We held a Christmas baking competition! - 59 recipes
Members entered the recipes they baked over the holiday season to win one of three retro-style kitchen appliances!
1st prize was a beautiful blue De'Longhi espresso maker, 2nd prize, a raspberry red Kenwood hand mixer for future bakes and cakes and 3rd prize, cream Salter baking scales to never fail a recipe again! See the winning recipes!
Chef Tips and Tricks
In this video, we show you the best way to trim and tie a roast, all by yourself! You don't need the butcher or supermarket to do it for you when it's so easy to do it at home.
Top Recipe
Vanilla Cookies Dipped In Chocolate - Little Hearts
By agrawal.shweta.n, Merry Tummy

Details
Level of difficulty Average
Preparation time 10
Cooking time 10
Cost Average budget
- For Cookies
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups self rising flour
- For Chocolate Layer
- 200 grams of dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Some sprinkles (optional)
I used heart shaped cookie cutter and then dipped them in liquid chocolate
Top rated Christmas baking competition recipes
The most authentic Christmas Cake

By vaishsengupta, Of Cloves and Capers
THe no need to make ahead Christmas cake recipe
- 12oz/340g Plain flour
- 1tsp/5ml Cinnamon Powder
- 1tsp/5ml Ground Mixed Spice or Pumpkin Spice or Garam Masala
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
- 1lb/900g of dried soft fruit. I use the following mix, as an example:
- 1lb/450g Currants
- 8oz/225g Raisins
- 8oz/225g Sultanas
- Chopped apricots or dried pineapple also work
- 4oz/115g Glace Cherries
- 4oz/115g Candied Peel or Italian Mixed Peel
- 4oz/115g Blanched Almonds
- 4 medium eggs
- 5tbsp/100ml Sherry/Brandy/Port/Scotch
- 8oz/225g Butter
- 8oz/225g Sugar - caster or preferably demerara
- 1tbsp molasses or dark treacle
Gingerbread Cupcakes

By h_fisher
The perfect little sweet treat, flavoured with my favourite Christmas spice: ginger
- For the cupcakes:
- 140g Butter, softened
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 60g Black Treacle
- 60g Golden Syrup
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Large Egg Yolks
- 310g Plain Flour
- 1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 240ml Hot Milk
- For the icing:
- 600g Icing Sugar
- 100g Butter, softened
- 250g Full-Fat Cream Cheese (Philadelphia works best for me)
- 1 Tsp Lemon Zest
Spiced currant & walnut biscotti

By michabedford, chezgaycountrykitchen
A crunchy biscuit full of Christmas flavours, perfect with you Christmas morning coffee
- 120g melted butter
- 120g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 220g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves
- 100g dried currants
- 100g chopped walnuts
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
Seasonal flapjacks

By michabedford, chezgaycountrykitchen
A tasty quick recipe full of oats and sweetness
- 120g oats
- 100g hazelnuts
- 10 tbsp honey
- 100g butter
- 50g dried cranberries
Christmas Shortbread

By ashley_cv2004
A Scottish shortbread biscuit recipe, rich and crumby
- 125g butter
- 50g caster sugar
- 100g plain flour
- 50g cornflour
Alcohol and Preservative Free FruitCake

By shaziawahid, Cutchi Kitchen
Fruit cake is one of my favourites but as my religion does not permit alcohol - I had to adapt and come up with an
- Raisins - 1 cup Sultanas - 1 cup Other dried fruit - 2 cups (I used prunes, apricots, cranberries, figs)
- Almonds - 1 cup (toasted and roughly chopped)
- Plain Flour - 1 3/4 cups
- Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Light Brown Soft Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Eggs - 2
- Softened Butter - 1/2 cup
- Apple Juice - 1 cup
- Orange Juice - 1 cup
- Clove buds - 4 (ground)
- Mixed Spice Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Ground Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon
- Ground Ginger - 1 teaspoon
- Ground Nutmeg - 1/2 teaspoon
- Vanilla - 1 teaspoon
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Zest of 1 Orange
- Salt - 1 teaspoon
- Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon
- To make the lemon and orange peel:
- Lemon - 1
- Orange - 1
- Water - 1/3 cup
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
Millionaire Chocolate ball Shortbread

By Vick11, Foodie
This shortbread biscuits are rich and crispy cover with caramel and chocolate and top with chocolate ball
- For the shortbread base :
- 200g plain flour
- 100g butter
- 50g caster sugar
- For caramel filling:
- 50g butter
- 50g soft brown sugar
- 200g condensed milk
- For the topping:
- 150 milk chocolate
- 1 large bag of chocolate balls
Boxing Day Stromboli

By h_fisher
The perfect way to use up all your left over meats and cheeses at Christmas!
- 500g Strong White Flour
- 7g Sachet Fast-Action Dried Yeast
- 1 Tsp Salt
- Up to 350ml Lukewarm Water
- 200g Smoked Cheese (any other cheese will work well too)
- 320g Cooked Smoked Ham/Gammon
Swedish almond cake

