Home of Delicious: Christmas Cookies & Stollen

What is your favorite holiday treat, a spicy gingerbread cookie or a chewy chocolate one? Or a delicious slice of Stollen bread.  Well, in my experience all cookies and cakes at Christmas are delicious.

An important point in making cookies during the holidays is to keep it simple. We should spend more time eating & enjoying rather than mixing batter in the kitchen.

Preparation that can be made a couple of weeks in advance and frozen is also a big help for busy bakers.

Anyway, fill the flour bin, grab the spices and let's get baking.

Stollen is a traditional bread from Dresden, Germany. Even though tradition runs deep with this bread, there are many variations, and ingredients can be substituted to suit your tastes and availability.

I will share with you a recipe I have been using successfully for many years. I hope you enjoy it.

Bakers at any level can be a success in the kitchen when it comes to cookie baking.

The attached RESOURCE has a few hints & tips to get you through the baking process so if you have a few minutes take a peak.

Relax, don't panic, we are going to do this together. Let's start baking.

Let's keep it simple. Recipes in this class only require baking bowls, a whisk, hand mixer and spatulas to be able to complete the recipes.

If you have a food processor or standing mixer these can be used as well to mix the cookie batters.

Difficulty Level: Low

Special equipment needed: mixing bowls & spatulas

Prep time: 20 - 25 minutes plus baking

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• This chewy chocolate infused cookie is definitely a standard at Christmas. Not only are they super delicious but they look spectacular. Believe me, these won't stay around your house very long.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Low

Special equipment needed: hand mixer

Prep time: 30 minutes plus baking

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• This is pound cake dressed up for the holidays. The chestnut cream in this cake gives it a delicious taste of autumn and decorated with nuts and dried fruit it looks too gorgeous to eat. This cake definitely deserves center place at your table this holiday season.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Low

Special equipment needed: Cookie cutters & decoratively engraved rolling pin (these rolling pins can be bought thru online shopping sites such as Amazon or Etsy).

Prep time: 25 minutes

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• I'm in love with these engraved rolling pins. These rolling pins can be found on most online shopping sites such as Amazon or Etsy. They make the cookies look so elegant that they don't need any extra decoration.

• This traditional gingerbread cookie recipe gets a boost with these ornate decorations. You'll be hooked too.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Low

Special equipment needed: hand mixer

Prep time: 25 minutes

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• Here's another holiday favorite. This molasses gingerbread cake really brings out the taste of the holidays.

• Choose your favorite baking pan for just the right look for the holiday table. This cake is great for gifting so bake in small give-away muffin cups or foil loaf pans for easy wrapping & sharing.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Low

Special equipment needed: cookie cutters

Prep time: 30 minutes

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• These decorated chocolate sugar cookies are super versatile. You can cut them out with cookie cutters or slice & roll them in coarse sugar. Anyway you choose to prepare them, they will be delicious.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Very Low

Special equipment needed: Mixing bowls

Prep time: 25 minutes

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• This recipe is super easy and super fast to put together. Once you measure all of the ingredients, this recipe can be completed in about 15 minutes plus baking.

• This is a great recipe to get the kids involved since it is so easy and practically mistake proof.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Medium

Special equipment needed: Mixing bowls, rolling pin, and standing mixer if you have one (but not required)

Prep time: 30 - 40 minutes plus time for rising and baking.

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE. Please download to follow along with the video.

• Don't panic! Stollen is basically just another type of bread and uses the same processes to mix, rise and bake as any other bread.

• There are many versions of the traditional stollen bread and this recipe is one that I have been baking very successfully for many years. It has dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries and figs, as well as sliced almonds and sweetened chestnuts.  You can easily substitute with some of your favorite items such as apricots, cherries or dates.

• This bread can be made over two days, prepare the bread on day one and let rise in the refrigerator over night and then bake the next day. So if you are feeling overwhelmed to make this bread, this is a good way to help reduce it.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product. The video provides a full step-by-step demo of the preparation process.

Difficulty Level: Medium

Special equipment needed: Mixing bowls, and standing mixer  (not required but suggested)

Prep time: 30 - 40 minutes plus time for rising and baking.

• The recipe is in the attachment called RESOURCE.

• You can build on what you learned in baking the Stollen to make the Panetonne.

• Panetonne has several more eggs than the Stollen so the texture is lighter. I usually use more dried citrus fruits (orange & lemons) in the Panetonne than I do for the Stollen. Raisins and or dried cranberries & dried apricots are also included.

• Again, you can prepare this bread over two days, prepare the bread on day one and let rise in the refrigerator over night and then bake the next day.

• The recipe has the ingredients list, instructions and pictures of the finished product.

Thank you everyone and see you next year.