Festive Baking Treats

Hello lovelies! Todays post is something that will appeal to your sweet tooth! Christmas is always a good excuse to make some festive sweet treats, either for yourself or too bring along to a family gathering. Here are three of my festive baking favourites...

Melting Snowman Cookies

What you will need

200g fondant icing sugar

6 white marshmallows 

6 large cookies

24 mini chocolate beans

6 pretzel sticks

Tube of black writing icing

Method

1. Put icing sugar into bowl and add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture is runny but thick enough to coat a spoon.

2. Snip the marshmallows in half

3. Spoon a little icing onto each cookie and attach half a marshmallow. Using a little icing, stick the other half on top at an angle. Drizzle a little more icing onto a cookie to make melted snow

4.  Break pretzel sticks in half and place on cookie for arms. Stick orange chocolate beans on for noses. Stick 3 chocolate beans to each cookie to represent buttons.

5. Using the writing icing. Pipe small blobs for eyes and mouth- leave to set.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

These are delicious warmly spiced cupcakes perfect for indulging in over the festive season. Here's how to make then:

What you will need

150g butter (at room temperature)

150g soft brown sugar

3 eggs

150g self-raising flour

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1 tbsp of milk

Frosting Ingredients 

200g butter

50g soft brown sugar

3 tbsp milk

200g icing sugar

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan/Gas 4

2. Cream together butter and sugar until light & fluffy

3. Sift flour together with spices

4. Gradually mix eggs into creamed butter & sugar alternate with the flour to stop mix from curdling. Finally, stir through milk

5. Place 12 paper cupcake cases into muffin tin and divide mixture between them.

6. Bake for 15/20 minutes 

Frosting Method

1. While cupcakes are cooking- place 50g of butter in a pan with the brown sugar and cook over a low heat until melted. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and stir to form thick glossy toffee sauce. Leave to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl heat the butter smooth, then start to sift in the icing sugar, stirring regularly. Add a splash  more of the milk if the mixture seems to thick- the frosting should be light and creamy.

3. Put the frosting in a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

What you will need

For the cookies

100g soft butter 

150g soft light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 large egg

150g plain flour

35g cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder 

200g dark chocolate chips

For the glaze

75g icing sugar

2 tablespoons boiling water 

1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon of peppermint essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180c / gas mark 4

2. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in vanilla extract and egg.

3. Mix flour, cocoa and baking powder in bowl and gradually beat in creamed mixture, then fold in chocolate chips.

4. Using a rounded 15ml tablespoon measure, spoon out scoops of cookie dough onto lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one.

5.  Bake in oven for 12 minutes. Meanwhile put the glaze ingredients into a saucepan and heat until combined. 

I hope you've enjoyed todays post!

What are your favourite things to bake at Christmas?

Carly x