Between the gray, chilly weather and what seems like endless illnesses, we have pretty much been holed up at home since the first of December. The usual holiday indulgences lose a little of their appeal when your nose is stuffy and your throat is sore. Good news though! I’ve got an arsenal of easy, healthy Christmas treats you can whip up and enjoy. If you, like us, are stuck at home this season, give these a try!
Why do we bake at Christmas?
Christmas baking has its origins all the way back in Medieval times. The purpose was to celebrate the birth of Christ and express goodwill and gratitude to friends and neighbors. Gifts were not a reality for most people, so they exchanged the best of what they did have…food. And specifically sweets.
I also love the thought that early American settlers and immigrants would exchange the variety of traditional cookies from their homelands to get to know their neighbors and make friends.
Who doesn’t want to be friends with somebody who makes a killer cookie!?
Baking with Einkorn
Years ago, before I even understood that my body has a hard time digesting grains, I made the switch to Einkorn flour. Learning that it was an ancient grain that had never been hybridized really appealed to me. Knowing that thanks to its weaker gluten structure, it was easier to digest, made sense! Hearing that it contained more protein, vitamins and minerals than regular flour, and I was sold!
All health benefits aside, for me, baking with Einkorn flour is all about FLAVOR. Einkorn flour gives a beautiful golden color to your baked goods. A nutty, buttery taste that can’t be beat. It adds so much depth and interest to the treat, all the while being better for your body. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I typically bake with Jovial’s All-Purpose Einkorn Flour, which I buy in 10 lb. bags. It isn’t cheap, but it is absolutely worth it!
What’s the best natural sweetener for healthy Christmas treats?
There are a lot of great natural sweeteners available nowadays, but without a doubt, my favorite is maple sugar. Here’s a few others you can try:
- Maple Syrup. Maple Syrup isn’t a perfect substitute for granulated sugar in a recipe, as it is a liquid versus a solid and can mess with your baking ratios. But, especially in caramels and such, maple syrup can’t be beat. I buy my Maple Syrup in 1 gal. jugs from Azure Standard.
- Honey. Also fantastic in caramel, taffy and brittle, honey is a great substitute for holiday baking recipes which use corn syrup. I use it in a Honey Caramel Corn that is so good we make it all year long! I also buy this in large tubs from Azure to cut down on the cost.
- Rapadura/Sucanant. Also purchased from Azure, this is a great substitute for brown sugar. It’s darker, has a molasses-y taste like brown sugar and is much the same texture. Again, I don’t use it as a direct substitute for white sugar, but it has many perfect uses and tastes great.
- Coconut Sugar. Another good sub for brown sugar, coconut sugar has a dark, rich taste.
Ways to avoid overwhelm when baking Christmas treats
Baking can be a really great way to celebrate the season, share gifts and blessings with others or let somebody know you’re thinking about them. But it can also serve as just one more thing nagging at you from your endless to-do list. Here’s a few ways to avoid burnout as you bake for the holidays.
- Pace yourself. Everybody has that romantic notion of a plate full of a wide variety of gourmet holiday treats. But guess what? Your home is not a bakery. And there is no reason you need to approach holiday baking like you’re getting ready for the Christmas rush. Choose one or two recipes to bake per week, eat and enjoy, and then try something else the next week.
- Keep it small. Bake small batches of your Christmas goodies, savor each bite and then…move on! You absolutely do not need to be making six-dozen anything. Probably ever. Keep it small and ENJOY what you’ve made.
- Plan ahead. Ever pull out a recipe on a cozy December afternoon, only to realize you don’t have all the ingredients? Adding an unplanned trip to the store is not my idea of a good time. So, each week as you plan your meals, pick your baking recipes for the week and make sure you grab those ingredients at the store. Then, when the Spirit of Christmas Baked Goods moves, you have everything you need!
Favorite kitchen tools for holiday baking
There is nothing better than heading into your (hopefully clean) kitchen, fully stocked with all the tools and gadgets you need to produce Christmas treats. Here’s a few of my must-haves for holiday baking.
- Marble Baking Board. Perfect for rolling out sticky cookie dough, flaky pie crust or kneading a holiday challah, this baby never lets me down. Marble stays cooler than your countertops and reduces the likelihood that your dough will warm up too quickly or stick fast. Plus it look so beautiful on the counter or leaned up against your backsplash. I actually love mine for food photography as well.
- Parchment Paper. For lining baking trays, wrapping up Christmas caramels or covering the inside of a festive tin full of treats, parchment paper is must-have for any holiday baking project.
- Holiday Cookie Cutters. For sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies or anything of the like, a Christmas-y cookie cutter is key. We also use ours for playing with festive homemade play dough over the cozy winter holiday.
- Wire Cooling Racks. Whether it’s a batch of gingerbread, a peppermint cheesecake or a batch of donuts Christmas morning, you’re going to need somewhere for your treats to cool down. I’ve had the same cooling wracks since our wedding, they are long lasting and hard working.
- Mixing Bowls. I’ve talked about these before but these Mason Cash bowls are HANDS DOWN the best mixing bowls ever. I use them for bread, pie crust, cakes, pancakes, scones, you name it. They’re pretty, practical and so easy to grab. They are also attractive enough to serve from. I love the new Meadow pattern!
- GIR Spatulas. I’d never heard of this brand until I bought one of their spatulas from Trader Joe’s and now I’ll use nothing else. I’ve always loved the look of a spatula with a wood handle, but inevitably they get all kinds of nasty gunk up in the seam between the wood and silicone. GIR to the rescue! These are seamless, come in fun colors, are easy to wash and even easier to love!
- Holiday Apron. I don’t actually have a holiday apron, but my favorite Apron maker makes a SUPER CUTE one. Hear that family? Mama needs a Christmas apron! Grab one for yourself and really get in the Spirit!
Other Christmas treats recipes to try:
- Best Ever Poppyseed Bread
- Sourdough Cranberry Walnut Bread by Farmhouse on Boone
- Candied Christmas Nuts by Shaye Elliott
What Christmas treats did you grow up baking?
Not everybody grew up baking with a parent or grandparent, but many of us did. My Mom loved to make chocolate fudge, dipped pretzels, peanut brittle, Grandma’s chocolate covered cherries and her trademark sugar cookies. Occasionally she would try something new, but those were our go-tos. I looked forward to them all year long!
What’s on your list of traditional baking? Let me know in the comments if you give any of my recipes a try!
