Best 2025 Xmas Recipes

🍪 Assorted Butter Cookies (Tea-Time Tin Cookies)

These are classic bakery-style butter cookies — crisp on the edges, tender inside, perfect for gifting or tea time.

🧾 Ingredients

• 250 g butter (soft, room temperature)
• 1 cup (200 g) caster sugar or icing sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 cups (375 g) cake flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Optional flavours & decorations

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (for chocolate cookies)
• Red/yellow food colouring
• Jam, chocolate buttons, sprinkles
• Melted chocolate for dipping

---

👩🏽‍🍳 Step-by-Step Method

1️⃣ Cream the butter

• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale, fluffy, and creamy (3–4 minutes).

2️⃣ Add egg & flavour

• Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.

3️⃣ Mix dry ingredients

• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Gradually fold into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.

4️⃣ Divide & flavour

• Divide dough into portions:
  • Add cocoa powder to one portion for chocolate cookies
  • Add food colouring to others if desired

5️⃣ Shape the cookies

• Roll into balls, flatten with a fork, or pipe using a star nozzle.
• Decorate with jam, chocolate, or patterns.

6️⃣ Chill (important!)

• Chill shaped cookies for 20–30 minutes to keep their shape.

7️⃣ Bake

• Bake at 170°C (fan) / 180°C for 12–15 minutes
• Edges should be lightly golden (do not overbake).

8️⃣ Cool & decorate

• Cool completely.
• Dip in melted chocolate or drizzle if desired.

---

🫙 Storage

• Store in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks
• Perfect for cookie tins, gifts, or selling

---

---

🥯 Golden Homemade Scones (Soft & Fluffy)

These are classic South African bakery scones — golden outside, fluffy inside.

🧾 Ingredients

• 4 cups (500 g) cake flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup (125 g) cold butter, cubed
• 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 1 egg or milk for brushing

---

👩🏽‍🍳 Step-by-Step Method

1️⃣ Preheat oven

• Preheat to 200°C
• Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2️⃣ Mix dry ingredients

• In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

3️⃣ Rub in butter

• Rub cold butter into flour using fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs.

4️⃣ Add liquids

• Whisk milk and egg together.
• Pour into dry mixture and mix gently to form a soft dough (do not overmix).

5️⃣ Shape dough

• Turn onto a floured surface.
• Gently pat to about 2–3 cm thick.
• Cut using a round cutter (do not twist).

6️⃣ Bake

• Place close together on tray.
• Brush tops with milk or egg.
• Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden and risen.

---

🧈 Serve With

• Butter & jam
• Cheese
• Whipped cream
• Enjoy warm ☕🧡

---

💡 Pro Tips (Bakery Style)

• Cold butter = fluffier scones
• Soft dough = tender cookies
• Do not overbake either item
• Perfect for home baking businesses, events, and gifting