To me, cinnamon is the scent of the holidays. If I can bake anything with cinnamon in it, I will- merely for the amazing aroma it creates in my home (given that I don’t burn the item in question- burnt cinnamon doesn’t smell so wonderful).
Here are two super easy snacks that I whipped up this week and one craft that your kids won’t die from if they eat it accidentally. One snack is healthy, the other is indulgent but makes a great gift. I made all of these last week because I went on a pre-apocalyptic Costco shopping trip where I purchased an orchard full of late season apples and more nuts than…ok, I could make a bad joke here, but I will refrain. Just bought a lot of nuts.
SNACK: Apple Cinnamon Chips
Yep. That’s it. Three simple ingredients, and I had to get lazy and use Williams-Sonoma Cinnamon Toast Sugar. I received it as a gift, so I have an excuse. Just make your own!
Ingredients
3 medium apples (your favorite type; I used Gala)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat oven to 225F. Slice apples SUPER thin (the thinner they are, the faster they cook). I took out the seeds and core from each slice with a quick cut.
Place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with mixture of cinnamon sugar.
Bake for approx. 2 hours and flip once half way through. You do need to keep an eye on these- thicker cuts cook slower, thinner cook quicker. I checked on mine every 15 minutes towards the end, and took them out when they were crispy.
CRAFT: Cinnamon Ornaments
Ingredients:
3/4 cup applesauce
Approx. 4 oz cinnamon
Preheat oven to 200F. Mix applesauce and cinnamon in a bowl until it forms a ball.
Roll ball between two sheets of plastic wrap with a roller; roll to about 1/3 inch thickness.
Cut dough with cookie cutters and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
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Once they are all on your baking sheet, use a straw to poke a hole near the top.
Bake 2.5 hours and cool on a wire rack OR let dry at room temperature for a few days. String dried ornaments with decorative ribbon. I let my son decorate the dried ornaments with glitter glue. These make great gifts to give relatives from your kids- they smell awesome for years!
GIFT: Cinnamon Sugar Almonds
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 tsp cold water
4 cups almonds
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 250F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg white in a large bowl and add water; beat until frothy. Add nuts and stir until well coated.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour into bowl; mix to coat. Pour onto baking sheets and bake for approx. 1 hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes. When they turn golden, they are done! (Make sure to check on them frequently during the last 10 minutes or so; they can burn easily). Pop a cup of them in a celo bag and tie with ribbon for gift giving; store the rest in an airtight container.
ENJOY and Happy Holidays!
