The holidays are just around the corner, and that means our diets are out the window as we welcome lucious baked goods and sweets into our stomachs. As much as we love the classics of gingerbread and Christmas fudge, this guide will help those of you who feel the need to branch out and spice up the old recipes with new holiday twists. 

The first thing I think of when it comes to holiday desserts is cookies; my personal favorite friend to a glass of milk. Now I know that there are lots of people who love to decorate gingerbread houses with candy galore and frost sugar cookies with thick, colorful icing and sprinkles. With some equipment and holiday cheer, however, anyone can take a cookie and elevate it to a level that is sure to wow at a party or family gathering. The first way is to get creative with cookie cutters. Buy them from a store, or cut whatever shape you want out of paper, and then use it to trace shapes out of the dough. A helpful tip to get clear and defined lines on your cookies is to freeze the tray of cut-out dough for ten minutes before baking them. Another fun tidbit is that most gingerbread man cookie cutters are also in the shape of a reindeer head when you flip them upside down. The cookie possibilities do not stop at just the shape of the cookies. You can also change up the flavors of basic cookie dough by mixing ingredients, such as  toffee bits or orange zest and dried cranberries. Other flavorful ways to spruce up cookie dough is to roll the balls of dough in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking to get delicious snickerdoodle cookies, or press thumbprints into balls of dough with your thumb to create mini craters. Then, fill the craters with your favorite fruit jams before baking and voila! You have Thumbprint Cookies!

Holiday baking is not just about the food itself but also about sharing your baked goods with those who are close to your heart. If you have gift bags to fill and want to spread some holiday cheer to friends and family this holiday season, these easy snackable treats have you covered. A universal favorite is chocolate bark because it is so versatile and so scrumptious. You can layer melted white chocolate on dark or milk chocolate and top it with crushed peppermints. You can also go the s’mores route and pour melted chocolate over graham crackers and then top them with mini marshmallows. Once the bark is cooled, break it into shards and fragments with either your fingers or the handle of a knife, and stick them into bags with a bow to tie them up. Other fun handheld morsels of goodness are truffles. Crumble up two parts of your favorite cake, and mix it with frosting or melted chocolate. Roll the mixture into balls, freeze them for a few minutes, and then dip them into melted chocolate and top with peppermints or sprinkles before the chocolate hardens. Want something with little ingredients, preparation, or cleanup? Chocolate pretzel candies may be right up your alley. Take small pretzel pieces without large holes in them and top them with Hershey’s Kisses or Rolos and put them in a warm oven until they are slightly melted. When they come out of the oven, top them with an M&M and let them cool, and you have all of your favorite holiday flavors in one bite!

If your stomach is really growling, you may want to consider a more substantial holiday dessert. Sophomore Anna Cunningham looks forward to a tradition that comes with the winter months.

“One of my favorite holiday desserts is red velvet cake with buttercream frosting, which my mom makes every Christmas,” said Cunningham.

Any cake, cupcake, or pie can become holiday themed with a fun decoration or flavoring to give that it-took-hours-to-make look or taste. Top your cupcakes with a layer of whipped cream or frosting, a strawberry pointed upwards, and a little dollop of extra cream or frosting on the tip of the strawberry to make a cute and edible Santa hat. Take any frosted cake, and add swirly lines of black frosting across the surface, and then add M&Ms sideways into the lines of frosting to create a “string of colored lights” decoration. Amp up the flavor of your desserts with flavored extracts such as peppermint, maple, or orange, and drizzle caramel or chocolate sauce on top to make them extra decadent and mouth-watering.

After all of these sweet treats, you must be getting thirsty so let’s talk beverages. Not a fan of your great-aunt’s eggnog? Not a problem. A warm mug of hot chocolate can be whipped up in seconds with hot milk or water either from the stove or microwave and either a few spoonfuls of hot chocolate mix (*recipe down below*) or a healthy drizzle of chocolate or fudge sauce. Not enough caffeine to get you through the morning? Substitute half of the milk or water with fresh brewed coffee for an extra perk. To get in the holiday spirit, add mini marshmallows and a candy cane or whipped cream with a sprinkle of crushed peppermints or caramel sauce. Another festive holiday drink is mulled cider. Take store bought or homemade apple cider, add it to a pot with some spices that you have on hand (like cloves or cinnamon sticks) and sliced oranges, and heat it till warm. A trend that is sweeping the internet right now is Hot Chocolate Bombs, which are chocolate shells with mix-ins inside. The easiest way to make these are with silicone circular molds, but if you want a cheaper method to make these trendy drinks, brush disposable muffin cups with melted chocolate and chill them in the freezer for half an hour. Take one cup and take off the wrapping, so that you are left with a hard, chocolate shell. Fill the cup with hot chocolate mix (*recipe down below*), mini marshmallows, and crushed candy cane (and whatever else you want), and then melt the top of another cup and place it open side down on top of the cup with the filling. Lastly, seal it shut with extra chocolate, so you have a completely enclosed shell. Drop the “bomb” into hot milk, and watch the shell melt and open up. Stir everything until combined and enjoy! 

Remember to put some time aside this holiday season to whip up something special in the kitchen and get yourself in the holiday spirit by spreading some cheer and love through sweet treats and desserts.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 Cups Powdered Milk
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• One Pinch (⅛ of a teaspoon) Salt

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, and whisk together.

Store in an air-tight container for up to six months.

ENJOY!