The holidays are stressful. Your holiday baking doesn't have to be.
That was the inspiration behind this stunning collection Bake It Easy: Holidays recipes. We've got simple yet spectacular recipes for every party – and baker. Looking for a beautifully decorated cookie that doesn't require a piping bag? Try ours Two-Color Festive Sugar Cookies. Need to bring dessert to a holiday party starting soon? Blueberry-Orange Olive Oil Cake is here to save you. What if you love pecan pie but hate pie crust? Do these Simple Pecan Pie Bars.
Whether you're traveling to an unfamiliar kitchen with limited supplies or need reliable, easy recipes to fit into a busy schedule, we've got what you need. Here's what to bake for the holidays.
Holiday lineup
Quick Ginger Frosted Cookie Bars
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: One bowl, 10 ingredients or less, no mixer required
Why it's special: If you love the spicy taste of gingerbread cookies but dread the rolling and cutting, try these soft and chewy bars. Generously spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and allspice and topped with a simple whipped cream, they're a simple take on a holiday classic. If you're not confident in your cookie decorating skills—or just don't have the time to perfect a batch of individual cookies—these ribbons are for you; a spray shower is all they need.
Two-Color Festive Sugar Cookies
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 ingredients or less, easy decoration
Why it's special: These fun and festive sugar cookies are easier to make than they look. That's because they rely on a simple switching technique: After rolling and stamping the chocolate and vanilla dough, simply slide the cut dough through the center of each cookie for a gorgeous two-tone effect. No messy or fine-tuned technique required. And bonus: These sturdy cookies ship beautifully.
Linzer Plain Cookie Slices
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 minutes preparation, easy decoration
Why it's special: Here's what's great about Linzer cookies: They're fruity, delicious, and luscious with jewel-toned jam and a dusting of confectioners' sugar. Here's what's not so great about them: They take a lot of time and precision to assemble. Here's how we solved it: We've kept the classic soft almond dough and amazing fruit jam, and ditched the fussy topping for a simple, crisp cookie log. This recipe makes it easy to make a big batch of colorful cookies with little effort and no special equipment.
Simple Pecan Pie Bars
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 ingredients or less, easy, last-minute assembly
Why it's special: If you're scared of pie (or just don't have time to chill and roll out the pie dough) this easier version of pecan pie is for you. A buttery, brown sugar cookie crust features a sweet, honey-sweetened filling (no corn syrup here!). These bars keep well for days, so they're perfect for baking ahead. They'd be just as at home on a holiday cookie plate as a Thanksgiving dessert table, so you can bake them all season long.
Blueberry-Orange Olive Oil Cake
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: Pour and stir, easy garnish, no mixer required
Why it's special: Is this the cake that can do it all? Let's break it down: The cake batter is mixed by hand in just 10 minutes, and because it's made with olive oil, it's guaranteed to be soft and moist every time. (You can't mess it up!) And instead of clumping and frosting, the finished cake is topped with a gorgeous cranberry-orange glaze that adds delicious flavor and stunning color.
Chocolate Mint Pavlova
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 ingredients or less, easy decoration
Why it's special: It's hard to find an amazing holiday dessert that doesn't require a lot of ingredients, effort or decorating skills, so we created one: this festive, decadent pavlova. Put it together with a lot of whimsy and very little precision: Pavlovas are fresh, elegant, not difficult desserts. To serve, simply slice it like a cake, revealing a lovely cross-section inside. And while meringue can be a little touchy, we think the method outlined here is almost foolproof – if this is your first time making meringue, you've got this!
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake with Glaze
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: No mixer required, easy garnish, toss and stir
Why it's special: This dairy-free layer cake shows off both chocolate and gingerbread at their best in each moist, flavorful slice. Plus, it comes together by hand in just 15 minutes: Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl, your wet ingredients in another, and mix it all together. A quick glaze adds an extra dose spice with ginger and contrasts the deeply chocolate cake with a beautiful snow-white coating.
Lazy Breakfast Egg Coffee Cake
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: Clever pantry-friendly shortcut
Why it's special: The secret to this finely ground coffee cake is its whipped cream base, which simplifies the baking process and also means you don't need extra fat, like butter, or liquid ingredients, like buttermilk or milk. Simply whip your heavy cream, then whisk in the sugar, eggs and dry ingredients, including nutmeg and rum to evoke an eggnog. Perfect for slow holiday mornings, this breakfast coffee cake celebrates the season with minimal effort.
After baking comes the gift. We've picked out our favorite gifts for every baker on your list Holiday gift shop.
Christmas Tree Pulling Quick Bread
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 ingredients or less, no special equipment, made by mixing
Why it's special: This Christmas Tree Melty Bread has a secret… it starts with ours Garlic Bread Mix Kit! The mix comes with a mix of cheese and flavor-packed herbs, so you don't even need to chop garlic or get your own spices. This easy recipe comes in handy when you have other holiday menu items to juggle, or you just need a simple yet stunning side dish for a last minute party.
Party of pretzel pigs in a blanket
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 ingredients or less, no special equipment, made by mixing, under 1 hour
Why it's special: our Soft and chewy pretzel mix kit adds a fun twist to the beloved finger food and makes preparation easier and faster. You only need hotdogs, vegetable oil, and water to harden the mixture in the box, and you'll have nearly three dozen pigs in a blanket in less than an hour. Paired with a garlic-honey mustard dipping sauce, these irresistible party snacks will be the star of your appetizer table.
Christmas Ham Focaccia
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: 10 ingredients or less, no special equipment, made by mixing
Why it's special: Glazed Christmas ham meets airy focaccia in this holiday-inspired concoction. our Fresh Airy Focaccia Mix Kit it's perfect for festive toppings: bacon bits cover the dough, and after baking, the top is brushed with maple syrup for a touch of sweetness and shine. Ideal for cocktail parties or a bread basket for the holiday table.
Quick dinner rolls in large batches
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Why it's easy: Ready in 90 minutes, feeds a crowd
Why it's special:This quick, crowd-pleasing recipe isn't your average dinner roll. To give these a holiday-worthy upgrade, the rolls are brushed with garlic and herb-scented oil and baked on a bed of grated Parmesan cheese, so a lacy frico fritter hides beneath each fluffy roll. These rolls are ready in record time and the recipe makes two dozen, perfect for even your largest gatherings.
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
