Holiday Baking Ideas

I like to do most of my holiday baking when I'm surrounded by family. When I know I can give it away and watch everyone enjoy a sweet bite after the big meal. With my mom, we bake sugar cookies and pies, cheesecakes, whatever new recipe we've had our eye on for a while. I'll be making some goodie bags to give away as gifts too and I'll still collecting ideas for that.

There's one thing I'll be making for sure this holiday season. Fudge.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels- in Christmas colors!

Christmas Tree Cookie Balls- crumble up Oreo's and mix with cream cheese!

Melting Snowmen Cookie Balls- smashed Nutter Butter cookies and peanut butter

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls- I've got a thing for cookie balls this year.

French Mint Silk Pie- Perfect for after Christmas dinner!

Chocolate Cream Pie- I've had my eye on this for months.

M&M Peanut Butter Bars- How cute would these be with red and green M&M's?

What's on your baking list?

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars

Oh hello there before-Thanksgiving-prep-day.

I'm so glad I had the day off. I can't imagine running around my house like a turkey with it's head cut off (haha) the day of. I've got my turkey brining, the house is relatively clean, and dessert is done! Tomorrow I'll make the sweet potatoes and set the table. 

I thought I'd share these with you now justincase. You know, in case you want to add another dessert and make another trip to the store. These bars smelled amazing as they were baking and even better after they came out of the oven. Once they cooled I had to test them and see if they were good...let's just say, I don't think I'll have any left over tomorrow!

Source: Beantown Baker
Servings: 24

2 cups flour
1/2 + 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup cold butter
11/2 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
pinch of cloves
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar; cut butter into mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and pecans. Remove 3/4 cup of mixture and add in butterscotch chips. Set aside and reserve for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of parchment lined pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Combine cream cheese and pumpkin; add remaining sugar, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, cloves and vanilla and mix until well blended. Pour over crust and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle reserved oat crumb mixture and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before storing. Cut into 2×2 squares and serve.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Raspberry Oat Bars

I've got a new obsession.

Anything that can be turned into a bar.

I've pinned all sorts of bar treats lately (which is also a new obsession of mine- pinning. What can I say, I was late to the game). For example, I really want to make these blondies. And these smore's bars. And these brownies. I need helppp.

But these bars...these bars, I had to make immediately. They had my name written all over them. I didn't think any other "granola" bar could come close to topping my favorite, but these come pretty darn close. I love how simplistic they are. They've got a crunchy, buttery crust and subtle sweetness from the jam. All you need is some butter, oats, brown sugar, and a fruity jam. It's a snack you can enjoy any time of the year.

I had to stop myself from eating them in two days. Perfection in a bar.

Source: Beloved Green
Servings: 15-20 bars

1 1/4 cups flour ( half whole wheat flour and half white flour)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
2 cups oats
1 cup berry jam of your choice (I used raspberry)

Start by pre-heating the oven to 375°F.  In a mixing bowl pour in the wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon and do a quick mix.  Cut the butter into thin slices and add into the bowl.  With a mixer on medium, mix until it starts to form a more solid dough.  Pour in the old-fashioned oats and kneed them in until all the oats have found a home in the dough.

Take 1/3 cup of oats and set them to the side.  Grease a 13x9inch pan.  Place the remainder of the dough into the pan and smash it flat until it is even across the base.  Next layer in the jam.  Finally take the 1/3 cup of oats that were set aside and sprinkle them over top.

Put the pan in the oven for about 25 minutes until the top of the oats start to turn a golden brown color.  Pull them out and allow them to cool.  Can be stored in a container out on the counter or in the refrigerator.

Sweet Treats Week #4: Honey Peanut Butter Banana Cinnamon Blondies

Hello friends! I hope you've been enjoying Sweet Treats Week here on This Woman Cooks! Cupcakes, biscotti, muffins...I've certainly loved doing a sweet themed week and already have ideas for future themes. Today I've got another guest post for you, from none other than Jen from Beantown Baker. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to hear from Jen- she wanted to do a guest post on my little 'ol blog!? I remember reading Jen's blog before I even had the slightest idea of starting one of my own. I loved her beautiful photos, original recipes, and scrumptious desserts. She's got it all. I hope you will welcome her and take a look at her blog if you haven't before, I promise you'll become a loyal fan.

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Hi readers! My name is Jen and I blog over at Beantown Baker. As the name implies, I live in Boston with my Hubby and our two cats. I like to bake and Hubby serves as my taste tester. I've done quite a few Week Of... themed weeks myself, so when Christina tweeted about it last week, I encouraged her to give it a shot. So here I am with a contribution to her Week of Sweet Treats.

I was looking through my Google Reader for some inspiration on something sweet to make, and the memory of some very overripe bananas kept popping into my head. They were definitely to the point where I needed to bake something or throw them in the freezer. As I was looking for banana recipes, this one popped out at me. I absolutely LOVE peanut butter and bananas together. Every morning for breakfast I eat a whole wheat bagel thin, topped with peanut butter and sliced banana. It's so delicious and filling.

When I went to my baking cabinet, I was sad to see that I didn't have any peanut butter chips (gotta remember to grab some at the store next time I'm there!) But I did have some cinnamon chips. I love baking with cinnamon chips. They might be one of my favorite ingredients. I decided the cinnamon chips would be a suitable substitution and went to town baking these. In no time flat, I could smell the amazing aroma of peanut butter, cinnamon, and banana coming from the kitchen.

After I took a bite, I was honestly wishing for more peanut butter flavor. I would recommend making these with the peanut butter chips, or reduce the amount of cinnamon chips so the cinnamon doesn't overpower the peanut butter. Hubby couldn't keep his hands off these even though he claims not to like peanut butter in desserts.

Honey Peanut Butter Banana Cinnamon Blondies - adapted from Healthy Food For Living - makes 16 bars
Printable Recipe
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup mashed overripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour (all purpose would work as well)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (or 1/3 cup cinnamon chips)
1/4 cup peanut butter (if you aren't using all-natural peanut butter, reduce the honey to 2 Tbsp)

Preheat oven to 350.

Line an 8x8 pan with foil or parchment paper. Spray with baking spread.

Beat together the applesauce, oil, brown sugar, honey, and banana. Add the egg, then vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, basking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just moistened. Fold in the peanut butter and chips. The peanut butter doesn't need to be completely mixed into the batter.

Pour batter into pan and bake 25-28 minutes.

Allow to cool prior to cutting into bars.

Thanks again Jen! It was a pleasure having you! 

Be sure to come back tomorrow, there's a prize involved!