1. Oh, these look delicious! But I’d rather have the cookies than the recipes, please. Your lucky duck coworkers. Happy Holidays

  2. I officially wish I were one of your coworkers! 🙂

  3. Aunt Gail says: Reply

    These sure look delicious, I wish I could taste each one. It would be so fun to sit by the fire with you sipping tea and eating your cookies!

    1. I wish you were here, too, by the fire and enjoying the snow.

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