Okay, so I stumbled upon this “Cookie Advent Calendar” idea, and I thought, “Why not?” I mean, who doesn’t love cookies, and the whole countdown thing is just fun. So, I decided to give it a shot and make my own.
First, I had to figure out what I wanted. I’m no baker, so I needed something simple. I decided to go with different variations of shortbread cookies. They are easy to make, and you can add all sorts of flavors to them.
Gathering My Supplies
I made a quick list of what I needed:
- Baking Stuff: Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract – you know, the usual suspects.
- Flavorings: I grabbed some chocolate chips, sprinkles, lemon zest, and a bit of cinnamon.
- Advent Calendar: I just used some craft paper and small boxes I got from previous online shopping, and some old ribbons.
The Baking Process
I started by making a big batch of basic shortbread dough. Super simple – just creamed butter and sugar, added an egg and some vanilla, and then slowly mixed in the flour. Once that was done, I split the dough into smaller portions.
Then I created some variations:
- Added mini chocolate chips to one.
- Mixed in some colorful sprinkles.
- Lemon zest with one dough for some fresh flavor.
- Sprinkle some cinnamon.
I rolled out each portion, used some cookie cutters (I found some cute star and heart shapes!), and popped them in the oven. They baked pretty quickly, like 10-12 minutes, until they were just golden brown around the edges.
Making the Calendar
While the cookies were cooling, I started on the calendar itself. I just took the small boxes and numbered them 1 through 24. I’m not super crafty, so I kept it simple. I wrapped a ribbon around the boxes, so it all looked presentable.
Putting It All Together
Once the cookies were completely cool, I carefully placed one or two into each box. I tried to mix up the flavors so each day would be a little surprise. Then, I just arrange the boxes. And that’s it!
It’s not perfect, some cookies were a little wonky, and my number-labeling could use some work, but it’s homemade and full of love (and sugar!). I’m excited to start the countdown and enjoy a little treat each day. It’s a fun, simple way to get into the holiday spirit, and, let’s be honest, who is gonna say no to cookies?
