Christmas cookies

@Tina30219 (81441)
Onaway, Michigan
November 4, 2012 10:21am CST
The holidays are coming and I know a lot of people are going to be doing a lot of baking of cookies and candies. I sure wish I had someone to bake Christmas cookies with I am not good at making them and having them turn out. My husband does not get Christmas cookies unless he gets them from his mom when we are with them for Christmas.
2 people like this
13 responses
• Malaysia
5 Nov 12
This year I am going to bake some cookies for Christmas. I love baking, but couldn't believe I didn't bake any cookies last Christmas! Could be because I was busy at work and had no energy left for baking. I am not that good in baking, but I start with a simple recipe where I don't have to worry much about the measurement or ingredients just to get the feel of baking. Once I have seen how they turned out, I tried with another rounds on other days and they got better, and then it always becomes quite interesting to try out other recipes. There are countless of them in the internet! Try a simple one first or your favorite cookies, you'll be fine.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
5 Nov 12
I would love to be able to do sugar cookies with my kids and have them decorate them. But I can never get my dough to turn out and when I use my cutter to make the cookie it messes up when I lift the cutter off the dough.I think that is another reason I don't make cookies. I told my husband I want to get the medal cookie cutters and then I will try again.
• Malaysia
11 Nov 12
Kids love to decorate cakes even my nephew is always excited when he can be of any help if he sees me baking. Baking takes a lot of patience to master the correct technics and I understand on the dough part. Once I tried to bake peanut butter cookies and the dough turned out so greasy because of too much butter plus the peanut butter itself. So, the second time they were much better because I knew where I have gone wrong. Anyway, I hope you manage to get the right cutters and your Christmas project will be successful.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
11 Nov 12
I notice with the plastic cutters I go to lift the cutter up and the dough and the design mess up. When you made your peanut butter cookies the dough was to greasy from to much butter and also the peanut butter how did you know how much to cut of the 2 ingredients to help with this issue?
@Pegasus72 (1898)
4 Nov 12
Tina in a heartbeat if we lived near each other I would bake with you. I know we would have a grand old time too. Baking cookes takes patience and you can not leave them alone at all. I know because if I go away and leave Dennise who bakes and cooks well she always forgets she has to take the cookies out at the exact moment they are done.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Nov 12
I wish we lived closer I know we would have so much fun together and so would our kids.My problem is getting the dough to turn out.
@Pegasus72 (1898)
4 Nov 12
Go for room temperature ingredients Tina, and you are right the girls would have so much fun. Someday we will meet even if we have to make a vacation out of it. Now to start that Vacation fund. Hugs try the room temperature thing, then cool your dough before baking, let me know how that works for you.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
21 Nov 12
Thanks I will try that and let you know.Yep got to start a vacation fund.
@AmbiePam (84632)
• United States
5 Nov 12
Oh those men and their mommies! Seems like there is always one dish that men claim no one can make as good as their mother can.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
5 Nov 12
That's right. There is one thing I make that my husbands mom makes he told me I make it almost as good as she does. So that made me feel good.
• United States
4 Nov 12
Why not invite a couple of friends over for a baking party? The people you invite over don't have to be your besties; in fact, this could be a fun way to get to know some of your acquaintances better. Or, you could organize a cookie swap. Each person bakes a large batch of one or two of their best cookies and brings those to the swap. This allows each participant to enjoy a wider variety of cookies than they otherwise would be able to. Again, the people involved don't have to be really close friends. You could invite people from your church, work or whatever else you're involved in. Also, remember that the only way to get good at things is to keep practicing them. That is definitely true when it comes to baking. Don't give up on it. You may never master complex recipes (then again, you may), but you should be able to at least perfect a few of the simpler classics. Remember, one of the keys is to use good ingredients; for instance, use butter not margarine--it really does make a difference.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Nov 12
I wish I knew more people here I just moved away from all my friends and family and I only know one person real well and she does not know how to cook very well or even bake.I have always wanted to have a cookie swap with my friends and family but now that we don't live by each other anymore I can't.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
4 Nov 12
That is hard. I have been there, but at least I had my 2 kids and they liked to bake with me. But even on my own...I baked and enjoyed it. But hey..you said your one friend didn't back much either...so maybe this can be something you can do together and learn and have fun! Just choose a simple recipe like chocolate chip cookies (don't choose a cut out!) and choose Betty Crocker and start baking!
