There’s something about baking in December that feels healing. The oven warming the house, the smell of vanilla and cinnamon, music playing in the background, even if the rest of the month is chaotic, the kitchen always feels like a little safe place.
I’m not a professional baker and I don’t pretend to be. I just love creating things that feel comforting, cozy, and good to share with people I care about. So this is my version of a holiday baking guide: simple ingredients, easy recipes, and cozy vibes. Nothing complicated. Nothing stressful. Just the Woods Way.
My Go-To Holiday Baking Essentials
These are the things I always reach for in December, the ingredients that make simple recipes taste special and feel festive.
Real Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Paste
The moment the vanilla hits the bowl… it’s like instant holiday spirit.
Brown Butter
If you’ve never browned butter, listen, it will change your cookies forever.
Nutty, warm, rich… it’s magic.
Brown Sugar
For chewy, soft cookie centers and that warm sweetness.
Cinnamon + Nutmeg
Equal parts cozy and nostalgic. They make your whole kitchen smell like a memory.
Mini Chocolate Chips
The perfect mix-in for everything.
Festive Add-Ins
Think sprinkles, crushed candy canes, caramel bits, chopped nuts… whatever makes baking feel fun.
Simple Woods Way Holiday Bakes
These aren’t fancy. They’re cozy. They’re easy. And they always turn out good.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
My holy grail December recipe.
The browned butter gives them a warm, toffee-like flavor and they stay soft for days. They’re the cookies people always ask me for.
Serve with: a holiday movie and a warm drink.
Cinnamon Sugar Snickerdoodles
If December had a flavor, it would be these.
Soft, doughy, rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Easy, delicious, and perfect for gifting.
Bonus: the house smells insane while they bake.
Vanilla Sugar Cookies (Soft & Frosted)
You can make them cute or keep them simple, either way, they’re a classic.
Frosting them is basically a mini art project.
Pro tip: add vanilla bean paste to the frosting… thank me later.
Hot Cocoa Brownies
Rich, fudgy brownies topped with mini marshmallows or crushed peppermints.
Perfect for nights when it’s freezing outside and you want something warm + chocolatey.
Holiday Loaf Cake
Think cinnamon swirl, vanilla chai, or even cranberry orange.
Easy, mess-free, and feels very “grown-up holiday hostess.”
My Woods Way Baking Ritual
Baking in December is never just about the recipe, it’s the whole vibe.
Here’s my realistic little routine:
- turn on soft holiday music
- light a candle (vanilla, cinnamon, or something warm)
- pour a warm drink (tea, hot cocoa, chai, whatever I’m feeling)
- tie my hair up
- pull out my favorite wooden spoon and mixing bowl
- bake at my own pace
It slows my whole nervous system down.
It feels like letting myself breathe.
A Few Cozy Tips
Don’t rush the soft ingredients
Butter too cold = chaos.
Underbake cookies just a little
Soft centers are always superior.
Taste the dough
Because obviously.
Share when you can
There’s something sweet about giving people homemade treats in December, even if it’s just a little bag with two cookies inside.
If you’re looking for a way to slow down this month, bake something.
It doesn’t have to be perfect or pretty.
The warmth, the smell, the quiet moment in your kitchen, that’s the real magic.
Hope this guide brings a little comfort to your December.
Happy baking, the Woods Way. 🤍
The Woods Way 