By Anne Ross Hope

With so many delicious holiday recipes, how is it even possible to choose between them all? Being a part of a family consisting of dessert fanatics, sweets make a fairly regular appearance in my family’s home. During the holidays, we almost always have at least three tins full of a multitude of cookies. Having tried dozens of different recipes, the three I am about to share have been making an annual appearance in my home. 

Seven-Layer Bars

These quick and easy seven-layer bars require little effort (no spoon or bowl is even needed!) but are sure to be a crowd pleaser. The sweetness of chocolate and butterscotch mixed with the savory taste of pecans and coconut makes this recipe popular among those who enjoy a savory, sweet combo in their desserts. I first took a bite of one when I was about five years old and refused to eat it again until two years ago, because it tasted too “fancy.” Now I can officially say I am a huge fan.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 6 oz of butterscotch chips

Materials:

• One 9×11 inch pan
• Measuring cups

Preheat the oven to 350°. Crush a package of graham crackers in a plastic bag with a spoon (or put into a food processor). Add graham cracker crumbs to the pan. Then layer on the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, coconut flakes, butter, and lastly the condensed milk. DO NOT MIX. Put in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Secret Hershey’s Kiss Cookies

This next recipe involves a little bit more time and effort, but they are definitely worth the commitment. The rich buttery cookies are met with the sweet taste of a Hershey’s Kiss. Optional sprinkles can be added to the cookies to make them more festive, or they can be rolled in powdered sugar to make an elegant looking cookie.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 bag of Hershey’s Kisses
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks butter [softened] 

Materials:

• Large bowl
• Mixing spoon
• parchment paper lined baking sheets

Preheat the oven to 375°. Mix butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, and vanilla in a large bowl. Unwrap roughly 25 Hershey’s Kisses. Take about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough and wrap around one Hershey’s Kiss; repeat*. Place cookies on a parchment-lined pan and cook in the oven for 12 minutes. After they have  cooled, roll them in powdered sugar and enjoy.

* If desired, roll in sprinkles also.

Cutout Sugar Cookies

This last recipe is my absolute favorite recipe of all time. I vividly remember sneaking these from our Christmas tins with my siblings when our parents weren’t looking. They have been a family favorite since they first made an appearance over twenty years ago. Though they are a time commitment, they are one hundred percent worth the effort and wait.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 1 stick butter [softened]
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 

Materials:

• Icing [can be store bought or homemade*]
• Sprinkles [optional]
• Cookie cutters
• Large bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Rolling pin
• Flat sanitized surface [such as a large cutting board]
• parchment paper lined baking sheets

* Icing recipe I used.

• 1 stick melted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 375°. Mix sifted flour, baking powder, and sugar together. Then add the wet ingredients [butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs] and mix thoroughly. The mixture will look very crumbly. At this point, either keep mixing with an electric mixer, or knead the dough with your hands on a floured surface. Once dough is at a consistency where it all sticks together, wrap it in wax paper and refrigerate for at least two hours. After dough is chilled, roll it out on a floured surface (it may need to sit out for a little while before it can be rolled out easily). Pick any cookie cutter and cut out cookies. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for eight minutes. Cool and decorate as you please.

Watching my mother meticulously bake these treats when I was young is the reason why I became interested in learning how to bake. Even though I consider myself an amateur baker, I have become the family member responsible for baking treats for events and holiday festivities. Thankfully, recipes such as these three allow anyone to successfully bake, regardless of their baking skill level.

All photos by Anne Ross Hope