• United States
4 Nov 12
Moving into a new area can be difficult. Although, I think this might actually be a good way for you to get to know some new people. Make up a list of acquaintances and see who you can round up. I don't know a lot of people here well, but, for some casual get-together, I could come up with a list of at least a handful of other women I could invite over. I have been trying to be good about going to religious services recently; we'd been going, got overwhelmed with stuff, and are now back to going. If you have a faith community, you do have a bit of a built-in social circle even if you don't know the people terribly well. Another thing is that you are a mother. That means, you should have some social ins through your daughter. Has she made some friends? If so, now would be a great time to get to know their parents.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
7 Nov 12
I really like the tradition of making cookies for Christmas and it is something that I've always had a good time doing. However, I do have to admit that I'm not the one in my family that does Christmas baking. My mother has always been the baker in our family and we will usually take a day out coming toward Christmas so that we can take the children to her house and we will all help to decorate the cookies. I'd love to do it myself, but I'm afraid that I wouldn't have any kind of luck with baking on my own.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
7 Nov 12
I like baking but cookies is not one of my specialties. i would love to be able to get together with my mom and my sisters and all the kids and bake but we all live so far away it is to hard to get together.
@adity5 (51)
• India
5 Nov 12
I am not very good in baking cookies though i love to make them for my family and friends. Last year i made chocolate chip cookies and it came out good. This year I have lot of plans. Planning to try some new recipes. I even downloaded two books on baking cookies and cakes. It has lot of easy recipes which i will try to make. Yes i love to eat cookies though I really feel guilty because they are loaded with so much sugar, butter and calories. But Christmas comes once a year after all.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
5 Nov 12
I am like you I feel guilty after eating them. But with the holidays coming there will be a lot of sweets and you can't really avoid them so I am going to try to eat a little of every thing and still exercise so I don't put on a lot of weight.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
4 Nov 12
I love to bake cookies. This time of year I go on a little baking streak since I don't like to heat up the house with the oven any other time of the year. I am not going to have a lot of money for gifts this year, so I might end up baking gifts for people this year.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Nov 12
I know this year is going to be a homemade gift year for our family as well. We will be taking our pictures and giving them for gifts for my in laws and my mother.I found a recipe on pinterest to make homemade lipglosses so I may do that for my nieces and any other ladies in my family that want them.
@Raine38 (12258)
• United States
4 Nov 12
Hey Tina, that makes the two of us when it comes to cookies and baking. I know that my husband and siblings would love to have some homemade cookies this Christmas, but I am by no means that good in baking. I had a couple of hits and misses, mostly misses, whenever I try to bake a batch. Of course back then it is okay, but this is for Christmas and I want to make it special. Who knows if I have to share some of it to others and goodness knows how they will react to a sad looking cookie that I baked, lol!
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Nov 12
I think this year will be another year my husband will get no cookies.There are a few kinds I can make ok so I may try them.
@Shavkat (136864)
• Philippines
5 Nov 12
December is the busy season for some people, preparing for parties, giving gifts, sending greetings cards through post mail or email, and volunteering work in the charity facilities. The moment of knowing the value of real Christmas eve.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
5 Nov 12
I miss not going to Christmas parties. I don't do a lot we use to send Christmas cards but a lot of people don't do it no more. I know when I was growing up my mom and step-dad use to get a lot we us to hang them on our closet door.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
4 Nov 12
I will start baking xmas cookies this week to sell her ein my cafe. I learned from my mom. Im going to make xmas tree sugar cookies on monday here.
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Nov 12
Cool enjoy your baking and selling your goodies. My husband loves sugar cookies I would love to be able to make some for him and surprise him with them.
@kemak28 (724)
• United States
4 Nov 12
I love Christmas baking but I don't want to eat them all and gain weight!! There are a lot of really easy recipes out there you could try if you are having trouble with the ones you have tried.
• Indonesia
5 Nov 12
I like to give cake to my friends too. Especially to my boyfriend. I am very happy to see some body eat cake from me. Some time in special day in my country, I always give a cake to all my family in my town. I have busy day in that time. All my friend and my family will eat my cake and that special day every year
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
5 Nov 12
I can't bake for everyone because you run the risk of people being allergic to something or being diabetic. My mother in law is but she does all her baking with splenda and it still tastes good.
@edvc77 (2140)
• Philippines
5 Nov 12
Hi! I have not yet tried baking Christmas cookies, I would like to try it. However, I bake fruit cakes for Christmas. Thanks for giving me idea for Christmas. Have a nice day!
@Tina30219 (81441)
• Onaway, Michigan
5 Nov 12
My husband loves fruitcake me on the other hand I don't I like everything in them just not all mixed together.You are welcome I hope you will like trying to make cookies.