A little departure today from my “Best of 2023” cookbook reviews (and to kick off the holiday season)…
Every year, I’ve mailed an advent calendar to our nieces in Colorado. I’m honestly not sure when I started but the eldest is a senior in high school this year so I’m guessing it’s been at least ten years (or more).
One year their Granny and I made a paper bell garland for them during Thanksgiving.
Each bell held a small gift or candy.
I’ve also sent a huge box of smaller dated boxes and containers with twenty-four little gifts. I think the past couple of years I’ve resorted to store bought chocolate ones or non-edibles like “make your own holiday village” kits.
Since they are getting older, I’m struggling for age appropriate calendars. Sigh.
After the holidays last year, I snagged this cookbook for something like 75% off at Anthropologie. I saved it and sent it home with their dad (who was at our house this Thanksgiving.) Here’s my review but I can’t wait to hear theirs.
About the book:
Cookie Advent Cookbook: With 24 festive recipes Hardcover – Illustrated, September 27, 2016
by
Inspired by the Cookie Advent we hold every December at Chronicle Books, here is a unique twist on the traditional Advent calendar.
Starting on December 1 through Christmas Eve, the cover of the book invites readers to peek under an ornament flap to discover the cookie of the day—then turn the pages to find the appropriate recipe. Beginner and experienced bakers alike will enjoy these simple recipes for beautifully decorated homemade cookies counting down to December 25.
With its mix of familiar and global Christmas treats and entirely new ones, this festive calendar and cookbook will create new cookie-baking traditions, bringing tidings of great family and community joy.
What I thought…
It is one of those books you gift. I probably would not give this book to a hardcore baker. The cookies are mostly traditional with a few twists. I did like the introductory pages which included ways to decorate, how to store and some cookie basics like “Toasting Nuts,” “Melting Chocolate,” and “Making Cookies Gluten Free.”
The cover of the book contains 24 flaps. When one is pulled back, it reveals a photo of a cookie. It would be difficult to make a different cookie recipe everyday during Advent, but it would be fun to try.
Recipes include: Chocolate-Edged Choc Chip, Stamped Peanut Butter, Ginger Pfeffernuesse, Malted Milk Chocolate, Double Chocolate Chewies, Candy Cane, Mint Meringue Wreaths, Cutout Butter, Russian Tea Cakes, Lemon Iced, Small Black & Whites, Crinkle, Kolacky, Swedish Thumbprint, Chinese Five-Spice Shortbread, Finnish Almond Logs, Green Tea Wafers, Scandinavian Stamp, Kringles, Brandy Snaps, Spritz, Twinkling Little Stars, and Red-Nose Rudolph.
There are a few that I wanted to try like the Chinese Five-Spice Shortbread and the Green Tea Wafers.
Alas, I did not get to try any of these cookie recipes so I am relying on the nieces to report.
As kids get older it’s really hard to buy things for them. Even though my granddaughters now have their own apartments, they don’t really want much in the way of cooking/baking stuff — equipment or cookbooks. This advent cookie book looks like a good way to rise to the challenge.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com