The holiday season has arrived in all is bountiful gluttony. There is no doubt most homes are filled with an overabundance of Christmas cookies and the like. Classic seasonal cookies from iced sugar cookies to gingerbread men and peanut butter blossoms are an expected part of every celebration. These flavors invoke the holiday spirit and often take people back to childhood memories with every bite.
I’m certainly not suggesting you run into the kitchen and get baking, we all have plenty of cookies at home. However, there are other ways to capitalize on these flavors when creating your holiday menus.
Drinks
From hot drinks to cocktails, there is no limit to the type of holiday-inspired drink you can create. Flavors like ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chocolate will go a long way in giving that classic Christmas cookie flavor.
For cocktail inspiration, check out the simple recipe for a Sugar Cookie Cocktail. It even comes served in a sprinkle-rimmed glass. The Mint White Hot Chocolate is a perfect example of incorporating holiday flavors into a hot drink.
Keep in mind specialty drinks don’t have to be paired with a meal, they can stand alone if the flavors are rich and bold enough.
Appetizers
When creating a cookie-inspired appetizer, take care to pair the sweeter cookie flavors with savory flavors so the dish doesn’t end up feeling like a dessert.
The recipe for Gingerbread Spice Cranberry Brie Bites pairs the essence of gingerbread cookies with more savory flavors to create a magical bite. These Peanut Butter and Jelly Chicken Wings take flavors from Thumbprint cookies and Peanut Butter Blossoms to create an elevated appetizer.
Desserts
While you don’t necessarily want to serve up standard Christmas cookies, your dessert menu can still reflect those flavors. Consider deconstructing a classic cookie recipe or infusing a classic dessert with holiday flavors.
Incorporating beloved flavors can help bring in new crowds and satisfy the old during the holiday season. So grab your Christmas spirit, chef coat, and creative mind to reinvent those classic cookies into a seasonal culinary adventure for guests.