Christmas baking

As far as food goes, Cookies are as important to Chtistmas as Turkey is to Thanksgiving. We all have our favorite kinds and the secret family recipes to make them. Here are a few helpful hints to make your cookie making quick, easy, and efficient this holiday season! We all know how much old Saint Nick in particular loves his cookies on Christmas Eve!!

One of the best tools you can buy yourself if you're an avid baker is a cookie scoop. Believe it or not, size does matter when you're baking cookies. Sure you can make them as big or small as you want but where the importance of size comes in is in the baking time. Scooping dough out by hand is a flawed method because it's difficult to get every mound of cookie batter the same size. If you have a tray or mostly larger cookies and one that's a bit smaller, obviously the smaller cookie will be overdone by the time the rest are ready to be taken out of the oven. Use a cookie scoop to ensure equally sized cookies and you'll be able to have a whole tray of cookies that are baked evenly.

A good collection of measuring tools. Sounds simple and obvious enough to most but having the correct meausrements in baking really is vital. I was cooking at a friends house one time and told her I needed a tablespoon of baking soda. Not being an experienced cook, she grabbed a regular spoon and took a scoop of baking soda for the container. Baking is like a science, percession does matter so make sure you have the correct amounts of your ingredients.

Parchment paper is a must have for me when I bake. It add a non stick layer to my baking pan without adding anymore fat. Not only will it ensure your cookies come off your tray in one piece, it'll spare you some clean up when all is said and done and I think it's safe to say we're all thankful for an easy clean up in the kitchen.

Cookie cutters are a great way to make your holiday baking fun and festive. No need to be picky with what kind of cookie cutters your buy, just buy ones that have the shapes you enjoy. These cookie cutters where a gift to me and they're my favorite since they are spring activated! I make countless short bread cookies using these handy little cutters.

 A good humble rolling pin goes a long way. I prefer rolling pins like the one I have that doesn't have handles on the sides and a metal rod running through the middle. Perfect for crushing up nuts, candy pieces, and chocolate to go inside cookie batters and ideal for rolling out shortbread or sugar cookie dough. A rolling pin is worth it's weight in gold in the kitchen!

The final essential tool to Christmas baking is Christmas music!!! I'm a traditonalist when it comes to my christmas music! Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Carpenters Christmas Cd are among my favorites. The very first A Very Special Christmas album is also a staple in my holiday playlist since it's one of the albums I grew up listening too. I also love throw in some newer versions of the classics by Michael Buble, Diana Krall, and Faith Hill. Listen to what you love and cook what you love and you'll get the most out of your day baking!!

 Happy Holiday Baking Everyone!!