It's Cookie Time!
My favorite time of year...
Hello and welcome back, did you miss me? I was originally going to share a long form post today about the importance of celebrating living in 2025 and why unpacking my Christmas ornaments always is a bittersweet moment for me. However, I decided cookies are far more fun to talk about so that is what we are rolling with.
If you wanted the other material, I’m flattered, but I’ll sum it up in the below blurb (skip to the next section if you only want cookies, I totally get it).
The Brief Blurb
I find it incredibly interesting that people are loving the Martha Stewart documentary and Ina Garten book, yet we are so busy we don’t prioritize gathering or hobbies. My hope is that the newfound, or reignited, love for Ina and Martha will inspire folks to celebrate living. Feed your friends, be the person who brings someone soup when they are sick, say thank you, say sorry, throw a party (even if it is pizza and card games), plant a garden, and recognize that trying and failing is better than not trying at all.
I also think this is a good time with New Year’s coming up to consider what recharges you. If it’s reality TV, great! But if you’re feeling super burned out/in a rut, and the same old same old isn’t working, I encourage you to consider trying something new in the form of a creative or social outlet. It isn’t asking you to do more, but rather consider doing things differently.
On Christmas ornaments - my mother had a big collection we unpacked every year. As an adult, I’ve tried to collect ornaments where I can. And if I am friends with you, I’ve probably given you ornaments over the years that remind me of you. As I unpacked my ornaments this year, I was hit with a wave of emotions. It was like a tiny time capsule and each one of them represented where I was at that period of time. Tell me, Clarice, do you have ornaments that bring up tons of emotions for you?
Cookie Time
Menu
I am baking several cookies this year, and have begun my shopping and preparations this past week. Here is what is on the menu:
Method
Here is how I am prepping:
Print copies of all recipes.
Use a chatbot to organize my shopping (I copy all ingredients into the chatbot and ask it to make me a master grocery list, preferably in grams, so I know exactly how much butter/sugar/flour to buy).
I decide what I am making early and freezing, versus day of / day before.
I weigh and organize all ingredients on sheet trays with the recipe written on a piece of masking tape in front so I have everything ready to go.
I bake my doughs and scoop/freeze if applicable!
Supplies
Over the years, there are a few things I’ve used to help with holiday cookie chaos. I have linked all of them in my Amazon storefront, but I encourage you to shop around and find the method that works best for you.
For ingredients, I follow the Ina Garten rule and try to utilize the best ingredients possible. My go-to’s are Kerrygold unsalted butter from Costco, a 25lb bag of King Arthur all-purpose flour, Diamond Kosher Salt, a fresh can of baking soda, Guittard chocolate, and Nielsen-Massey Vanilla.
For kitchen supplies, I use a good old fashioned Kitchen Aid mixer named Bertha, a food scale to weigh ingredients for accuracy, little cereal bowls to prep ingredients, parchment paper, and Nordic Ware pans. One day I’ll have a Barbie dream home kitchen with a rolling commercial oven, and one of those giant cookie cooling racks. Alas, that day is not today.
Hot Tips
Every recipe is different and requires some trial and error, I say this as a long-time baker and someone who absolutely still jacks up recipes all the time. But when it comes to baking, a few quick tips:
Unless otherwise specified, make sure your butter/eggs are room temperature.
If the recipe calls for sifting, SIFT! It is annoying but just do it.
Consider an oven thermometer if your oven is weird and things don’t bake well.
If you can prep it or freeze it in advance, do it!
It is 100% ok to mix store bought and homemade cookies, I love a Costco macadamia nut cookie moment. You do you.
Happy baking, see you on Instagram!