14 Chrissie Bikkie Baking Hacks

Ran out of frosting? Don’t waste time and money running to the store.

Marshmallows, if you have them handy, make a creative and easy icing fix.

Dip one side of your marshmallows (mini ones work best) in water so they don’t slide off, then plop a few on each cookie when they have three to five minutes left to bake.

Once they start to melt but aren’t too runny, take the cookies out and spread your “homemade” frosting with a spoon.

Make sure the marshmallows don’t turn brown, or else they won’t spread easily.

Using store-bought cookie dough to make Christmas cookies isn’t cheating if you add a personal touch.

Take pre-made sugar cookie dough and let it soften.

Then, sprinkle in any flavour you’re craving: cinnamon, orange zest, almond extract, vanilla extract, nuts, pure peppermint extract, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips.

Your guests will never know the difference.

The easiest way to take an ordinary cookie and make it instantly more appealing?

Dip it in chocolate.

This hack works with any type of cookie you make because, well, it’s chocolate. Add a dash of peppermint extract to give your dip a hint of Christmas.

Cousin Nancy wants cookies; Aunt Lorraine wants pie, but you certainly don’t have time to make both.

Making pie crust takes a lot of time and patience, so store-bought cookie dough can be swapped in for an easier alternative.

Simply press the softened dough into a pie dish, bake it, then add your favourite no-bake fillings like cream or fruit.

If your recipe calls for a cup of buttermilk or sour cream—but they’re nowhere to be found in your fridge—take 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, then add enough milk to equal 1 cup.

No one likes a dry, hard cookie (especially not Santa Claus).

To ensure maximum cookie freshness, store them in a container with a slice of white bread, half of an apple, or an orange peel.

The cookies will absorb that moisture, keeping them softer longer.

Wine and liquor bottles make great substitutes for rolling pins.

Just wipe them down, dry them completely, and cover them in flour like you would a normal rolling pin.

You can also wrap the bottle in parchment paper to be extra sanitary.

Many Christmas cookie recipes call for ingredients like honey, syrup, or molasses.

An easy fix to a sticky measurement mess is spraying the measuring cups with a non-stick spray first.

You’ll get more accurate measurements, and cleaning up will be a breeze.

Scooping flour directly from a bag can leave you with inaccurate measurements. Instead, spoon your flour into a dry measuring cup and scrape any excess off with a knife.

If you ever find yourself short on chocolate, try this alternative. For every 1 ounce you need, substitute 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of shortening or vegetable oil.