Favorite Holiday Baking Ideas

Favorite Holiday Baking Ideas

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Once Thanksgiving arrives, I gear up for lots of holiday baking. Cookies, breads, cakes, and special desserts–many of which turn into food gifts for loved ones. I love the warm spices that scent the air–cinnamon, peppermint, nutmeg, and cloves. Can a person have too many Favorite Holiday Baking Ideas? 

Mini Loaves of Orange-Glazed Cranberry Fruitcake

(Post modified on 11/24/23.)

I think not! Some of my yearly traditions include Christmas Stollen, Yule Log, Gingerbread Houses, and yes, Fruitcake. I love fruitcake and have been making my special mini cakes for several years now. Dried figs, dates, raisins, and cranberries soaked in a spiced rum. So delicious.

 

Let’s Begin with Gingerbread

Another Side of the Finished Gingerbread House

And then there are the Gingerbread Houses! As a mom of three daughters, and now three grandchildren, I have made my share of homemade gingerbread houses and gingerbread men!

Decorate Gingerbread Men for Boys or Girls

I love starting the holiday season by decorating a gingerbread house and/or giant gingerbread men with our daughters and grandchildren. And of course, they love it, too! See my favorite homemade recipe for gingerbread and royal icing below.

Gingerbread House with Royal Icing
I love making homemade gingerbread. It smells so wonderful with all it’s spices, sugars, and molasses. And of course, children love to help put them together and decorate them with all the colorful candies. This Gingerbread House with Royal Icing goes together easily and will make enough for the house as well as a handful of Gingerbread Men.
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Recipe for Gingerbread House with Royal Icing

 

Favorite Holiday Cake Recipes

Decorating the Yule Log

What would the holidays be without a special cake to serve to your guests. Whether a  luscious layer cake, Yule log, or Bundt cake, your choice is sure to please many. See all of my Cake Recipes Here.

 

Italian Cream Layer Cake boasts a tender and moist crumb, and is flavored with chopped pecans and coconut. Covered in a cream cheese frosting, it’s sure to please at your next holiday dinner.

Italian Cream Layer Cake
Italian Cream Layer Cake boasts a tender and moist crumb, and is flavored with chopped pecans and coconut. Covered in a cream cheese frosting, it’s sure to please at your next holiday dinner.
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Featured Image - Recipe for Italian Cream Layer Cake

 

I enjoy making Irish Cream Cake at Christmas, which uses a cake mix as its base and is flavored with miniature chocolate chips and Irish Cream Liqueur. The Irish Cream icing seeps into the cake and creates a sweet and crusty film on the outside–like a cake donut! It’s so good. Perfect for any holiday celebration with family or friends.

Irish Cream Cake
I enjoy making Irish Cream Cake at Christmas, which uses a cake mix as its base and is flavored with miniature chocolate chips and Irish Cream Liqueur. It's so good. Perfect for any holiday celebration with family or friends. 
Check out this recipe
Featured Image - Irish Cream Cake

 

Make this delicious Vanilla Pound Cake recipe during this year’s Holiday Season–or any time, really! The sugar topping sends this cake right over the top, and it gives the cake a little sparkle, too!

Vanilla Pound Cake
Make this delicious Vanilla Pound Cake recipe during this year’s Holiday Season--or any time, really. The sugar topping sends this cake right over the top! 
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Recipe for Vanilla Pound Cake

 

I’ve been making this Cinnamon Coffee Cake recipe for many years now. I usually make it during the Christmas holidays, but really, it’s delicious any time of year. It’s moist, packed with cinnamon and pecans.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Here's a delicious coffee cake for you to enjoy for a weekend brunch. This is my husband's favorite cake recipe.
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Recipe for Cinnamon Coffee Cake

 

A few years ago I made my first Christmas Yule Log and it was so much fun and surprisingly easy that I decided to make it an annual tradition! Delicious chocolate sponge cake rolled up in a creamy filling and covered in a rich ganache icing. So yummy!

Christmas Yule Log
Christmas Yule Log is a delicious chocolate sponge cake rolled up in a creamy filling and covered in a rich ganache icing. So yummy!
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Recipe for Christmas Yule Log, Holiday Baking, Holiday Meal Ideas

 

I enjoy making Orange-Glazed Cranberry Fruitcake during the Christmas season. Made with dried cranberries, raisins, dates, figs, and pecans, it’s not your average fruitcake. Plus, it makes 8 small loaves, so it’s perfect for gift-giving for those on your fruitcake-lovers list.

Orange-Glazed Cranberry Fruitcake
Here's a recipe I enjoy making at Christmas. It makes 8 small loaves, so works well for your fruitcake-loving friends. It seems, even those who don't care for fruitcake, enjoy this bread. Yay! Here's to Fruitcake!!
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Recipe for Orange-Glazed Cranberry Fruitcake

 

Cranberry Pound Cake with Almonds is a delicious recipe to make for your family during the holidays. It’s especially good when it has set for 1-2 days. It is amazingly flavorful and moist, and I love the added sweet bites of cranberries. So yummy!

Cranberry Pound Cake with Almonds
Here's a delicious recipe to make during the holidays. Cranberry Pound Cake with Almonds is amazingly flavorful and moist, and I love the added sweet bites of cranberries.
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Recipe for Cranberry Pound Cake with Almonds

Now for my Favorite Holiday Breads

Serving Poppy Seed Bread at a Tea Party

Holiday breads are great for gifting to your friends and family. Most of the recipes below make more than one, especially if you use the small or mini loaf suggestions. They are wonderful to have around when last-minute company arrives, or even a houseful of family comes to stay for a weekend. Just grab one (or two) from the freezer and allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Easy and delicious. View all of my Bread Recipes Here.

