When do you start baking Christmas cookies?

Hey, so every year I want to make lots of Christmas cookies with my kids and we make a few for sure. However they always get eaten within a day or two and I'd like to have an assortment to put out with tea and for parties etc.

How soon do you make your cookies, what do you make, do you freeze them and if so how do you thaw them and how long can you freeze them?

Let me know so I can build up a "store" of cookies this year!!

Thank you!When do you start baking Christmas cookies?i make a massive amount of shortbread every year for gifts, parties, etc. it's a lot of work. truthfully, i never freeze them. i prefer to keep them as fresh as possible. what i do is make my shortbread dough in installments. I usually make 1-2 batches in late nov./early dec. and freeze it in plastic wrap, parchement and ziplock (alot, but i'm paranoid). then whenever i need to bake them, i can pop it out and thaw it in a jiff. I make another 1 batch mid december just in case, and a final batch for christmas dinner a couple days before.



i freeze my shortbread in 1 1/2 inch thick logs and thaw them out on the counter for 10-15 minutes befrore slicing them. save me a lot of hassel from rolling them out and cutting them.



also, instead of just cookies, i like to mix it up a bit and make truffles, almond bark, and candied nuts and fruit. they keep longer, and are relatively easy to make.When do you start baking Christmas cookies?When I can no longer take my wife's nagging I'll help her make chocolate chip, oatmeal rasin, sugar, russian tea cakes, snickerdoodles. I never freeze them. We eat them quickly.When do you start baking Christmas cookies?My sister and I make shaped cookies and decorate em on Christmas Eve. We don't throw or go to parties, so we just do it for the fun.When do you start baking Christmas cookies?
Some people bake in a frenzy, trying to do all in one day. Too nerve racking!

I think that results in cookies that aren't as great as they could be.

Right after thanksgiving, I do one type a day whenever I won't be interrupted. Yum! this results in a large variety that looks great when displayed on my cookie table.

If you have any recipes that require chilling time, mix them up and put them in the fridge so you can bake a batch when you have a free afternoon. You won't have the mixing mess to clean up.

I try to make at least one new recipe in addition to my favorites each year for variety.



A lot of people have cookie baking parties and then trade cookies and recipes but in my case it's not practical.



Freezing? Sure, if you make refrigerator type, make it into a long roll that looks like the store bought type. Wrap airtight and freeze. Thaw partway, slice and bake as usual. I've even made drop cookies by lining them up on foil on a pan and freezing them before baking. After they're frozen, bag them in a zip type bag. That way you can remove and bake just what you need and always have fresh cookies! 3 to 6 months is a good time frame for keeping them.

Fresh baked cookies can be frozen as soon as they're cool. Wrap air tight also. They'll thaw in about 5 min. after you take them out.