How to Pick Christmas Baking Ideas and Recipes

One way to save time, money and effort is to start by figuring out the right Christmas Baking Ideas and Recipes before you get started.

Tips for picking Christmas baking ideas and recipes.

You want to ensure that you make something for everyone so that everyone has fond memories of the wonderful food, the smells, and the joy.

But, you also want to make sure that you choose recipes that make it easier to get the baking done. Picking recipes with these things in mind will make the holiday baking so much more enjoyable.

Table of Contents

How to Pick Christmas Baking Ideas and Recipes

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, we earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Below, you’ll find our tips for helping you pick and create the right Christmas baking ideas and recipes this year.

These tips make it easier than ever to gift friends and family with delicious treats while saving your sanity.

Make Items That Are Freezable –

If you can make it ahead and freeze it and still get a good result, consider the recipe a winner.

It doesn’’t matter if you can freeze the entire finished product, or just the dough; freezing will help tremendously with ensuring you have enough time to make the holiday baked items your family enjoys.

Invest in a big box of Ziploc Freezer Bags to use for portioning into small amounts for easy baking or serving as needed.

Make Baked Goods with Similar Ingredients –

Most baked goods actually do have very similar ingredients, just in different amounts, mixed in different ways.

You know you’’re going to need sugar, butter, flour and then a variety of different spices and additions to make each recipe complete.

Revisit Baking Memories from the Past –

Gingerbread, sugar cookies, bread pudding, and fudge might come to mind.

If you have a childhood favorite, don’’t skip it. It’’s always great to share those wonderful holiday traditions with your children.

We love making these recipes for the holidays:

Ask Your Family and Friends What They Want –

Everyone has something that makes the holiday for them. For some it’s pumpkin pie, for others, it’’s their grandma’’s classic apple pie.

Whatever is special to them, try to accommodate them if they’’re coming to your house during the holidays.

Consider Any Allergies –

If you have family and friends with food allergies, be sure to find out what they are allergic to and the type of allergy.

For example, if someone is severely allergic to nuts and they are coming to your house for a holiday dinner, you want to ensure that absolutely no nuts are anywhere to be found.

Note: It’s not just about leaving an ingredient out of some recipes. Many food allergies mean that you cannot have that item anywhere near the person.

This also means a thorough cleaning of work surfaces, cookie sheets, baking pans, and stand mixers to avoid cross contamination.

Consider Food Preferences –

Do you have someone who has a dietary preference who is going to be around for the holidays? If you do, try to make at least one baked item they can enjoy.

For example, if you have a family member or friend who is on Weight Watchers, you can go to their website and find recipes that fit their diet.

Perhaps your aunt is a vegan; find some recipes online that are vegan. Or maybe your cousin can’t eat dairy. You can find lots of delicious dairy-free and vegan options at Make It Dairy Free.

Taking the extra time to include them won’’t be that difficult and you might find that everyone can enjoy that item, not just the one with the dietary need.

Make Items That Consider Your Limitations –

We all have issues that prevent us from being the perfect “Betty Crocker,” but don’’t let that stop you. Maybe you want to bake everything from scratch, but in reality you can only do semi-homemade this year.

If you only have so much time or space, no one is ever really going to mind that your sugar cookies were store bought from the refrigerator section, or that you made bread from a box.

As long as the flavors are there and you get to experience the joy of baking with your family, they’’ll love it.

Don’’t worry; you can get it all done if you’’re prepared, organized, and create a holiday baking schedule.

Using these great Christmas baking ideas and your favorite recipes will make this holiday season easier than ever to manage!

More Holiday Tips:

Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.