How to bake during the holidays on a budget
Baking is not only one of the most enjoyable and delicious ways to fully celebrate and feel the holidays, but it is also convenient and economical. If you don’t have a lot of money to splurge on holiday events, plays or fancy parties, try diving into holiday baking as an alternative. It is not difficult to learn. Plus, baking is fun and creates something delicious to eat or give as a gift.
The first tip to avoid costly baking extravaganzas is to stick to the basics. Think more along the lines of homemade goodness than pastry chef perfection. Many times quaint décor adds to the cost with special equipment and ingredients. Remove those immediately to save money. We’re focusing on creating something that looks, tastes, and smells like it came straight from Grandma’s kitchen.
For starters, use whatever you have in your own kitchen. With a recent move across the country, I gave away most of my stuff, including my baking and cooking gear. Armed with cookie sheets, a cake pan, saucepan, skillet, and my soup pot, I found that the large soup pot worked well as a large mixing bowl. I quickly discovered the difference between wants and needs.
Realizing that I had everything I needed opened my mind to new possibilities. Previously, I thought with regret about all that I had to give away and leave. There was a feeling of longing for what was in the past when there was no end to bowls, equipment and spices of different sizes. Then it occurred to me that this attitude was getting me down. Instead, he needed a new approach: how creative could he get with basic ingredients and supplies? With a Christmas book of 15 Christmas baking recipes due out in a few months, I needed to finish recipes for Chewy Gingerbread Men, Linda’s Christmas Wreath Shortbread, Pumpkin Pecan Bread, Apple Cookies Willa’s and Kaityln’s favorite Christmas cookies. I had to do the dishes a few more times, but I was able to do it all.
For purchases, I stuck to the essential ingredients. This was difficult since the home goods department and grocery stores are two of my favorite places to shop. I found the utensils I needed: rubber spatula, mixing spoons, and peeler, plus heating pads at a dollar store. Grocery items were found at sale prices in stores.
After some research, I found out from America’s Test Kitchen culinary expert Bridget Lancaster that all-purpose flour would work for my bread, with only a slight variation in texture. Since bread flour is more expensive, I went with my favorite type of flour: unbleached all-purpose flour. I bought brand name spices and chocolate chips. If I’m doing Rocky Road or Christmas Bark, I’ll buy my favorite chocolate. After all, that’s most of the flavor. But when I’ve tasted the semi-sweet chocolate chip flavor in the cookies, I don’t notice that much of a difference.
To save a little more money, I searched the final clearance aisles for any chance of discount items. Dented cans, spices, and flour are sometimes found in clearance areas. Check the expiration date. If the store wants to give me a discount because the pumpkin can is dented, I’ll take it!
At the end, the bill for all my baking items: flour (10lbs), white sugar (8lbs), brown sugar (2-16oz bags), chocolate chips, apples, baking soda, baking powder, all spices, raisins, cinnamon, oats, molasses, ginger, salt, unsalted butter (2 lbs.), eggs (2 dozen), 29 oz. pumpkin, nuts, rubber spatula, mixing spoons and peeler was less than $65 ($56.83). I didn’t buy everything at once; purchases were divided into three trips.
With those ingredients, I baked Willa’s Apple Cookies, Chewy Gingerbread Man Cookies, Linda’s Crown Bread, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and an Apple Pie. I think I also have a batch of Snicker’s doodles. Each batch of cookies made between three and five dozen medium cookies. I will be baking Pumpkin Pecan Muffins this weekend and I have all the ingredients to make it.
When you calculate the cost of buying ingredients from scratch versus buying ready-to-use baked goods, the difference is striking. If you bought cookies at a specialty cookie store, you could easily spend $12-$15 on a dozen. Pastries from a bakery can cost between $8 and $16. Grocery stores sell cakes and cookies at a lower cost, but they still can’t replicate the flavor and tenderness of homemade products.
In addition to economy baking, I have complete control over what goes into my cookies, cakes, and breads. No artificial ingredients, no added preservatives or “fake” ingredients.
If funds are tight this Christmas, you don’t have to stop baking. Instead, festive baking is a great way to bring friends and family together in the kitchen for a fabulous afternoon of fun food. Food is the universal relaxant and conversational icebreaker. Working together in the kitchen to make food is a deeper step in building closer relationships. Something happens when people work together in the kitchen, something wonderful happens as relationships grow and laughter fills the kitchen. People work together. We are forced to share spaces and share a bit of ourselves as personalities emerge through the joy and, let’s be honest, the challenge of working together in the kitchen.
Share the season with friends and family in your kitchen. Host a baking party and have fun together.