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Cookies, Desserts and Holiday Merriment
Baking and decorating at home are fun, but so is picking out a selection of festive treats at your local sweets shop and leaving the oven off!
The stretch of time between Halloween and the end of the year is typically a food-heavy and celebratory time in most homes. The creation of sweet treats—even if you don’t have a sweet tooth—can be half the fun of the season. Cookie decorating, pie baking and dessert planning are significant endeavors. Even if you’re not hosting this year, odds are you’d like to get in on the merriment and togetherness of baking at home. Or you could pass up all the baking and creating yourself and decide to support a local bakery or pastry shop when planning your holiday celebrations.
Whether baking at home or supporting a local establishment, there are no losers. Here are a few selections of how to make the most of your sugary treat search this holiday…
Candy Cane Pie
The Candy Cane Pie is a festive dessert that has been growing in popularity with its balance of nostalgia and uniqueness. It’s incredibly easy to make, requires zero baking, and tastes like a wonderful mix of a traditional cheesecake and the holiday season itself!
Ingredients
- Oreo pie crust
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Cream cheese, softened
- Red food coloring
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract
- Candy canes, crushed
- Cool Whip
Directions
- Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Cream together powdered sugar and softened cream cheese. Add food coloring, peppermint and vanilla extracts, and crushed candy cane and mix. Add the whipped heavy cream and thoroughly mix.
- Pour the entire mixture into the Oreo crust. Top with Cool Whip and crushed peppermint.
- Chill for 2 hours or until ready to serve.
Pistachio Drop Cookies
Universally loved, the pistachio is a versatile food that is used in a wide variety of desserts. They’re found at any grocer and make a beautiful addition to sweets, especially during the holiday season. These timeless and easy pistachio balls have made popular cookie choices for decades.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pistachios
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 and ¼ cups flour
Directions
- Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until small crumbs remain.
- Beat butter until smooth; add powdered sugar and extracts; add flour and pistachio crumbs. Continue beating until smooth.
- Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F; line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.
- Roll 1 tablespoon of dough each into a ball 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake dough balls for 15 minutes; remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Not everyone has the time, energy or patience to do their holiday baking or decorating at home. Supporting local businesses and enjoying festive treats is easier than ever, and luckily multiple establishments are doing a fabulous job that you can support this holiday season!
Independently-owned Curvin’s Family Creamery in Downtown South Lyon creates handmade ice cream using liquid nitrogen in a fun process that will undoubtedly pair with any festive dessert option this holiday season.
South Lyon Village Bakery, another fantastic privately-owned business in Downtown South Lyon that has been serving its community for over four decades, has delicious donuts, cookies, and various other sweets to enjoy for any occasion.
It’s tough to go wrong when you’re spending time decorating—or eating—treats with loved ones. Layer on the colored sparkles, and add more powdered sugar, please!