Category: Holidays

Cookies, Holidays, Plant Wonder Collective, Recipes

Vanillegipfeli: Swiss Vanilla Crescent Cookies

Kristine

Vanillegipfeli, more commonly known as vanillekipferl, is a crescent shaped cookie made with ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts and dusted with vanilla sugar. It’s popular in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, & Slovakia and is traditionally made at Christmastime.

Making my mother’s Christmas cookies with my daughter has become a sweet holiday ritual. This year I wanted to try baking some traditional Swiss Christmas cookies too, as a nod to her father’s heritage. When I asked his mother for recipes, she directed me to a Swiss food blog, The Helvetic Kitchen, that features recipes for several classic Christmas cookies.

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Cookies, Holidays, Recipes

Pine Needle Shortbread Cookies

Kristine

These pine needle shortbread cookies are perfect for the winter holidays. The herbal, citrusy flavor of pine pairs beautifully with spicy cinnamon & clove and tastes like Christmas —in cookie form.

Winter is a wonderful time to forage pine, which is one of the few things that’s still lush and green in the colder months, if you live in the Northern hemisphere. Pines are fairly common in most parts of the world, so chances are good that you have some type of pine growing near you.

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Cookies, Holidays, Recipes

Mom’s Sugar Cookies

Kristine

Growing up, one of my favorite Christmas traditions was making sugar cookies with my mom and sister. I loved deciding which shapes to cut out of the dough and mounding the cookies with frosting after they’d cooled. But, looking back, it was the quality time with my mom and sister that made this holiday ritual extra sweet.

Now, that Ayla is getting a bit older, baking with her has become one of my new favorite ways to celebrate the holiday season. Last year I asked my mom for her recipe and we’ve since enjoyed making Nana’s Christmas cookies together. It feels so special to be able to carry on these cherished family traditions with my daughter.

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Cookies, Holidays, Recipes

Orange Frosted Gingerbread Cookies

Kristine

One of my favorite holiday traditions growing up was making Christmas cookies with my mom & sister. This year, Ayla & I spent days in the kitchen making different types of treats and preparing sourdough rolls for Christmas dinner. Something about it made this crazy year feel a little more normal. While we aren’t too into the holidaze around here, it’s simple seasonal rituals, like baking cookies together, that help to remind us of our roots and ground us as the year ebbs & flows. 

The best thing about baking our own holiday treats is that they don’t contain any artificial flavors, colorants, or preservatives — just quality ingredients— and they taste amazing! These yummy gingerbread cookies featured an egg from our chickens, our goats’ milk, local panela, healthy fat (butter), our homemade flavor extracts, fresh grated ginger & hand-ground spices.

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DIY, Holidays

80 Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

Kristine

Updated December 13, 2021

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is making gifts for my friends and family. Homemade gifts are easily customized to fit the tastes of the recipient and are a truly unique and special way to celebrate Christmas.

This DIY gift round up is sure to give you plenty of ideas for everyone on your list this year.

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