 

Christmas Stollen with Marzipan – Here is a traditional German recipe for Christmas Stollen with Marzipan. I love this sweet bread as a snack in the morning or afternoon with tea or coffee. The surprise marzipan treat in the center is probably my favorite! I’m like a kid that way, I guess.

Christmas Stollen with Marzipan
Here is a traditional German recipe for Stollen, including the surprise marzipan treat in the center. I hope you'll enjoy it!
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Recipe for Christmas Stollen with Marzipan

 

Poppy Seed Bread is a recipe I received from my Aunt Ruth. It’s a super moist bread to share with your loved ones and friends at Christmas and one of our favorites. And while it’s perfect to give as a Christmas food gift, you’ll want to save back a few loaves for your own enjoyment.

Poppy Seed Bread
Poppy Seed Bread is a recipe I received from my Aunt Ruth. It's a super moist bread to share with your loved ones and friends at Christmas and one of our favorites.
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Recipe for Poppy Seed Bread

 

My grandma used to make Orange Nut Bread every Christmas. I like to make it every year to think of her, and to use as a holiday food gift. The orange flavor and pecans are perfect paired with a nice cup of warm tea.

Orange Nut Bread
My grandma used to make Orange Nut Bread every Christmas. I like to make it every year to think of her, and to use as a holiday food gift. The orange flavor and pecans are perfect paired with a nice cup of warm tea.
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Recipe for Orange Nut Bread

 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread is moist and tender, flavored with pumpkin puree and yummy mini chocolate chips. It’s lovely with a cup of coffee or to serve at your next tea party!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Here is a favorite pumpkin bread recipe I like to make. Moist, tender bread flavored with pumpkin puree and yummy mini chocolate chips. It's lovely with a cup of coffee or to serve at your next tea party!
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Recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

 

I love serving muffins to my family, especially during the holidays or for a special brunch. These Cranberry Fig Muffins are perfect for Christmas.

Cranberry Fig Muffins
I love serving muffins to my family, especially during the holidays or for a special brunch. These Cranberry Fig Muffins are perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. They are filled with cranberries, dried figs, warm spices, and English walnuts. They do well in the freezer. Plus, they make great food gifts.
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Recipe for Cranberry Fig Muffins

 

I enjoy serving Cherry Danish Loaves on Christmas morning. I always make them the day before, and then give two of the loaves as gifts to both of our parents. Of course, I save two for ourselves, as our kids really love this Danish-style sweet bread.

Cherry Danish Loaves
This is a recipe we enjoy serving on Christmas morning. Since it makes four loaves, it also makes a wonderful treat for gift-giving.
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Featured Image - Recipe for Cherry Danish Loaves

 

Ending with Shortbread, Bars, and Tarts

Bake Brownie Nutcrackers using this Recipe

I’ve already covered Christmas Cookies in another Roundup Post, but now I want to share some that were not listed there, as well as my favorite tart recipes. See my post on Baking Christmas Cookies Here.

 

Try this classic recipe for English Shortbread with Pecans this holiday season. Perfect for an shared afternoon tea with a friend or loved one. Not too sweet, with the perfect amount of nuttiness from the pecans, plus hints of vanilla and orange. So good.

English Shortbread with Pecans
Try this classic recipe for English Shortbread with Pecans this holiday season. Perfect for an shared afternoon tea with a friend or loved one. Not too sweet, with the perfect amount of nuttiness from the pecans, plus hints of vanilla and orange. So good.
Check out this recipe
Recipe for English Shortbread with Pecans

 

This recipe for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars is one we make every year during the holidays–but you can make them any time! With only six ingredients, they are easy to make. Caramel candies, evaporated milk, butter, pecans, chocolate chips, and a German Chocolate Cake Mix. So delicious!

Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars
This recipe for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars is one we make every year during the holidays--but you can make them any time! With only six ingredients, they are easy to make. Caramel candies, evaporated milk, butter, pecans, chocolate chips, and a German Chocolate Cake Mix.
Check out this recipe
Recipe for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars

 

Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Ganache Topping - Mini Christmas Tree Cakes

Who doesn’t enjoy Chewy Chocolate Fudge Brownies. But this is also a fun recipe to use with specialty shaped pans, such as Christmas Tree Mini Cake Pan or even Nutcrackers. I’ve made both for Christmas entertaining and they always go over really well.

Chewy Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Here's a favorite recipe at our house--one we make just about every month. Great with vanilla ice cream.
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Featured Image - Recipe for Chewy Chocolate Fudge Brownies

 

My mom makes these Buttery Pecan Tarts almost every Christmas. They are so yummy, with a buttery, cream cheese shell, and then more butter in the sweet pecan filling. They practically melt in your mouth! Perfect for the upcoming holiday season.

Buttery Pecan Tarts
This is a recipe my mom makes every Christmas. These tarts are so yummy, they practically melt in your mouth! Perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
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Recipe for Buttery Pecan Tarts

 

Homemade Mincemeat Tarts, made with dried fruit and nuts are sweet and tart with a simple buttery pastry. If you like fruitcake, dried fruits, English walnuts, holiday spices, and spiced rum, then I encourage you to give this recipe a try!

Homemade Mincemeat Tarts
These Homemade Mincemeat Tarts are fabulous. Sweet and tart with a simple buttery pastry. So traditional and so yummy!
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Featured Image - Recipe for Homemade Mincemeat Tarts

 

See more Holiday Baking Ideas Here. View Christmas Cookie Recipes Here. Browse Holiday Meal Ideas Here.

 

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