Edible Love | Christmas Baking | Cute Packaging
Can you believe we are halfway through December? Me, neither. I was so slow to begin shopping (as in, I just started two days ago) As I've mentioned, we are trying to simplify this year, with a little less focus on gift buying and a little more on all the other traditions that make this such a magical time of year. One tradition that I love is baking for friends, neighbors, and family. When it's gray and chilly outside there is something so comforting about spending time in the kitchen, by a warm oven with the house smelling of chocolate, ginger and cinnamon. Giving homemade treats is like giving love, so each deserves to be wrapped in a special way too. This year I found some great packaging ideas that I will share with you! Here is a glimpse of what I've been up to in our kitchen this past week...
{chocolate peanut butter glob cookies all set to go in the oven. recipe at the end of this post.}
While cookies baked, I organized my packing supplies...
and made little tags. just a dot of glue from a glue gun and a sprig of boxwood from outside.
These will not keep if using fresh greenery. Make them the day you plan to use them.
Here are the links + supply sources:
twine from TJ Maxx
gingham printed food paper Container Store
tags I used to make boxwood tag from Staples
I lined the kraft boxes with the food safe tissue. I recommend using tissue especially for food not tissue for gift wrap. The Container Store usually has a few varieties and they sell them year round.
Then I piled up the cooled cookies with small sheets of parchment between them.
I finished it up with this gorgeous striped ribbon, a little tag, and a couple holly leaves.
I made a dozen of these little boxes over two days and I had two eager helper elves that made deliveries with me. I also made some of Ina's palmier cookies {recipe link here}.
My only recipe tip/tweak is that I dip the cut sides of the cookies is a dusting of sugar
so they caramelize more easily and look golden. Also, place baking rack in top 2/3rds of oven.
My only recipe tip/tweak is that I dip the cut sides of the cookies is a dusting of sugar
so they caramelize more easily and look golden. Also, place baking rack in top 2/3rds of oven.
The palmiers were wrapped very simply in cellophane bags, with the same gingham paper and
tied together with jute twine and one of my little handmade cards.
Here's a phone pic of the cookies...
Here's a phone pic of the cookies...
Next up were treats for this band of cuties! For Charlie's gift to his classmates I made another batch of gingerbread cookies. All little houses with a couple additional embellishments...
I made them into ornaments by poking the tops with a straw prior to baking and then immediately after removing them from the oven. I'm pretty sure most were eaten immediately after they received them, but just in case someone wasn't a gingerbread lover, they can still enjoy it on their tree!
I liked seeing a bit of the gingham paper peeking out of the kraft bags.
I printed the tags on solid white adhesive sheets found at any office supply store.
Recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Glob Cookies
{via Barefoot Contessa's Foolproof Cookbook}
6 TBS unsalted butter
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 TBS instant espresso powder {you can omit this and they are still TO DIE FOR}
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c plus 1 TBS all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 c whole walnut halves, not chopped
1 c whole pecan halves, not chopped
2/3 cup peanut butter chips, such as Reese's
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two backing sheets with parchment.
In a bowl set over simmering water, melt butter and 6 oz of the semisweet + all the unsweetened chocolate, until just melted. Let cool for 15 minutes.
In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla until combined. Add the sugar, raise speed to med. high, and beat for 2 minutes, until the batter is thick and falls back on itself in a ribbon. {this took longer than 2 minutes for me, maybe 4, just make sure it's thick enough before proceeding. I've made this recipe 4x and has always taken longer than 2 minutes}
With mixer on low, slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Combine 1/3 c flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and fold it into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. In another bowl, combine the walnuts, pecans, peanut butter and remaining chocolate chips, and 1 TBS flour and fold it into the chocolate mixture. With two soup spoon, drop rounded mounds of batter 1 inch apart onto prepared sheets. Bake 15 minutes exactly. Cool on baking sheets.