Here, I Made These
Three holiday cookie recipes that make perfect gifts and create lasting memories.
My neighbors know the signs: the afternoon air fills with hints of ginger and chocolate, clear cellophane packages appear on doorsteps, and suddenly, everyone's a bit friendlier. This is my version of holiday diplomacy.
I don't have many holiday traditions. I go for a Christmas day jog, and a few weeks before Christmas, I casually leave packages of freshly baked cookies on my neighbors' doorsteps. I've been doing this for nearly 20 years, never imagining what it would mean when I placed those first seven packages of Italian cookies in front of seven different doors.
This small neighborly touch had a remarkable effect on my neighbor relations over the years. After all, who could resist freshly made cookies? There are greetings in the stairwell now instead of passing blank looks. Conversations happen, which is a nice substitution for superficial hellos. My wife and I have even established more friendships that have endured over the years.
The secret, I’ve discovered, lies not just in the giving, but in the surprise of receiving something unexpected...and without condition. My offerings are genuine acts of wanting to create a difference in usual holiday exchanges. Much to my surprise, my cookie tradition turned into a way of tearing down barriers and building bridges.
My early gifts were not vegan, but over the years, I’ve decided to create vegan-only cookies...and I never mention that fact to any of my neighbors. However, I create fancy ingredient lists to avoid any confusion or potential conflicts if someone has a dietary issue I’m unaware of.
This year, I’m making a generous portion of snappy ginger-infused biscuits that celebrate ginger in all its glory, spiced squares of chocolate-coated bites reminiscent of lebkuchen, and delicate hazelnut shortbread sticks often dipped in chocolate – and disappear far too quickly. Each recipe brings its own character: the bold spice of ginger biscuits, the sophisticated charm of Magenbrot, and the refined delicacy of hazelnut shortbread. When packaged together, they create something truly special—assuming they make it into the gift box before being sampled for "quality control purposes."
I've always believed in generosity. It means choosing to focus on the changes I want to make. This year, those changes were inspired by Nick Cave's words: "We've all had too much sorrow; now is the time for joy."
Yeah, that sounds good to me.
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Ginger Biscuits
These aren't your grandmother's ginger snaps. Each crispy-edged biscuit delivers an exhilarating one-two punch of heat—first from dried ginger, then a subtle flowering of fresh ginger that blooms on your tongue. The unprocessed rapeseed oil contributes an unexpected richness that makes people swear butter must be hiding in the recipe.
Fair warning: the aroma these create while baking has attracted curious neighbors. I suggest having a few extra ready to share—it's only polite.
Magenbrot (Swiss Spiced Chocolate Bites)
Don't let the name fool you—these "stomach breads" are far more elegant than their moniker suggests. Think of them as Switzerland's answer to Lebkuchen's sophisticated cousin. The glossy chocolate coating cracks satisfyingly between your teeth, giving way to a tender, spice-laden interior that whispers of Christmas markets and snow-dusted Alpine evenings.
The glazing process requires a bit of patience, but consider it a meditation in chocolate. Besides, anything worth doing is worth doing twice—especially when chocolate is involved.
Hazelnut Shortbread Sticks (Haselnuss-Stängeli)
While tradition dictates these as Christmas-only treats, I've never been one to let calendar dates dictate my baking schedule. These delicate, nutty biscuits prove that some rules are meant to be broken—particularly when the result is this delicious.
The Swiss call them Haselnuss-Stängeli (go ahead, try to pronounce it—I'll wait), but I call them irresistible. They're like traditional shortbread that went to finishing school in Zürich and came back with a PhD in elegance.
Remember, the best traditions often start with a simple act—like leaving a package of homemade treats on a neighbor's doorstep. The rest is just sweet history.
Your Way of Expressing Generosity
Everyone has their way of creating moments of joy during the holidays. Maybe you write heartfelt cards, craft gifts from your kitchen, or simply make time for long conversations over coffee or tea. I'd love to hear about your traditions of giving – whether they're carefully planned or wonderfully spontaneous. What small acts of kindness have created unexpected connections in your life?
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below – I'd love to hear about your experiences!
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Something to think about...
As I reflect on how small acts of generosity can transform communities, I'm reminded of these words from Marcus Aurelius:
"What benefits each benefits the whole, and what benefits the whole benefits each."
Simple acts, like sharing cookies with neighbors, remind us that community isn't built through grand gestures, but through consistent, small choices to reach out to others.
More Sweet Holiday Recipe Ideas…
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Hazelnut shortbread has been too long from my plate and this is a timely reminder! Thank you
This is why I love you live in Switzerland. You make all those Swiss delicacies I grew up with accessable again in my current way of living. If I don’t bake these cookies this time of the year, my mom will. Thank you!!
My sisters and I called those Haselnuss-Stängeli “hondenbrokken” (Dutch, litteraly translated it means dog cookies). We all loved them!