By michabedford, chezgaycountrykitchen
A buttery, nutty cake from Sweden at Christmas time
- Cake:
- 3 eggs
- 150g caster sugar
- 150g plain flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp milk
- 75g melted butter (plus a little extra for greasing)
- Topping:
- 50g butter
- 100g flaked almonds
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 tsp plain flour
- 3 tbsp cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 9" baking tin
Christmas Manchester Tart

By ashley_cv2004
Tarts filled with raspberry jam and custard, top with coconut
- 1 packet short crust pastry
- 3 tablespoon raspberry jam
- 500ml milk
- 3 tablespoon custard powder
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon desiccated coconut
Similar Christmas baking competition recipe collections
More Christmas baking competition recipes
-
Christmas Cranberry Bread and...
- 4 slices white bread
- 25g/1oz butter
- 25g /1oz dried cranberries
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 200ml milk
- 50ml double cream
- 2 free-range eggs (beaten)
- 25 g/1oz sugar
-
coffee walnut cake
- 8 0z/200 gr butter/sunflower spread
- 8oz 200gr caster sugar or light brown sugar
- 80z self raising flour and tsp baking flour sieved
- 2 teaspoon gold blendexpresso goodcoffee in hot water made and cooled
- 4 large FR eggs
- small amount milk/warm water if mixture stiff
- chopped walnuts in mixture if like keep half walnuts to decorate top
- icing sugar 2 oz butter for butter icing and spoon coffee again
-
Snowy owl biscuits (perfect as...
- For the biscuits:
- 125g slightly salted butter, softened
- 125g caster sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g plain flour
- For the decoration:
- 100g packet of whole blanched almonds
- 100g packet of flaked almonds, toasted
- 126 g packet of giant white chocolate buttons
- 20g packet standard-sized white chocolate buttons
- 50g dark chocolate chips
- gold edible glitter (optional)
- icing sugar, for dusting
- fine string, for hanging the biscuits
-
Unplanned Chocolate Cake
- All purpose flour - 1 ¼ cup
- Cocoa powder(Unsweetened) - 3 tablespoon
- Baking powder - 2 teaspoon
- Sugar - 1 cup
- Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoon
- Milk/Water – ½ cup
- Vegetable oil- ½ cup
- Eggs – 2
- Icing sugar-1 tablespoon
-
Cranberry and White Chocolate...
- 250g Butter
- 200g Golden Syrup
- 100g Soft Brown Sugar
- 250g Rolled Porridge Oats
- 100g Plain Flour
- 150g Dried Cranberries, chopped up
- 75g White Chocolate, chopped into small chunks
- For decoration:
- 50g White Chocolate
-
Festive Spiced Biscuits
- 180gm Unsalted Butter (softened to room temperature)
- 105gm Plain Flour
- 75gm Self Raising Flour
- 75gm Whole Wheat Flour
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- 1tsp Cinnamon
- 1tsp Mixed Spice
- 3/8 tsp Salt
- 75gm Soft Brown Sugar
- 60gm Castor Sugar
- 1 tsp Honey
- Icing Sugar for dusting
-
Cherry Berry Christmas Cake
- 1 cup strong Jasmine flower tea
- 50g dried cranberries
- 50g Goji berries
- 50g glace’ cherries
- 50g raisins
- 25g candied peel
- 175g butter
- 175g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 250g SR flour
- Rind of 1 lemon
- 1 teasp. mixed spice
- 1 teasp. essence of rose water
-
Coconut Cake with Cream Rice...
- 1 tin coconut cream, 25g/ 1oz pudding rice, 50g/2oz caster sugar, 25g/1oz toasted almond
- 150g/6oz butter,150g /6oz caster sugar, 3 eggs,
- 200g/8oz self raising flour, 50g/2oz desiccated coconut
- 5 tabsp. coconut cream
-
Luxury Mince pies
- 350g ready to roll short crust pastry
- 1 jar luxury minced meat
- icing sugar for dusting
-
Chocolate Orange Cookies
- 50g Butter, softened
- 225g Dark Chocolate
- 2 Eggs
- 170g Soft Light Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp Orange Juice
- 85g Plain Flour
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- Zest of 1 Large Orange
-
Christmas fruit and spiced...
- For the cake
- 150g mixed dried fruits
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 225g self raising flour
- 400g dark muscovado sugar
- 150g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 220g unsalted butter
- 4 eggs
- 300ml warm water
- 300ml evaporated milk
- For the drizzle
- 100g dark muscovado sugar
- 125ml water
- 125g dark chocolate
- 45ml whiskey
-
Festive Biscotti
- i.2 cups of flour
- ii. 3/4th cup of granulated white sugar
- iii. 1 teaspoon baking powder
- iv. A pinch of salt
- v. Half a cup of roasted almonds, roughly chopped
- vi. Half a cup of raisins soaked in a half a cup of rum (ideally you should be using dark rum, I used white rum)
- vii. A tea spoon of orange zest
- viii. Half a tea spoon of cinnamon powder
- ix. 3 eggs
Any burning questions? Ask our chefs below!