‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
the stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
… And meanwhile, don’t mind me, I’m just baking in my underwear.

It’s been a tradition of mine for years to bake the night before Christmas and on this cozy winter’s evening, I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite holiday treats for you to try. What sweet-tooth recipes are you looking forward to baking this season?

1. Pan-Banging Ginger Molasses Cookies

If you haven’t already tried Sarah Kieffer’s Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies, I highly encourage you to cancel your evening’s plans and try them out once the holiday business has passed. They’re huge and absolutely scrumptious; they’re also a fun way to get a little bit of that holiday stress out. But if you’re looking for some delicious and unique cookies to whip up, these festive ginger molasses ones will do the trick.

2. Peppermint Bark Brownies

Is there anything better or more classic for the holidays than peppermint bark? And what could be better than having a nice fudge brownie below a slab of it?! These peppermint bark brownies are everything you could ever want from a holiday treat—minty, chocolatey, and indulgent. The best part is that they’ll only take you about two hours, giving you just enough time for celebrations.

3. Eggnog Scented Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies of any kind are a cookie swap mainstay, right there next to the peanut butter blossoms. Everyone has a bit of a different recipe but they always taste amazing. Plus the kiddos can decorate them all they want. These sugar cookies get a bit of a twist, though, with the addition of some high-quality eggnog. The recipe also includes an easy icing recipe to have you well on your way to holiday cookie bliss.

4. English Toffee

English toffee is the best of both all worlds in my opinion: crunchy, chocolatey, buttery. If you bake at all, you know how hard it can be to make this delicious treat (or anything that requires caramel, really). But when it goes right, it goes really right. This recipe requires no thermometer and is super simple to follow. Homemade English Toffee is just a half hour away!

5. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

All I can think about this holiday season is chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. These chocolate crinkle cookies are no exception. But don’t let their pretty, cavernous tops fool you. They come together in a flash—I’m talking half an episode of The Crown fast. And chances are, you probably have all the ingredients on hand already.

Plus: How to Make Natural Dyes for Healthier Holiday Cookies

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Top image via The Wood and Spoon; all other images courtesy of linked sources

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