Christmas Baking

I love baking but when it comes to cookies I usually stick to our favourite three types, and I always leave the Christmas cookies to my M-I-L. Her kids love her date cookies, sugar cookies, and shortbread. She also makes the best tarts....I can't wait.

But this year I decided I wanted to make some Christmas-ey type cookies. When I mentioned I was trying gingerbread to my work pal Lorna she suggested gingerbreadman sandwiches. I found this soft gingerbread recipe online and paired it with a cream cheese/ icing sugar filling. They were really yummy.

I still wanted to try traditional gingerbread so I turned to my Martha Stewart 'Cookies' book. Her recipe makes a TON and unfortunately we don't like it very much. It is a little dark and bitter for our tastes. But I did have fun outlining their shape in Royal icing. This was the first time I have used Royal icing and I used Wilton squeeze bottles to apply it. I think I need more practice though ;).

The last cookies I tried were Martha's sugar cookies, which I have made before and love. I did my best with the icing on these ones. Yep, definitely more practice needed. By my husband was sweet and reminded me that people train for years learning to decorate baking.

I bagged up one of each large gingerbread and snowflakes to slide into gift bags I am giving to folks in my work group tomorrow, which also contain the glitter balls from the post below.

Here are the gift bags ready to go. I love Christmas!!

Well, that's that. Thanks so much for visiting!