Baking Day 2013

It’s become an annual tradition.  The day following Thanksgiving (otherwise known as Black Friday) is our baking day. 

Although, to be honest, this year, we moved the date to the Saturday after Thanksgiving because of my sister’s work schedule; regardless of when it falls, it’s a day I look forward to all year long. 

My mom, sister and I make a huge mess in the kitchen, preparing goodies for the Christmas season. 

We form an assembly line:

1) One of us (my job this year) is to mix and prep all the dry ingredients.  Each dry ingredient bowl gets a label with the cookie title, the wet ingredients needed and the oven temp + bake time, and a note if the recipe needs chilling or not. 

2) Another person (my sister this year) is in charge of the mixer.  Creaming butter and sugars together according to the recipe, and adding in the dry ingredients already prepared. 

3) Finally, the last person preps any add-in ingredients, and volunteered to do the dishes.  Yes, my mom volunteered to do the dishes.  She also shuttled the cookie dough to the porch or fridge if chilling was needed. 

After the chilling is done, we line up the dough on the kitchen table and all of us scoop cookie dough balls onto wax-paper covered cookie sheets. 

Most of these end up being flash frozen and then packaged into labeled containers or freezer bags for later baking.  All bags get a cookie name, baking temperature and time written on them, as well as the date.   

But, of course, some require immediate baking and consumption. 

In the end, here’s what we made:

• 6 batches of Nut-Free Chex Mix
• 2 batches of Caramel Chex Mix Munch
• 1 batch of Muddy Buddies
• Grandma’s Spritz Cookies
• Lofthouse-Style Thick Sugar Cookies
• Peppermint Crunch Cookies
• Anise Cookies
• Mint-Surprise Cookies {new}
• Lemon Cookies {new}
• White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies {new}
• Orange Cranberry Cookies {new}
• Hot Cocoa on a Stick
• Andes Mint Fudge
• Molasses Crinkles
• And, Gingerbread Play Dough {new}

I’m tired just looking at that list!  But, we had so much fun and my freezer is stocked and ready for the Christmas season. 

Now, whenever we have people over, I can bake up a fresh batch of cookies and serve it with hot cocoa. 

On my baking list are a few more treats before the season is over (and, by over, I mean before February):

• Dark Chocolate Cherry Bark
• Dark Chocolate Cherry Shortbread (we leave these for Santa)
• Dark Chocolate Toffee
• Mint Oreo Cookie Crunch
• Carmelitas
• Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
• and, my mom’s famous fudge (she already made this one!!)

We finished up the baking day with pizza and a cute Hallmark Christmas Movie featuring Candace Cameron Bure (remember DJ from Full House?!) called Let It Snow.  It was the perfect end to a wonderful day. 

Do you do a Christmas goodie baking day, or do you spread out your baking all Christmas season?  I’d love to hear your baking traditions!