Holiday Baking

Some people have me to explain my system fo holiday baking. Here it is.
I start early getting organized and making my lists sometimes even before Halloween. I decide who all needs a cookie tray. Cookie trays for individuals contain 6 cookies of 4 different types for a generous total of 2 dozen cookies. The trays I make for parties or groups get a dozen of each type for a total of 4 dozen cookies.

So once I have my list of recipients made up I know how many cookies I need to bake. This years list totals 30 dozen. That includes teacher present, neighbor offerings, party platters and hostess gifts. It sounds like a lot but being organized makes it easy. As well I don't only bake 4 types of cookies. That would be boring to me.

I start now trying out new cookies and each time I try something that sounds new and fun, I also make a batch of a proven winner for the freezer. I freeze the batter not baked cookies. Drop cookies are frozen in drops. Rolled cookie batter is frozen in a sheet. Sliced cookies are frozen in a log. Freezing only the batter gets lots of the work done ahead of time while still giving a fresh baked taste in the final product.

Baking time is all of December. Having the frozen dough allows me to bake dozens of different kinds of cookies quickly. I will prepare a cut out cookie while a drop cookie is baking. Or I can slice up some fancy log cookies. And in one evening have a party tray of different kinds ready while still keeping the family cared for.

This is the list of cookie type I am planning for this year. The ones with question marks are the new kinds I am trying in the next week to see if they doable.

Sugar cookie cutouts
Gingerbread cutouts
Nobake peanut oatmeal
Chocolate chip kisses
Cranberry orange pinwheels
Cranberry drops ??
Pumpkin cookies
Chocolate mint snowtop cookies
Chocolate amaretto bars
Cranberry magic bars ??
Pecan shortbread logs ??