Tag Archives: swedish christmas cookies

Ready, Set, Celebrate!

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Now that Halloween has passed we’ve all inevitably started talking about the holiday season. (Here in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving a little earlier, so there’s really nothing else to look forward to during the month of November.)

This is the time of year when everyone’s schedules start filling up with celebrations and social events. Unfortunately, each of those events come with its own set of tasks that make people start feeling frantic instead of festive. There’s just so much to do. A friend of mine put it very eloquently: “I love Christmas, but there’s just so much s@&! to do!”

Planning is kind of my thing, so I often share how I organize my holidays on the blog: here’s how I get a head start on Christmas cards, how I plan my gift shopping and my Boxing Day strategy. If you really have the drive to plan far ahead, you may find this post on cleaning up after the holidays useful.

For the past couple of years I’ve carried out the Swedish tradition of baking seven different cookies at Christmas time. Here’s what’s been in my arsenal so far: Traditional Swedish Gingersnaps, Maple Butter Cookies, Jam Slices, Vanilla Horns, Rugulahs, Orange Crunch Cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Midnight Mints, Butterscotch Confetti, Date Pecan Bars, Chocolate Roll, Pineapple Log, Marshmallow Roll, Butterscotch Bars etc. (Stay tuned- in the month of December I’ve got seven brand new cookie recipes for you I think you’re going to love.)

I love writing about the holidays and all the kindness it brings out in people, but I realize for some there can be a dark side of the season. A couple of years back I had a very difficult Christmas so I channeled that energy into writing a blog post about being alone during the holidays– and how you’re really not alone if you feel that way. (You may also want to check out this post if you’re feeling down.)

And if that isn’t enough holiday goodies for y’all then you’re in for a treat- for the next six weeks or so I’ll be sharing more of my favourite holiday recipes, some fantastic Christmas gift ideas and some of my secrets for staying sane during this busy time of year.

Don’t worry if even reading this post is giving you the shakes; this holiday season, we’re all in this together!

Holiday celebrations can be fun, but only if you can ensure that things go smoothly. While there are never any guarantees when it comes to social gatherings, there are still plenty of ways to get your holiday game on. Click here to read more of them, or click here or here to read about some of the other best practices I’ve been trying to put into my place in my life.

Do you have any tips on how to survive the holidays? Save us by commenting below or email your suggestions to keepingbusyb@gmail.com

Baking with B: 7 Days of Christmas Treats: Marshmallow Roll

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I loved making this cookie simply because of the way it looks- the marshmallow inside reminds me of a little snowball and the coconut coating gives this cookie a light dusting of faux snow.

Just because these marshmallow rolls look so sweet doesn’t mean they actually taste that sweet- using unsweetened chocolate gives this recipe a fudgey flavor and the graham cracker crumbs give it a salty undertone (even if you do opt to go without the nuts).

Marshmallow Roll (makes approximately 24 slices)

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate

10 oz. sweetened condensed milk

2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. walnuts, finely chopped

large colored marshmallows

coconut

Melt in chocolate in large saucepan over low heat or hot water. Remove from heat. Stir in milk, crumbs and nuts. Divide into 2 portions. On piece of wax paper press out 1 portion 1/4-inch thick. Form into wide enough shape to go around marshmallow. Place various colors of marshmallow end to end and bring up batter to go around, pinching dough to join.

B’s Tip: Do make sure that you’re generous when measuring out the graham cracker crumbs- this dough is incredibly sticky and hard enough to handle as it is! P.S. Wax paper is also a must for easier rolling and clean up.

Coat with coconut. Repeat for other half. Wrap in wax paper. Store in plastic wrap in refrigerator. Cut with knife dipped in water. Clean knife between cuts. Slice thinly to serve.

B’s Tip: These recipe can be stored up for up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you can stand it, wait another 24 hours after slicing to try for an even chewier treat.

Happy baking!

B

KBwB-Flower-50

Last year I counted down to Christmas by baking seven different types of Christmas cookies as per my favorite Swedish holiday tradition. This year I’m making it a thing, and sharing seven more delicious recipes with you. For more inspiration, you can check out more of my baking here. For even more recipe inspiration check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.

Baking with B: 7 Days of Christmas Cookies: Jam Slices

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My mom used to make these pretty little cookies all the time when I was little, but I don’t ever remember appreciating them as much as I do now. They look really fancy, but they’re much easier to make than you think. Include these cookies on your Christmas platter and you are guaranteed to please even the biggest sweet tooth in the crowd. I should know, because these are my dad’s favourites.

