Christmas Baking

It's the most wonderful time of the year – CHRISTMAS BAKING SEASON! 

I haven't baked much since we moved into our new home this summer. I was busy moving everything and organizing our kitchen the way I wanted...then there was decorating the pieces of our home I felt inspired to do... so baking has just completely taken a back seat. 

This past Sunday Hubs and I hosted our church's Youth Group Christmas Party and I left the middle of the day wide open to do some Christmas baking for the occasion. 

Our church is also hosting a Live Nativity this Friday, December 21 which I volunteered to bake for, so I had some cookies to finish! 

I knew I wanted to make my two holiday favorites: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies and Chocolate Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies. Someone in my family whom I love and won't mention by name...lovingly renamed Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies "Nipple Cookies" because, well... I'll let you figure it out. 

I, however, royally screwed up the "Nipple" portion of the peanut butter cookies. The grocery store didn't have normal Kisses. They had almond, hugs, mint, dark, caramel and swirl.....but no straight up normal run-of-the-mill "MILK CHOCOLATE" Kisses. So, I grabbed a bag of Hershey's Nuggets, thinking they were straight up normal run-of-the-mill milk chocolate. 

As my friend started unwrapping the Nuggets I peeked over my shoulder and saw they looked pretty dark. I figured it was the lighting. 

Then I baked the cookies, she put the chocolates on top, they melted, and she tried one. 

"Man! These are so good! With the dark chocolate and the almonds?! Delicious." 

Say what?! I was sure she was pulling my leg...but no. I bought dark chocolate with almonds. Thanks, pregnant brain.  

Shockingly, THEY ARE DELICIOUS! I don't miss the milk chocolate at all and I may make these cookies with dark chocolate almond Nuggets from now on!! I now dub them: Peanut Butter Nugget Cookies. You will flip at how easy they are. 

Peanut Butter Nugget Cookies

Peanut Butter "Nugget" Cookies – (Peanut Butter Cookies orig. Paula Dean's Recipe)
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar + extra for rolling cookies
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º. 

Mix all ingredients together (except rolling sugar) with electric mixer. Using small ice cream or cookie dough scoop, roll dough into balls and dredge through sugar. 

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Add chocolates, bake for an additional 2 minutes. 

Chocolate Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies (orig recipe from Quaker)
1 cup softened butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups Old Fashioned Oats 
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350º. 

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. 

Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 

Stir in oats and chips; mix well. 


Using small ice cream or cookie dough scoop form cookies and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12  minutes or until golden brown.


For good measure, I made a batch of sugar cookies to decorate as well, just from a mix my mom gave me. Mixes are cheating, I know, but I was on a roll so it was fun to just keep going and make the steps a little simpler.

Obviously, my friend and I had fun decorating these. My personal favorite is the 'OMG' cookie. 

 I can't believe how many cookies we finished. The final count was "a lot of dozens". The kids seemed to enjoy them and we had a great turnout at the party! 

Look at all of these grab bag gifts! 

What's your favorite holiday treat?