Baked goods have always been a popular and thoughtful gift idea, whether for special occasions like birthdays and holidays or to show someone you care. Something about the comfort and warmth of fresh-baked goods makes people smile and warms their hearts.

Here are some reasons to bake to give:

Affordable: Baked goods are an inexpensive gift option, especially if you make them yourself. You can get creative and make various items with just a few essential ingredients and tools. You can also make a large batch of something, which can be divided and shared among multiple recipients.

Customizable: Baked goods can suit the recipient’s tastes and preferences. For example, you can add their favorite flavors, colors, and toppings to make it a unique and special gift.

Fresh and delicious: Fresh-baked goods are always a hit, whether a warm, gooey cookie or a fluffy cake. They’re a perfect way to indulge someone’s sweet tooth and bring comfort to their day.

Suitable for all occasions: Baked goods are ideal for all occasions, whether a birthday, holiday, or to say thank you. They’re a great way to spread joy and bring people together.

BROWN SUGAR CUT-OUT COOKIES

Ingredients

4 sticks of unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low-medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more. Over-mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause fluffy cookies, and the dough will spread – and you won’t do that in cutout cookies.

Add eggs and mix. Scrape down the bowl again and mix again.

Add vanilla to the mixing bowl and stir briefly.

Add the flour to the bowl and start the mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds. Mix on low until the dough clumps around the paddle. Do not overmix.

Divide the dough in half and roll each half out ¼ inch thick between 2 large pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap.

Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you flatten the dough, it gets colder quicker. This will allow your dough to be firm to cut out cookies with sharp edges.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Dip the cookie cutter in flour and cut out your cookies into desired shapes. (I dip in flour before cutting each cookie. It helps keep their shape.) Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I chill cut-out cookies on the sheet pan while the oven is preheating and on each sheet before baking.

Every oven is different. I bake my cookies for 8-12 minutes and then rotate the baking sheets. The edges should begin to brown.

Once baked, let the cookie sheet sit for 1 minute to firm up. Transfer to a cooling rack so they can cool completely.

Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

 Ingredients:

- 3 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 tablespoon ground ginger

- 1 and 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

- 1 large egg

- 1/2 cup molasses

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 Instructions:

1. whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl.

2. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined.

3. Slowly mix the dry and wet ingredients until combined.

4. Divide the dough into two discs and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F - line baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Royal Icing

Made using only three ingredients, this easy royal icing recipe is great for outlining and flooding sugar cookies, decorating gingerbread houses, adding icing flowers to treats, and other intricate designs. Because this icing hardens as it dries, it’s not usually recommended for cakes and cupcakes, but it’s the perfect hard royal icing for sugar cookies with its smear-proof finish that will keep your fingers icing-free.

Royal icing decorations can be made weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. Though traditionally made with raw egg whites, this royal icing is made without eggs, using Wilton Meringue Powder instead.

Ingredients

4 cups powdered sugar sifted

5 tablespoons warm water

3 tablespoons meringue powder

Directions

Beat all ingredients together until icing forms peaks. Beat for about 7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer or 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer.

At this point, check the consistency of your royal icing. If the icing is too stiff, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. If the icing is too thin, add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.

For stiff consistency: Use 1 tablespoon less water. Stiff royal icing is preferred for making 3-D decorations. With stiffer royal icing, opt for larger piping tips to relieve the pressure on the piping bag.

Medium consistency for icing outlining: Add 1/8 teaspoon of water for every cup of stiff icing. Use a flat utensil like a small angled or straight silicone spatula, to mix icing in a figure-8 motion. Avoid beating or mixing vigorously.

Thin consistency for flooding: To thin for pouring, add 1 teaspoon of water per cup of royal icing. Use a grease-free spoon or spatula to stir slowly. Add 1/2 teaspoon water at a time until you reach proper consistency. Use a flat utensil, like a small angled or straight silicone spatula, to mix in a Figure 8-motion. Avoid beating or mixing vigorously.

10-second test: Take some icing on a spatula and drop it back down into the bowl to check for the correct thin consistency for flooding. If it sinks after a full count of 10, then the consistency is thin enough for flooding.

 Let the icing sit for 15 minutes to an hour to let air bubbles rise naturally. Alternately, tap the bowl on the table several times to force the air bubbles up. Gently stir the top surface to release the air.

NOTE: Use Meringue Powder: Meringue Powder is a must for this recipe. Do not substitute with raw egg whites (which can be a food safety issue) or dried egg whites; neither will produce the same results as Meringue Powder.

Don't overbeat: Do not overbeat the royal icing base. This will incorporate too much air, which will create bubbles. Vigorous stirring will also create air bubbles.

Cover with a damp towel: Cover the decorating tip with a warm, damp towel to prevent the royal icing from drying when not using.

To speed up the drying process: Royal icing can take up to 2 hours to dry. Place iced treats in front of a fan to speed up the icing's drying process.

Storage: Store royal icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Before reusing, re-whip using a paddle attachment on low speed until it's back to the correct consistency.

Never store royal icing decorations in the freezer. Instead keep decorations in an airtight container in a dry, dark place to prevent fading for up to 6 months.

Simple Cookie Glaze

This recipe will decorate about 18 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (255g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons (35g) light corn syrup or honey

1 to 2 tablespoons (14g to 28g) milk

natural food coloring, optional

Instructions

Mix all of the ingredients together. Stir until smooth; a fork works fine. The glaze should be thick but soft enough to "settle" when you spread it. If the glaze is too thick, dribble in another teaspoon of milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time.

Glaze one cookie and set it aside briefly. The glaze won't be perfectly smooth when applied, but it should settle into a smooth surface within half a minute or so. Has the glaze settled into a smooth surface? If so, it's the right consistency. Remember, it's easier to add more liquid than to stir in more sugar, so start with a glaze that's thicker than you think it should be, then add milk little by little to adjust the consistency.

Add food color if you like; gel paste food colors are preferable, as they yield vibrant color, and don't alter the liquid/sugar ratio as regular food colors might.

Baking Tip

Be sure you measure accurately here. If there is too little milk, the glaze won't spread nicely. If there is too much milk, it will be thin and spotty and develop splotches overnight.

Once the glaze has hardened, you can color it with food safety markers or pipe another color over the top with Royal Icing. You can sprinkle sugar on top of the wet royal icing for a sparkly effect.

This glaze dries hard and shiny and is perfect for coating the top of your cookies in preparation for decorating with food-safe pens or markers or adding sprinkles or other decorations. It's the perfect way to transform rollout cookies from basic to beautiful.