The holiday baking season has begun! Winter is my absolute favorite time of year. When December rolls around, it’s hard for a baking lover like myself to keep out of the kitchen long. Holiday recipes hold a warm place in my heart, so I decided to share three of my favorites with you.
St. Lucia Buns
Saint Lucia Day is a Swedish holiday that takes place more towards the beginning of the holiday season on December 13, which gives you a reason to start baking early.
My family and I have celebrated Saint Lucia Day since I was five. What with wearing candles on your head and baking yummy treats, plus the bonus of my name in the title, it’s almost like getting a second birthday!
Making Saint Lucia buns is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Saint Lucia Buns or saffron buns have a bit of an unusual flavor. The saffron gives it a unique kind of sweetness that’s hard to describe. Sweet, yeasty, and golden, with a smooth, egg-washed shell and a soft, bready center, they taste and smell like happiness.
Baking Tip: You do not need to make the buns as big as you think, they grow, a lot! Aim for the amount the recipe says you should have, and they’re probably the right size.
The recipe: St. Lucia Buns – NYT Cooking
Best Ever Gluten-Free Spritz Cookies
Buttery, bite-sized spritz cookies are hard to stop eating. Add in their fun shapes and ability to suit any holiday, and they are pretty much the perfect holiday cookie. These are one of my mom’s favorite kind of cookies, which is why finding a great gluten-free recipe was important. This recipe lives up to its name. Making your own gluten-free flour blend is not necessary for this recipe, just use your favorite brand. I have found the gluten-free flour from Trader Joe’s to work well. For this recipe, you will need a spritz cookie press.
Baking Tip: It takes a few tries to get in the spritz squirting zone. If refrigerated too long, the cookie dough won’t move through the press. If not cold enough, the cookies won’t hold their shape. Find a balance that works. If the dough gets too soft, stick it back in the fridge for a bit. Any failed attempts can be put right back through the press.
The recipe: Best Ever Spritz Cookies (Gluten-Free Recipe) – Land O Lakes
Molasses Cookies Moldow
This is probably my favorite holiday recipe. Maybe it’s because I discovered the recipe on my own, or maybe it’s because I adore molasses cookies. Whatever the reason, these cookies are amazing. Chewy, sugar-dusted pillows of molasses spice perfection.
Baking Tip: When they come out of the oven, they will be very soft. You will probably think they are not cooked all the way. Never fear! They firm up considerably as they cool. I have made the mistake of baking them too long many times, so if a soft cookie is what you crave, it is best to wait.
The recipe: This recipe is not available online. It is in the Joy of Cooking and can be found on page 770 (in the 75th Anniversary Edition of the Joy of Cooking).
For molasses cookie lovers who have sourdough starter coming out of their ears, I recently baked this recipe with my sister. It’s a milder tasting molasses cookie than the Moldow recipe. Cakey, pillowy, and oh so soft, this may be my new favorite way to use up my sourdough discard.
The recipe: Soft Sourdough Molasses Cookies – Homemade Food Junkie
Baking together is such a joyful tradition. I hope you and your family enjoy these recipes as much as I do. Happy holidays!
The Lighthouse 