Sugar, spice and everything nice

Bring festive holiday flavors into your baking.

While winter brings days of snowmen and sleigh rides, it’s also a deliciously perfect time to enjoy the warm aromas and wonderful tastes of the season. Here are some ways you can bring some of the holiday’s most festive flavors into your baking.

Sugar and spice and everything nice

Peppermint candy canes are a traditional favorite, making their appearance in baked goods or simply hung over hot drinks. The minty fresh flavor of the iconic cane-shaped Christmas candies never disappoints.

Ginger and other spices, such as cinnamon and cloves, are anticipated for their palate-warming qualities in drinks, baked goods, and savory dishes. Nothing says Happy Holidays like giant ginger cookies or maple cinnamon star cookies.

Old-fashioned favorite

Speaking of maple, this old-fashioned flavor is just as popular today as ever. While we know it best from the syrup — a comfort food condiment that gives pancakes and waffles a welcome boost of flavor — maple can add a classic sweetness to cookies.

Butterscotch and bourbon

Butterscotch is a delicious caramellike blend of butter and brown sugar that gives holiday desserts an unparalleled rich, sweet flavor that decadently melts in your mouth. Try the Jim Beam honey butterscotch oatmeal cookies to see what we’re talking about!

Bourbon, another holiday flavor, impeccably partners with the oats, butterscotch chips, vanilla, and butter in this scrumptious holiday cookie.

21⁄ 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄ 2 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄ 4 teaspoon salt

3⁄ 4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3⁄ 4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 11⁄ 2 teaspoons maple flavoring/extract 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Gold sprinkles and/or edible glitter Maple Cinnamon Star Cookies. sprinkles

Optional: 8 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, maple extract, and vanilla extract, then beat on high until fully combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer down to low and add about half of the flour mixture, beating until just barely combined. Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until just combined. If the dough still seems too soft, you can add 1 tablespoon more flour until it is a better consistency for rolling. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment (or a silicone baking mat, what I prefer!) to about 1⁄4- inch thickness. Stack the pieces, with parchment paper between the two, onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Chilling is mandatory. If chilling for more than a couple of hours, cover the top dough piece with a single piece of parchment paper.

Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator and using a cookie cutter, cut into star shapes. Transfer the cut cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Before baking, top with sprinkles. Use a spoon to press the sprinkles into the cookies so they stay secure on top.

Bake for 10-11 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Make sure you rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before dipping into chocolate.

If using, melt the chopped white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Dip the cookies into the white chocolate and allow chocolate to set completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Make-ahead tip: Baked cookies (without chocolate) freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can chill the cookie dough for up to 2 days (step 4). You can also freeze the cookie dough before rolling for up to 3 months. Then allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Then roll and continue with the recipe as directed. Recipe notes:

Recipe from Sally McKenney, Sally’s Baking

Addiction, sallysbakingaddiction.com

Giant Ginger Cookies 21⁄ cups all-purpose flour 2 21⁄ teaspoons baking soda 4

1⁄ teaspoon salt

2 1 tablespoon ground ginger

1⁄ teaspoon ground cloves

2

1⁄ teaspoon ground pepper

4

3⁄ cup (11⁄ sticks) unsalted butter, room

4 2 temperature

1⁄ cup packed light brown sugar

2

1⁄ cup granulated sugar, plus 1⁄ cup for

2 3 coating

6 tablespoons molasses 1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves and pepper. With an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. With the mixer on low, gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and freeze for 20 minutes. Divide dough into 12 two-inch balls. Place remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Roll balls in sugar to coat; place at least 4 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten into 3-inch rounds. Sprinkle with sugar remaining in bowl. Bake until brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Recipe from Josh Johnson, The Kentucky Gent, thekentuckygent.com 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1⁄ cup granulated sugar

2 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla

6 tablespoons Jim Beam Honey Bourbon

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups rolled oats 8 ounces butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Cream together the butter and sugars, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and bourbon, mixing until well combined. Fold in dry ingredients gradually. Add butterscotch chips and oats, mixing to incorporate thoroughly. Using cookie scoop, transfer balls of dough to cookie sheet, placing about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown.

Josh Johnson, The Kentucky Gent

Honey-Bourbon Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies