12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge – Day 6 & 7 – Favorite Christmas Cookie and Holiday Tradition

On By MischenkoIn Blog Challenge, Christmas, Cooking

I came across this wonderful 12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge over at Abbey’s blog threecatsandagirl.  It was originally introduced by abbeycoseattle when she presented it earlier this month. As soon as I saw this, I knew that it would be so much fun. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for to share some Christmas cheer on my blog. I’d like to say thanks to both of these wonderful ladies!

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~Rules~

  • Link back to Abbey’s original post here so that way she can see who all is joining and she can follow along.
  • Link back to any one of my posts in the challenge so that way I can follow along too
  • Save the image and join in for the fun!

12 Days of Christmas

I totally missed day six yesterday and because I’m a little behind, I decided to combine day #6 & #7 together for this post. I’m going to start with #3 – Favorite Christmas Cookie and then #1 Favorite Holiday Tradition. Tomorrow, I’ll share some of my Christmas decorations!

*Favorite Christmas Cookie*

How can anyone choose their favorite Christmas cookie? There are so many delicious cookies at Christmas time. This year, we made cookies for friends and neighbors. We kept it simple by choosing to make easy sugar cookies, chocolate chip, and of course, baklava! I grew up having baklava for pretty much every holiday due to my Syrian ancestry. My uncle was always the one to make it for get-togethers. Luckily, I expressed interest in the recipe just before he passed away and this is now a tradition to make it every year and sometimes in between. 🙂 I’m so thankful that he shared the recipe with me and think about him every time I make it.

Baklava is made using filo dough sheets and sandwiched in between is a walnut mixture with cinnamon and sugar. You basically butter your pan well and start with a half package of filo on the bottom. You have to butter the sheets well as you layer. You then add a layer of the walnut mixture, then 3-4 more sheets of dough and continue the process until your mixture is gone. Finish with another half package of filo dough and butter well. I like to have some larger pieces and some smaller pieces. Usually I cut diagonals first, then verticals.

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After you cut the whole pan, you bake it around 325 degrees for about an hour. When you take it out, it’s nice and brown.

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Now you add the sauce which is made of honey, sugar, and water.

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It sizzles up after you add the sauce as the pan is super hot. This is my favorite part! Cool it completely before cutting and keep it in the fridge so you can eat it all week long. 🙂

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If you’d like my special family recipe for this baklava, contact me and I’ll send it to you!

*Favorite Holiday Tradition*

Christmas is full of favorite holiday traditions. I think I’ll list a few!

  • Reading by the fire with my children
  • Listening to my old Christmas records
  • Making cookies to pass out for gifts
  • Christmas dinner with my family
  • Decorating
  • Watching Christmas movies all month long
  • Christmas morning around the tree
  • Gift exchange with my family

 

What’s your favorite Christmas cookie? Do you have any favorite traditions?

I wish you all the most joyous holiday season!

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40 thoughts on “12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge – Day 6 & 7 – Favorite Christmas Cookie and Holiday Tradition”

    2. N. N. Light

      Oooh, I love baklava, too! You’re right, there’s nothing better than homemade. We get it from a Greek bakery and it’s to die for. I’ve tried making it but it never comes out right. 😦 I keep trying, though.

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  3. N. N. Light

    I just wanted to take a minute and tell you how much I’ve loved these Christmasy posts. It’s brought a smile to my face, even when I’ve been totally stressed out. So THANK YOU!

    Who can choose a favorite cookie? That’s too hard. One of the most popular ones I make is the ginger cut-out cookies. I always get rave reviews. 🙂

    I have many traditions I enjoy but I think the best one has got to be one I share with MR N. See, every Christmas we got out and buy a bunch of lottery scratch and win tickets for each other. We wrap them up individually and stick them in the tree. We call them tree presents. Then on Boxing Day, we sit out on the Solarium with a bottle of wine and have fun playing our tickets. Sometimes we win, sometimes, not; the best part is spending quality time together with our feet up. 🙂

    Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!

    — MRS N

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  4. Thank you! Ginger cut-outs are so much fun. I promised my kids that we would still do some of those this year and I still plan to!

    The lottery ticket idea is phenomenal! My husband would love that so much. It is a good way to spend some time together too. What a great idea. Thank you for sharing that. ❤

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too! Thanks so much for checking out these posts. It warms my heart that you've enjoyed them. I appreciate your kind comments and thoughts!!! 😀

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  6. I just watched an episode on Great British Bake Off and they made baklava! I’ve heard of it a million times, but I’ve never known what was in it nor have I ever eaten it! I don’t care for walnuts though😕 are there many kinds of baklava filling or is that what makes it baklava?

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    1. How did I miss that episode? 😀 Somebody just commented that they use pistachios, but I’ve never tried it. It is SO sweet, so I think the walnuts sort of counteract that. I’m intrigued to try some different nuts for sure. The filling is basically chopped nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I suppose you could use any nuts you like! Thanks, Abbey! ❤

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      1. I’m watching it on Netflix, so I’m back on season 5! That may be why if you are watching it currently! Okay, well that helps me understand more about what baklava is! I actually don’t care for any kind of nut🙈 so this may be something that, if I make it, I don’t try!

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    1. Noriko, I wish I could! I know you can ship it, but I’ve never tried. It really needs to be refrigerated in order to stay fresh. I do remember my Jiddo (Grandpa) getting baklava in the mail from somewhere. I’m not sure who would send it to him though. It’s not hard to make and I can send you the recipe. The hardest part to me is the cutting because the dough wants to stick to your fingers. However, if you keep your fingers buttered well, it helps. Thank you! ❤ 😀

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  9. Pingback: 12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge: Favourite Holiday Tradition – The Cozy Pages

  13. I absolutely love baklava but have never made it before. I bake about 20 different cookies and squares for Christmas and make up tins for gifts. It is hard to pick a favourite. I think my favourite cookie is what my grandma called Little Round Cookies. They are date, walnuts and rice krispies balls rolled in coconut. My favourite square is Cranberry Bliss Bars (copycat from Starbucks). I think I would be afraid to make baklava because I would probably eat too much and send my sugar through the roof. This has been a fun series you have shared. Thanks Mischenko.

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