5 Delicious Gift-Worthy Holiday Treats

November 15, 2021

Merry Everything Hanging Gift Tags The baking season is upon us with Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. Whether you’re baking something for your home, a holiday party or just to drop off at your neighbors, we have five homemade recipes perfect for the holiday season. All of them come from us at The Stationery Studio!

Renee’s Macaroons

Renee’s Macaroon Recipe (originally from a Martha Stewart article)

preheat oven to 325
use parchment on your cookie trays
makes aprox 25

2 egg whites
2/3 c sugar
2 T flour (substitute cake meal for Passover)
Pinch salt (I usually skip this)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 c shredded sweetened coconut. (I add extra sometimes, if there is just a little left in the bag. I’ve never known if it’s packed down for measurements or more loose)
1/2 tsp coconut extract (or omit if you don’t have it)

1. beat egg whites until stiff peaks

2. continue to beat as you add sugar gradually

3. beat in flour, salt and extract(s)

4. Stir in coconut

5. Drop by mounds onto cookie sheets – I use a small scooper to get them all the same size. *You must use parchment paper on your trays.

6. Bake @ 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Sometimes mine take 25 min –
remove and cool

Optional – Chocolate decoration.
1. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
2. Melt semi sweet chocolate chips in microwave 1-2 minutes (careful not to burn them) in a small pyrex or cereal bowl
3. once macaroons are cooled, dip the edges of each cookie in the chocolate and then place on parchment paper to cool again.
4. Place the whole tray of decorated macaroons in the refrigerator to get the chocolate to harden.

You can double or triple this recipe
**You can add a little extra coconut if you wish, I usually do

Our Green Sprigs and Buds Square Gift Stickers would look great with your macaroons when you gift them to friends and family!

Renee’s Mondel Bread

Mondel bread, a traditional Jewish cookie, is twice baked and known for its crunchy goodness. It’s eaten all year round but often baked for holiday time.

Ingredients:
1/4 lb. butter
2 Tbsp oil
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts (if not wanted, just double the chocolate chips)

Directions:
-Beat butter and oil
-slowly add sugar and continue beating
-add eggs and continue beating
-slowly add flour and baking powder and continue beating
-add vanilla, lemon juice and cinnamon and continue beating
-add chocolate chips and beat until mixed

divide dough into thirds
roll dough out on floured counter to form 3 loaves
place loaves side by side on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment

bake at 350-degrees 45-60 minutes until browned

remove loaves and slice immediately into about 1″ slices

once sliced, dip sides into a cinnamon/sugar mixture (optional) and then place cookies on cookie sheet with the sides facing upright. The goal now is to brown/crisp each side. Watch carefully and bake just until the upright side is browned. Then turn each cookie over so the other side can be upright and place back in oven to brown/crisp that side. Each oven is different so just keep a good eye on the cookies when crisping them so they do not burn.

once all sides are browned, remove cookies to a rack to cool. once cooled, you can dip ends into melted chocolate chips if wanted and then dip into sprinkles or chopped nuts or anything you wish for decoration. Place back on parchment paper to fully cool on counter or in the refrigerator briefly.

Jennifer’s Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

I make this holiday cookie every year and everyone asks for the recipe. I originally got this from a Kraft cookbook and tweaked it a little but it’s really easy to make!

Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

6 oz. white chocolate chips

1-1/2 cups dried cranberries (I use Craisins)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour; mix well. Stir in chocolate and cranberries.

2. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets; flatten slightly.

3. Bake 10 to 14 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

A great gifting idea is to try our Gingham Hanging Gift Tags tied to a cellophane bag of cookies.

Pumpkin Bread

Recipe is from OnceUponaChef.com. I’ve used this one for a few years and love gifting this to friend!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 15-oz can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour (alternatively, use a baking spray with flour in it, such as Pam with Flour or Baker’s Joy). In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined; set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. The mixture might look grainy and curdled at this point — that’s okay. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Turn the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly, and bake for 65 – 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Fresh out of the oven,the loaves have a deliciously crisp crust. If they last beyond a day, you can toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.

Try wrapping your holiday breads with some pretty ribbon and adding our Merry Everything Hanging Gift Tags. So festive!

Vaniljkakor (Swedish Vanilla Cookies)

These are swedish cookies that I make for my family every Christmas. The recipe I use is from justapinch.com.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
²⁄₃cup powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 ¹⁄₄cups sifted flour
¹⁄₃cup lingonberries (or your favorite jam)
powdered sugar

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar well. Gradually add sugar, and cream until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and flour, blend thoroughly. Roll into walnut-sized balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Make a nice indentation in top of each cookie, I use the end (the handle end) of a wooden spoon for this. Put a little bit of jelly or jam into each indentation. Bake in 350º oven for at least 15 minutes or till pale golden yellow.

Cool, then sift powdered sugar over them.

What are some of your favorite holiday treats? Explore our personalized Christmas gift packaging to add a unique and festive touch to all of your handmade goodies this year!

XO,

Jennifer