Christmas Baking

This weekend was all about Christmas again, of course it was since it's the last weekend before Christmas. 

We did some Christmas baking and some decorating since a lot of the decorations were already 40% off this weekend!

First on my list was sugar cookies, since I'm still a newly wed I actually did not have a rolling pin or any holiday cookie cutters so to make due we just decided to make sugar cookies with Christmas sprinkles and they turned out awesome! Next year I plan to have the rolling pin and cutters so I can have a full on cookie decorating party!

My sugar cookie recipe was a very simple one:

-2 and 3/4 cup of white wheat flour, I use the King Arthur one

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-1 cup of butter softened

-1 and 1/2 cups of white sugar

-1 egg

-1 tsp vanilla, I used 2 tsp of Madagascar vanilla bean bourbon instead 

Mix all the wet ingredients and then slowly incorporate the dry, it will seem a little dry and in pieces, once everything is incorporated use your hands to squish it all together in one giant ball. Pinch off little 1 inch balls and roll them around in your hand then pop them on un-greased cookie sheets and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 mins. 

Let them cool on the baking sheet for two mins before removing to the wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Spread with some white icing and top with a variety of holiday sprinkles and there you have awesome holiday sugar cookies, and p.s. no one can tell they are whole wheat.

Next up we decorated our Christmas stockings! I was limited with my puff paint choices at the store we stopped at so don't judge the neon colors.

These red stockings are $2.99 at meijers we grabbed up enough for our little family and then got to decorating.

They turned out pretty darn good for the limited supplies, thanks to the creativity of my awesome husband.

Next up I made a batch of rice krispie treats, these are one of my favorite desserts. I'm not sure why I love them so much, I am guessing they are more nostalgic for me than anything. Rice krispie treats were one of the first things I ever learned to cook, being that it's super easy. 

All you need is 40 large marshmallows, 3 tbsp of butter, 6 cups of rice krispies, I added red and green m&ms to be festive. Take all 40 marshmallows and 3 tbsp of butter and put them in a microwave safe bowl, heat it up for 1 min and 30 seconds then give it a stir and heat again for another 1 minute and 30 seconds. Once the marshmallow mixture is ready add the 6 cups of krispies and stir them up until they are all covered in marshmallowy goooo then dump it in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish and top them however you wish or leave them how they are. Let these cool for at least 15 mins before attempting to cut and eat them but usually they need an hour or two to cool completely for cutting and serving. 

Only two more days left, I for one can't wait to spend my Christmas morning with my big cup of mocha latte curled up in my PJ's with my hubs and our pup!