don't let the "whole-grain, gluten-free, and vegan" part scare you away. I know the immediate reaction is an automatic "ew, gross." I know this because I have heard this reaction from friends upon hearing these categories. These cranberry hand pies will satisfy your butter-loving friends too, which makes them a practical choice for holiday baking.
As Thanksgiving rolled around this year, I found myself at a loss on the dessert front, which is normally my creative arena. I love the flavors of the holiday season, but I crave novelty. Thankfully, I found inspiration in this chocolate cranberry pecan tart, but being stumped made me think. When does tradition lose its comfort and become boring and/or monotonous?
A little earthy, a little sweet, these bright green vegan matcha peppermint cookies with dark chocolate and flaky sea salt are a festive addition to your holiday baking.
Like snowfall on Christmas morning, this past year, I saw a brighter beauty. The soil, the roots, the dormancy of my past life still existed in me, but there was so much sparkle in this new coating, so much brightness. I wanted to pull all the warm moments close to my chin, like snuggling under a protective winter quilt. There was so much warmth to this Christmas, much more than a day. This is how I Christmas'd in 2020...
As a kid, I was always searching for traditions. I orchestrated (read: made my family suffer through) an annual Christmas play with my best friend, complete with violin and piano solos. There were spreads or ring bologna, cheddar cheese, and soda. As an adult, I’m still searching for traditions, but now I err on the side of prosciutto, smoked gouda, and wine. It’s all too easy to let traditions slip away, to avoid the effort, or to overstress (hi!), but these intentional celebrations enrich our lives.
"I love s'mores," he hinted. "I love cookies," he hinted. So I went to the kitchen to heed the hints. I heated the oven, whisked, poured, whirled, and then swirled homemade fluff into a chocolate dough. I crushed whole-grain graham crackers and sprinkled them over the swirls. I watched as the warm oven solidified the textures into a magical campfire cookie. I tried to savor the moment - the warm kitchen, the chocolatey smell, the way he smiled after the first taste test.
The internet is ablaze with ideas for holiday cookie boxes, which require careful packing and shipping. Though this makes for a beautiful snail mail surprise, it does diminish the appeal of the assembly. However, with a vintage crate or a pretty tray, you can take a similar idea and enjoy the sweet bounty in person.
I'm keeping this post sweet and simple, so you can add these rich and buttery, gluten-free Almond Lace Cookies to your holiday baking. These cookies feel like magic when they transform from gritty spoonfuls to textured beauties.