Jam Slices (makes approximately 36 cookies)

1 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3-4 tbsp any red jam

Glaze:

3/4 c. icing sugar

1 1/2 tbsp water

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder together and add to wet ingredients, mixing well.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Divide dough into four pieces. Roll each section of dough into four logs that are abut 16 inches in length (almost the whole length of the cookie sheet, with ample room on either side). Using two fingers, make an indentation down the middle of each log so it almost looks like a moat. Fill each “moat” with your jam. Bake on the center oven rack for about 15 minutes.

While they’re baking, mix together the glaze, adding a little bit of water at a time so the icing sugar becomes runny, but not clear. Remove jam logs from oven. Leave the pan to let them cool down a bit, then drizzle the glaze over each log while still warm. Slice diagonally to make cookies that are approximately 3/4 wide (measuring a little over half of the span of your finger).

B’s Tip: Make sure you use a good quality jam for this recipe as the thicker the jam is, the better it will turn out. You may want to mash jam with a fork beforehand to ensure there are no giant pieces of fruit around to interfere with the aesthetic of the cookie.

Strawberry or raspberry jam works best with this recipe, but you may want to experiment with different flavors (apricot is one of my favorites.) Make sure you slice cookies when they are still warm to avoid them breaking. Store separately from other harder cookies to make sure the moist jam doesn’t interfere with the texture.

I love having one or two (or four!) of these cookies with a strong cup of coffee for a mid-morning break. I may just go have one right now!

Happy baking!

B

KBwB-Flower-50

I’m counting down Christmas by sharing some of my favourite holiday cookie recipes with you! I’ll be posting a different Christmas cookie recipe every day for the next seven days so you can follow along in my family’s baking tradition, and have more cookies to add to your Christmas baking arsenal! For more inspiration, you can check out more of my baking here. For even more recipe inspiration check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.

Baking with B: 7 Days of Christmas Cookies: Traditional Swedish Gingersnaps

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Do you find yourself scrambling to figure out what to make leading up to the Christmas holidays? Me too. It’s not so much a matter of not knowing what to serve- it’s having to pick and choose! There are so many tasty ideas for holiday foods out there- but what really gets me going is all that Christmas baking.

Part of my background is Swedish so holiday baking is a huge must in our family. It’s a tradition every year around Christmastime to bake seven different kinds of cookies. Why this is a tradition I have no idea but I can’t complain- I love to bake and I love to eat, so everybody wins as far as I’m concerned!

As we begin our countdown to Christmas, I’ll be sharing seven of some of my favorite cookie recipes so that you can get some ideas on what to bring- and what to eat- at your upcoming holiday dinner.

So to kick off our cookies we’re going to start with the traditional Swedish gingersnap, or pepparkakor. It’s much spicier and a little less sweet than its North American counterpart, but is still incredibly satisfying when paired with your favourite after-dinner holiday drink, a strong cup of coffee, or just an old-fashioned glass of milk.

Swedish Gingersnaps (makes approximately 48 cookies)

7 tbsp butter, softened

1 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. dark corn syrup (light works too)

1/2 c. whipping cream

2 tsp ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground cloves

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the corn syrup and beat until light and fluffy. Pour in whipping cream and spices. In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking soda.  Add into the wet mixture and knead until smooth (you may want to use your hands). Roll dough into ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature overnight.

When you’re ready to bake your cookies preheat the oven to 350F. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Cut into shapes and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake on the center oven rack for around 8 minutes.

B’s Tip: If you prefer your cookies to be chewier, don’t roll out the dough as thinly. Thinner dough leads to crispy cookie, so roll away if that’s what you prefer. You may want to shorten the baking time to avoid burning. Beware- getting a little too rolling-pin happy might mean your shapes won’t cut very well.

Don’t worry if the gingerbread cookies look puffy and soft when they come out of the oven. Place a cooling rack to let them cool and harden slightly before icing.

These gingerbread cookies look beautiful when iced with all-white icing but you may want to experiment with different colours to determine which you like best. Or why not go all out and add sprinkles, Smarties or mini gum drops to create that perfect candy-coated look?

Happy baking!

B

KBwB-Flower-50

I’m counting down Christmas by sharing some of my favourite holiday cookie recipes with you! I’ll be posting a different Christmas cookie recipe every day for the next seven days so you can follow along in my family’s baking tradition, and have more cookies to add to your Christmas baking arsenal! For more inspiration, you can check out more of my baking here. For even more recipe inspiration check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.