As the holiday season approaches, maybe you’re worrying about not having enough time in your schedule for all the baking you want to do.
Well, let me ease some of your burden. Try these three easy baking recipes and hacks to make the season stress-free and (of course) ooze with delightful deliciousness.
1 – Apple Pandowdy
An apple pandowdy is a classic fruit dessert with a “dowdy” pastry topping. That means cracked or messy if you want to know, referring to its broken crust.
Unlike your typical apple pie, an apple pandowdy is baked in a deeper bowl. Instead of a perfectly crimped or lattice crust, you’ll deliberately break the apple pandowdy crust midway or right after baking.
A traditional pandowdy uses apple or molasses syrup as a sweetener. But you can also use other sweeteners, such as brown sugar.
What I love about this confection is when the syrupy juices of the filling coat the edges of the messy crust, creating a sweet finish on every crispy bite. It’s everything everyone adores about apple pies, only easier.
Here’s a pro tip for a hassle-free baking:
Make the apple pandowdy dough 2 to 4 days before your celebration. Wrap the dough and store it in the fridge until needed.
If, like me, you love a good slice of apple pie but dread the effort needed to perfect it, an apple pandowdy will likely save your holiday.
Check out one of the easiest apple pandowdy recipes here.
2 – Butter Pecan Cookies
No worries if you come short of supplies for the occasion. You only need a handful of ingredients to make these melt-in-the-mouth cookie delights.
A bit of butter, sugar, egg, flour, salt, and pecans. That’s it. That’s everything you need for this extra tasty butter pecan cookie recipe.
Plus, making these cookies doesn’t require complicated shaping or baking techniques. So, even if you’re on your first few days of baking, you’ll most likely nail it down on your first try!
This is a superb recipe to make with kids without worrying about the mess and doubling the fun of the occasion.
Of course, they’re incredibly delicious, too. So, you won’t regret having these cookies as a last-minute addition to your holiday menu!
One little pro tip when making your cookie dough:
Coat your baking sheet with butter or nonstick spray to prevent excessive spreading.
Also, don’t panic if your dough turns into greasy puddles. You can quickly solve this common rookie hitch by chilling the cookie dough in the fridge.
Here’s a straightforward, four-step butter pecan cookie recipe you can follow.
3 – Air Fryer Basque Cheesecake
Yes, you read that right, you can cook a basque cheesecake using only an air fryer. It’s the perfect recipe for crowded kitchen occasions where one oven can’t possibly do the job.
Air fryers are some of the most versatile gadgets in your kitchen. While it’s not ideal for all cakes, it can come in clutch for fuss-free baking dishes like crumbles, cookies, muffins, and brownies.
And now, you can add basque cheesecake to that list!
There are several advantages why you should try making cheesecake in an air fryer. For one, it makes cheesecake, which usually takes several hours to prepare, a piece of cake (no pun intended).
Typical basque cheesecake recipes take around 8 hours to bake. With this easy hack, however, you can cut that time in half and free up your schedule for an extra dish of holiday delight.
And don’t worry about trading quality for time! The finished product is just as rich and creamy as any other authentic basque cheesecake, with an evenly browned exterior that makes any mouth water!
Interested? Give this air fryer basque cheesecake recipe a whirl.
Final Thoughts
The holidays are a hectic time for everyone. While exciting, juggling your everyday commitments with menu planning and ingredient shopping can be daunting—and understandably.
So, if you ever find yourself short on time or missing that one piece of goody delight for the occasion, try these easy baking secrets and enjoy the holidays with satisfied taste buds.
A slice of apple pandowdy, a piece of butter pecan cookies, or a mouthful of air fryer basque cheesecake may just save your day!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.