As the weather gets colder, students begin to count the days until winter break. Over break, baking treats is always a fun way to spend quality time. Here are some winter recipes!

Caramel-Gingerbread Cookie Bars 

Feeling festive? These caramel gingerbread cookie bars are a fun twist on classic gingerbread cookies.

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup of lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons of molasses
• 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoons of nutmeg
• Pinch of cloves
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 5 tablespoons of caramel sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 baking dish with foil.
3. Mix butter and sugar for about 3 to 4 minutes, until fluffy. Add egg and molasses and beat until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt. Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Refrigerate the dough for thirty minutes.
5. Add dough to the pan and bake for eighteen to twenty minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. When the bars are cool, remove them from the pan.
6. To make the frosting, beat butter until it’s smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix until it’s smooth. Mix in caramel.
7. Add the frosting onto the bars and top with sprinkles.
8. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Peppermint Brownies

Peppermint is a winter flavor staple. When chocolate and peppermint mix, you’re left with these easy peppermint brownies.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract or oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons of peppermint crunch or crushed candy canes

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. Line a 9 x 9 baking dish with foil or parchment paper.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.
4. Add sugar, cocoa powder and salt to the pan, and stir. Continue cooking the mixture and occasionally stir. Once removed from the heat, add the peppermint extract and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Individually add the eggs to the mixture. Beat after each egg is added. Add the flour and mix. Stir in chocolate chips and peppermint crunch. Save some peppermint crunch and chocolate chips for the top of the brownies.
6. Add mixture to the baking dish and top with chocolate chips and peppermint crunch.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center is puffed. Test with a toothpick.
8. Cut, plate and enjoy!

Cranberry Spice Bundt Cake

For a more challenging recipe, this cranberry spice bundt cake is a perfect dessert to enjoy with family or friends.

Ingredients

Cake

• 3/4 cups of unsalted butter (room temperature and cut into chunks)
• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons of fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of ground cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoons of ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/3 cup of neutral oil
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt at room temperature
• 2 cups of chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed)

Frosting

• 2 1/4 cups of confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of cranberry or pomegranate juice

Instructions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350°.
2. Butter a large (12-13 cup) Bundt pan. Dust the pan with flour, or coat it with nonstick baker’s spray.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Add and mix the cardamom, coriander and ginger. Set the bowl aside.
4. Put the granulated sugar in a bowl that will work with an electric mixer. Add the orange zest and use your fingertips to mix it into the sugar. Add the butter. Mix the butter and the sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should be fluffy. Pour in the oil and mix for a couple more minutes. Turn off the mixer.
5. Individually beat each egg for a minute before adding in another. Beat in the vanilla. Blend the yogurt at low speed. Turn off the mixture and add half of the flour mixture. Blend on low and turn off the mixer once combined. Add in the rest of the flour mixture and continue to mix until almost combined. Flour should be visible. Use a spatula to mix in the cranberries and completely combine the mixture until no flour is shown.
6. Scrape the mixture into the pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. The cake should be golden brown. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool until room temperature.
7. For the frosting, put the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and stir the juice into the sugar. If needed, add more juice. Transfer the cake to a platter and spoon the icing over the cake. The icing should run down the cake. Let the icing dry before serving.
8. Cut and enjoy!