25 Days of Christmas Baking

Christmas is a hugely celebrated holiday in Portland. Many gift exchanges at work as well as potlucks and Christmas parties are not uncommon. When you are getting ready to do your holiday baking, here's a few ways that you can liven them up during the holidays.

Colored Tissue Paper-

When you put your cookies, cakes and fruitcake in the basket, box, or tin that you plan to give the baked goods away in, place some holiday themed tissue paper or even red or green tissue paper in the bottom to liven things up. A plus side to using tissue paper is that it will absorb the grease from the butter and keep that fat moisture in the container keeping your products moist and chewy instead of turning hard.

Holiday Flavors-

There are many flavors that are synonymous with the holiday season, flavors like peppermint, hot chocolate, candy cane, cherry and orange. If you can incorporate these into your baked goods, you will be in good shape. If you are making any items that include a frosting, try crushing up a candy cane to use as a topping. Red and green sprinkles as well as silver degrees make beautiful decorations.

Holiday Baking Papers-
If you are making muffins, cupcakes, bonbons or anything that you can put into a paper cupcake wrapper, consider purchasing the holiday inspired wrappers instead of the bulk package at the grocery store. Often times you can pick up these cheery wrappers at the dollar store in several different designs.

Holiday Shapes-
Not all cookies can be shaped, but for those that can, consider making Christmas shapes instead of letters or geometric shapes. Small cookie cutter sets that include a gingerbread man, Santa, a reindeer and a snowman can be picked up most anywhere, including the dollar store.
Ribbons and Bows-
To top it all off, try using a nice bow or ribbon around the tin of baked goods to make it look more like a present than something that is just going to be devoured within a day or so. The little things like this make these sort of items sell all the quicker at bake sales and bazaars as well.