There are some staples that should always be in a baker’s pantry: flour, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Some lists leave out the last two, or only include them as extras, but I use vanilla and cocoa powder almost every single day and my kitchen is never without them. I don’t want your kitchen to be without them, either, which is why I’m giving away two Baking Basics Gift Packs full of baking essentials from Rodelle. You’ll have to stock up on flour and butter, but this gift pack is full of vanilla beans, vanilla extract, Dutch process baking cocoa  and other essentials  that will get you set up for all of your holiday baking
To enter the contest, just leave a comment below and mention your favorite holiday treat – whether it is a pumpkin pie recipe that you’ve been baking for twenty years or a new sugar cookie recipe you just added to your repertoire. The contest ends Sunday at midnight (11/10/2013) and two winners will be randomly selected from the entries. Don’t forget to fill in your e-mail on the comment form (it will not be made public), as that is how I will contact the winner, and good luck!
Here are a few chocolate and vanilla recipes to kick start your holiday baking:
Update: Comments are now closed. Congrats to Alyssa and Amy on winning this giveaway! Thanks to everyone for participating!
Jewel Rhodes
November 5, 2013My family does a lot of cooking during the holidays with cakes and pies but my absolute fav is Gingerbread cake and sweet potato pie.
Stephanie
November 5, 2013I am a big big fan of sugar cookies at Christmas!! Nothing beats them! Well…maybe cinnamon rolls Christmas morning.
Jonathan
November 5, 2013Every holiday season we have peanut butter balls, fondly and widely referred to as buckeyes nearly everywhere outside of our household. They’re the kind of sweet you’d be perfectly fine having one or two of but always tend to enjoy too many of.
Margot C
November 5, 2013I have been making the most beautiful really basic lattice topped Apple Pies for the holidays for the last few years; Granny Smith Apples, Brown Sugar, the very best Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract that I can buy, Lemon (zest and some juice), Corn Starch plus a scraping of Vanilla Bean., but the real secret is to paint it delicately with Egg White and top with Large Crystal Decorating Sugar.
Marie
November 5, 2013How can you possibly have only one favourite… I use cocoa as much as possible!!.. love chocolate biscotti, Mexican chocolate bundt cake… getting hungry..I am fortunate to be able to bake with seniors in a care facility and boy do
they enjoy sweets.. they weren’t sure about the maple bacon muffins, or the beet chocolate cupcakes.. until they tasted them… adventures in baking… what’s better than that..
Paul
November 5, 2013I always make butter cookies in various sessonal shapes and decorate them. I also make a great pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.
grace
November 5, 2013saltine toffee, for sure. it’s so addictive!
Nish
November 5, 2013I love to make gluten free cookies and pies for my family
Heather K
November 6, 2013My Thanksgiving and Christmas specialties are cranberry sauce, rolls, and cranberry pinwheel cookies.
Steve2inLA
November 6, 2013New fav’s are Honey-Graham Biscotti dipped in Dark Chocolate.
Rachel
November 6, 2013We all love Banana split cake from Phili Cream Cheese.. Homemade chocolate chip cookies is a must have.. I am planning on trying to bake my gingerbread for my little house this year.
Hilary @ Getting Through Life
November 6, 2013My mom and I make a batch of cookies that is known in my family as Deer Hunting Cookies. They’re really an Oatmeal Date Filled cookie, and they are delicious!
Marki Beck
November 6, 2013This creation, while one of my newer flavors, has led to someone asking “will you marry me?” Its a chocolate whiskey bacon cupcake. A rich chocolate cake topped with whiskey buttercream, homemade caramel whiskey sauce and garnished with a piece of candied bacon. Yeah, I said candied bacon!
Patty
November 6, 2013Ginger spiced snicker doodles. Yum!
don
November 6, 2013I love cooking and just started baking. I already tried brownies, banana nut muffin, cornbread muffin among others. Looking forward to more recipes to do….
Tracy Aiken
November 6, 2013Peanut butter fudge – nothing like it – that is the holiday staple in the house!
Kat
November 6, 2013I am really itching to cook some good ol’ english muffins!
Marilyn
November 6, 2013Love pecan pie!
Christiana
November 6, 2013Any type of cookies!
julie
November 6, 2013Biscotti and scones are my go to treats right now. It goes well with coffee……lol
Brent
November 6, 2013An easy-to-bake cherry pie with the sugary goodness of canned cherry pie filling and a buttery crunchy topping.
Megan
November 6, 2013I love zucchini bread. My grandmother’s recipe is so good!
karen
November 6, 2013My favorite dessert this time of year is pumpkin cheesecake. My kids would argue that it is straight up pumpkin pie. They would be very upset if that was not part of the holiday menu.
Jen K.
November 6, 2013In the end, a good chocolate chip cookie is my staple. Sometimes I make them with oats for extra texture.
Zach
November 6, 2013My pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Yum.
Colleen L
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat is the homemade fudge that my Mom and I make together every year.
Elizabeth
November 6, 2013A blueberry buttermilk coffee cake that we love. A little unseasonal, but our definite favourite.
Patience
November 6, 2013Our family tradition is bishop’s bread, which my mother found in the Globe’s Confidential Chat back in the early 70’s.
sharon
November 6, 2013A new recipe for salted caramel frosted sugar cookies. Always on the liookout for a new cookie recipe,
Kellie
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treats are Hungarian apricot rolls.
Heidi
November 6, 2013My holiday favorite is peanut butter-Ritz cracker sandwiches dipped in white chocolate. It’s a sweet, salty, peanutty, crunchy combo that trips all my snack levers. YUM!
Franny
November 6, 2013I’m looking forward to cookies! (And decorating them)
Cassy
November 6, 2013Pumpkin bars with oatmeal cookie crust and loads of fresh whipped cream!
Eileen
November 6, 2013My mothers pecan pie. She always double the amount of nut and makes it soo good!
Katherine
November 6, 2013Hmm, all the lovely caramel varieties! I’ve just started making my own and I’m excited to add more variations to my repertoire.
Erin Greenfield
November 6, 2013Any and all Christmas cookies, truffles and fudge.
Theresa M.
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat is chocolate and peanut butter fudge – it’s a family recipe that has been passed down and we make several batches every year to hand out as gifts!
Brenda G
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat has to be fudge. I can’t wait until time to make my first batch.
Jenny
November 6, 2013Warm and gooey cinnamon buns. Just made a big batch to share with friends!
Christy S.
November 6, 2013Every year I make my mom’s holiday fruit bar recipe. With dates, walnuts and candied cherries, then rolled in sugar, how can you go wrong?
Julie
November 6, 2013Spicy gingerbread is my favorite homemade fall treat, but my kids prefer decorated cut-out cookies. Last year, I baked the choc-spice cookies from the Jerusalem cookbook and can’t wait to make them again.
mrsblocko
November 6, 2013my favorite thing to eat over the holidays are Russian Teacakes/Mexican wedding cakes.
April
November 6, 2013I love making and decorating sugar cookies this time of year.
Heather Hatton
November 6, 2013Making gingerbread cookies from the recipe card that my mother wrote out for me when I moved in to my first apartment always makes it feel like Christmas.
Tommy
November 6, 2013I love candy cane cookies. My family’s been making them forever!
Amy F
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat is Peppermint Bark!! MMM!
Cee
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat is gingerbread. I love a really molasses-heavy bread!
Talina
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat to make is Shortbread Cookies.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Bakingyummies
November 6, 2013My favorite holiday treat is the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie made with dark chocolate chunks.
Sarah
November 6, 2013I’m planning on doing my cranberry apple pie, and at some point, some delicious holiday cookies, probably spritz!