It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is around the corner, Hanukkah has just begun, and it’s finally the season of holiday spirit. What better way to celebrate this moment than to create festive holiday desserts the entire family will enjoy? The idea is a great start, but for some bakers, it can be hard to find the inspiration to get going. That’s why students and staff at the BBHHS have been generous enough to give their best holiday recipes, some of them symbolizing deep traditions and familial bonds.
Thumbprint Cookies – Griffin Kozey
Freshman, Griffin Kozey, explains how thumbprint cookies have become a holiday staple in his family. Kozey says that the sugary Hershey Kiss surrounded by a delightfully chewy cookie is a beautiful reminder of the loving message during the Christmas season. “My mom has been making them[thumbprint cookies] since I can remember,” Kozey reminisces. He rates the cookies a five out of ten on the baking difficulty scale, stating that if anyone at home tries to make them to not “wait to put in the chocolate because the cookie can get too hard”. He also mentions that this recipe doesn’t require any fancy equipment, just some time and holiday cheer. It is perfect for a quick, simple dessert the entire family will enjoy.
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake – Jennifer Williams
Similar to a lava cake, this buttery vanilla dessert is a bite that no one in the family is going to want to miss out on. The cake is topped with a layer of rich cream cheese and a cool scoop of ice cream that is sure to provide one smooth, cohesive bite. Jennifer Williams, a BBHHS English teacher, tells a unique story about how she happened upon this recipe. At her anniversary dinner, Williams and her husband tried an ooey gooey butter cake and instantly fell in love. Afterward, she was able to find a similar recipe online that she tried out for Thanksgiving this year. “I think that you can adjust it to fit any occasion. I think if you were going to do it in the summertime, you could use summer fruits and make a raspberry or strawberry sauce, but because I did it for Thanksgiving this year, I did it with apples and cinnamon and I caramelized it to give it more fall flavors,” Williams notes, emphasizing the adaptability of the recipe. She gave this dessert a six out of ten on the baking difficulty scale, saying the recipe is an overall easy process, but it takes many steps.
Reindeer Food – Donna Morlani
The festivities continue with this red, white, and green dessert that brings addictingly crunchy and chocolatey flavors. BBHHS mathematics teacher, Donna Morlani, even made it with her geometry students last year. She states, “Years ago a neighbor gave us a little bag of it at Christmas and told my kids to leave it with Santa’s cookies for the reindeer, thus the name reindeer food.” She notes that this dessert became a yearly tradition, as her and her children would make it every week leading up to December 25. According to Morlani, it is impossible to mess up this easy recipe; the only required kitchen item is a double boiler to melt the white chocolate chips in. This dessert is great for parties and can even be given as a gift!
Aunt Annie’s Cheesecake – Christine Youngless
Christine Youngless, a BBHHS science teacher, makes this recipe every holiday with her mother as it reminds them of past holidays and family members. The cream cheese that is featured in the cake gives it a smooth, tangy vanilla flavor that pairs wonderfully with its buttery graham cracker crust. She expresses that this dessert recipe was passed down from her Aunt Annie, therefore being known as Aunt Annie’s Cheesecake. Youngless rates this dessert two out of ten on the baking difficulty scale, but it is time consuming, taking sixty to ninety minutes to make. Her advice for making this cheesecake is to soften the cream cheese before adding it to the cake mixture to create a perfectly smooth, lump-free texture.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread – Jayla Collard
It was love at first bite when junior and passionate baker, Jayla Collard, first tried out this banana bread recipe. Its moderate sweetness, classic banana taste, and adjustability ensured a satisfying and unforgettably delicious bite. “It is the perfect warm treat on a cold day,” explains Collard. She rates the recipe a six out of ten on the baking difficulty scale, noting that it does take around ninety minutes to prepare and bake, but in her opinion it is time worth spent. “I love adding chocolate chips to the recipe because when you bite into the warm bread the chocolate is melted and it adds the perfect amount of sweetness and gooeyness,” she describes. Collard makes this delectable dessert during the colder parts of the year for her family who is obsessed with its cozy, warm vibe.
Butter Balls – Sydney Boehnlein
This sugary dessert is a Christmas classic when it comes to baked goods. Its irresistible soft and buttery texture has been known and loved for years in the Boehnlein household. Freshman Sydney Boehnlein reveals, “This recipe was my great grandma’s recipe and I’ve been making them for a really long time.” The dessert has become a yearly tradition for her and her mother who make it for their Christmas party. Boehnlein gives it a two out of ten on the baking difficulty scale, mentioning chopping the nuts, shaping the balls, and evenly distributing the ingredients throughout the dough can be a challenge. This dessert is amazing to make for any occasion because of its simplicity and few ingredients.
Check out the recipes using this link!
