Christmas brings many beautiful memories into the minds of those who celebrate the joy-filled holiday. Thoughts of family gatherings, shopping sprees, Christmas lights and gift exchanges all bring a smile to someone. Food is an essential element when you gather with families. Cookies, cake, dinner, candy and desserts and much more! The food and gifts are all a part of the Christmas tradition. Here’s are some recipes of Christmas-inspired desserts that you could try and bake as gifts or snacks at a party.
1. Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
You are sure to enjoy your holidays with traditional gingerbread cookies. They say Christmas isn’t complete without gingerbread or gingerbread house. These addictive and soft cookies are flavourful and fun to eat.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of flour
- 3 tsp of ground ginger
- 2 tsp of cinnamon
- ½ tsp of grounded nutmeg
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 1 tsp of grounded cloves
- ¼ tsp of salt
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- One egg
- ¼ cup of molasses
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- ¼ cup of coconut oil (melted)
- ½ cup of non-diary milk
- ⅓ cup of granulated sugar to roll cookies
For vanilla buttercream
- 3 cups of powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp of coconut oil
- Non-diary milk
- One vanilla bean
Instructions:
- Mix flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set the bowl aside once well-mixed.
- Beat coconut oil, non-dairy milk and brown sugar in a mixer until fluffy or for 3 minutes.
- Slowly, add egg, molasses and vanilla into the mixture. Keep whisking until no oil is visibly separated.
- Pour whisked flour into the mixture over low speed until the dough is soft and stiff.
- If the dough is still soft, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes and don’t add more flour into the batter.
- Take a little bit of flour to cover your hands and roll the dough into a small ball using your hands.
- Roll the rolled dough on the granulated sugar and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet before flattened the dough slightly by your sides.
- Heat oven to 180°C and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until light brown in the middle of the rack and only bake one baking sheet at a time to ensure the cookies are cooked evenly. Rotate the baking sheet position halfway through.
- Chill the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before cool down entirely on a cooling rack before frosting and assembling the cookies sandwich.
- To prepare the buttercream, mix coconut oil, powdered sugar and non-dairy milk using electric hand mixer over medium speed. Slowly add another cup of powdered sugar into the buttercream mixture.
- Scrap all the inside out of thin-sliced bean vanilla and pour into the buttercream mixture. Add another cup of powdered sugar before fold to combine the mixture.
- Add a small amount of non-diary milk and keep mixing until smooth using the electric mixer if your mixture is crumbly.
- To get the right mixture consistency, add few drops of liquid at a time. The mixture should be stiff but spreadable and do not drip or ooze.
- Take a one-piece cookie and spread the vanilla buttercream and press another cookie on top until the buttercream peeks out the side slightly.
- Chill your cookies in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Your sandwich cookies are ready, and remember to let it thaw slightly before serving!
2. Nutella Brownies
This Nutella brownie is a to-die-for recipe! The Nutella spread ensures these moist and dense brownies have that delicious, fudgy centre. When baking and keeping the brownies, the right temperature has to be maintained to prevent the middle of the brownies from sinking in.
These brownies are perfect for the Christmas season and are sure to be a big hit among your family or guests, no matter their age. Pair the Nutella brownies with some eggnog or hot tea to give that warmth you need during the cold weather.
Ingredients:
- Butter, to spread on the skillet
- Two eggs
- 1 ½ cup of Nutella
- ½ cup of flour
- ¼ tsp of salt
- Vanilla ice cream
Steps of making:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Strain the flour and salt with a sieve in a bowl.
- Greased the skillet with some butter.
- Whisk the egg and Nutella in a bowl until they are thoroughly combined.
- Slowly add the strained flour into the mixture.
- Transfer the batter into the skillet and bake for 25 minutes in the oven or you can manually check your brownies using a toothpick. If the toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, then the brownies are done!
- Chill the brownies for a few minutes and then serve your brownies with ice cream.
3. Cookie Cheesecake Bite
Having a mini cheesecake is a great dessert because you can devour the delectable treat in one bite. You could even sneak some cheesecakes into your pocket. Try making these, and you’ll quickly be the family favourite!
Ingredients:
- 340 g of cream cheese
- 1 cup of heavy cream (cold)
- 20 chocolate sandwich cookies
- Mini chocolate sandwich cookies (topping)
Steps of making:
- Mix cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer over medium speed until completely smooth.
- Gradually, change the speed to low before adding heavy cream.
- Mix the batter until it becomes thick and stiff or for 2 minutes over high speed.
- Roughly break eight sandwich cookies and fold into the batter.
- Arrange the remaining sandwich cookies on the bottom of the pan on a non-stick mini cheesecake pan with removable bottom.
- Pour and divide the mixture into cups.
- Tap pan to set mixture around cookies.
- Decorate the top of the batter with mini cookies and refrigerate until firm or at least 3 hours.
With the holiday season, baking and making homemade desserts are the best way to save up for the Christmas gifts! Spread the joy and Christmas spirit as the aroma of freshly baked cookies wafts through your home.
Explore more desserts or any Christmas specials using foodpanda. Get your food delivered so you can have more time to spend making desserts.