3 recipes to try out this winter: a winter baking guide

With fall already here, and winter coming up, in the following guide I included three recipes to try out this cozy season. You will find cinnamon buns, gingerbread cookies, and apple cider. Open your ovens, get your essentials out and start baking and soaking up the holiday spirit!  

1. Classic Cinnamon Buns 

Cinnamon buns are an all-time favorite, filling up the home with the scent of cinnamon and sugar. The recipe will take you about 3 hours overall and makes 12 cinnamon buns.  

Ingredients: 

A cup of warm milk 

10g yeast  

540g all-purpose flour  

100g sugar 

70g butter 

6g salt 

Filling: 

100g softened butter 

200g brown sugar 

10g cinnamon 

For glaze: 

150g powdered sugar 

75g Philadelphia cream cheese  

Instructions: 

1.In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine warm milk and yeast, stirring until the yeast dissolves. 

2.Add flour, sugar, butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low to combine, then turn up the speed and knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

 3.Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise until nearly doubled, 1 to 2 hours. 

4.While letting the dough rise, in a bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until fluffy. 

 5.When the dough has rised after about an hour or two, roll out the dough on a floured surface into an 18"x 18" square. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, reaching the edges. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 12 pieces. 

6. Arrange rolls in a greased baking pan. Cover and let them rise again for 30 to 40 minutes. 

7. Preheat oven to 200 Celsius. Bake the rolls uncovered for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. 

8.While the cinnamon buns are baking, mix the powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth  

9.Spread the glaze on the buns, and enjoy! 

2. Gingerbread cookies 

Gingerbread cookies are a staple of the holiday season in many homes. This version will only take you 35 minutes. Baking the cookies is fun, decorating them is even better, but the ginger and cinnamon smell that fills the house is the best! So, what are you waiting for? 

Ingredients: 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

3/4 cup dark brown sugar 

1 Tbs cinnamon 

1 tbs ginger 

1tsp baking soda 

A pinch of salt 

170g softened butter cut into cubes 

2 spoons of milk 

Frosting: 

2 cups powdered sugar 

2 tbs milk 

 Instructions:  

Add all the ingredients for the dough in the mixer on medium speed, until everything is combined. 

Refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. 

Place the dough on a well-floured counter and roll out the dough to a 1cm thickness. 

Cut the gingerbread men and place them on a pan with baking sheets. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

Decorate and enjoy! 

3. Apple cider 

Finally, an easy and quick recipe for apple cider. Apple cider only takes 10 minutes to prep and is perfect for rainy winter nights. This makes a small pot of cider, serves about 5 to 6 cups. 

 Ingredients: 

6 cups apple juice 

 4 Cinnamon stick  

1\2 cup maple syrup 

An apple sliced  

lemon peel from 1 lemon 

Instructions: 

Slice the apple. 

Put all the ingredients (including the sliced apple) into a pot and heat it for 30 minutes 

Enjoy! 

Citations: 

Allen, Lauren. “Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe.” Tastes Better From Scratch, 11 Oct. 2021, tastesbetterfromscratch.com/gingerbread-cookies/. 

Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe - How to Make Cinnamon Rolls, www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a22813921/cinnamon-rolls-recipe/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.  

Easy Mulled Apple Cider Recipe - How to Make Mulled Apple Cider, www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10425/mulled-apple-cider/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.