Carla Hall's
Festive & Sweet
HOLIDAY DESSERTS
Carla Hall CarlaHall.com Happy holidays! I don't know about you, but I am in the mood for some tasty food! I love the holiday season and I have so many fond memories of the smells of baked goods wafting through my family's home as a child! Naturally, some of my favorite holiday goodies were the sweet treats my Granny made. This holiday desserts recipe collection is filled with treats you can make at home to bring the rich flavors of the holiday season to life in your home. I can't wait to see what you make! Happy Baking and Happy Holidays,
Carla Hall carlahall.com | 2
Table of Content 00 Cover 02 Introducing 04 Chocolate Peppermint Patty 05 Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies 06 Cookie Butters 08 Gingerbread Spice Cake 12 Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookies 14 Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Sandwiches Buttercream Filling 16 Nutmeg Eggnog Buttermilk Pie 19 Hot Chocolate Truffles 21 Poured Caramel Cake 24 Pomegranate Mocktail 25 Holiday Baking Tips carlahall.com | 3
Chocolate Peppermint Patty Tart
Ingredients
Crust ½ box chocolate cookie wafers 5 tablespoons butter, melted 5 individual candy canes, finely crushed (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish) Peppermint filling 3 cups confectioner’s sugar 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon peppermint extract 2 tablespoons heavy cream ½ cup sweetened condensed milk Ganache 8 ounces chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon peppermint extract Unsweetened whipped cream, garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, place the chocolate wafers in a food processor and pulse until ground. Add the butter and crushed candy canes and process until mixed well. Remove from the processor and press evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place into oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Set aside. For the filling, combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, at a slow speed, mix well. Add the peppermint extract, heavy cream, and condensed milk and mix. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional minute until the filling forms a smooth thick paste. With a rubber spatula, scrape the peppermint filling into the cooled tart crust and spread it evenly, filling the entire shell and smoothing out the top. For the ganache, place the chocolate in a mixing bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Add the peppermint extract to the cream and then pour it over the chocolate. Let stand for one minute. Using a whisk, combine the chocolate into the cream until velvety smooth. Pour the ganache over the peppermint filling. Gently pick up the tart pan and tilt it to spread the ganache over the entire filling to cover it. Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of crushed peppermint canes in a line across the top of the tart. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.
Prepare Time 15 Minutes
Bake Time 10 Minutes carlahall.com | 4
Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients 2½ cups all purpose flour 2 tsps baking powder 1 tsp salt 1¼ tsps cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp nutmeg 12 oz unsalted butter, room temperature 2¼ cups brown sugar 1¾ cups granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 tsps vanilla extract 4½ cups old fashioned rolled oats (NOT quick oats) 1½ cups dried cranberries 1½ cups white chocolate chips
Prepare Time 1 Hour
Instructions Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and nutmeg. Set aside. Cream butter and both sugars just until combined; add eggs and vanilla and mix for 2 minutes. Incorporate flour mixture, a little at a time, until blended, but not overworked. Add in the oats, dried cranberries, and white chocolate; mix thoroughly to distribute. Spoon the dough into a gallon-size resealable bag and flatten the dough to completely fill the bag. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour to chill the butter or freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the refrigerator and carefully remove the dough from the bags. Cut into ½ -inch, or desired size, squares and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake cookies in a preheated 350° oven until cookies are lightly golden, 8-10 minutes (depending on size), but still soft in the center if pressed lightly. Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container.
Bake Time 8-10 Minutes
Serve Time 5 Minutes
carlahall.com | 5