Gift with Love this Holiday Season with #BecelAd #BakewithHeart

This post has been sponsored by Becel

I live in a small community in rural Canada. A town where everyone knows everyone, even if to just wave hi as they walk by. The community feeling I experience here is like nothing I have ever been around before. People still go to their neighbour for a cup of milk here. When someone is in need, we all rally together and do what we can to help them. The holidays are a magical time for many, but here I see the (kind of) love and support (remove – given to many that) you usually only see in the movies. A few people on my street are widows, elderly, or just not in a position to spend a lot of money over the holidays. I want to put a smile on their faces and let them know they are cared for and loved. So this holiday season I am making up treat plates for my friends and neighbours. I am going to gift with love this holiday season and Becel makes that so easy to do. As an added bonus, a recent survey conducted by Becel found 3 out of 4 Canadians agree that DIY gifts are more thoughtful than their store-bought counterparts.

The other night I enlisted my youngest to help me get baking in preparation for our gift giving.

 

chocolate-cookies-stirred

We whipped up a few batches of the Becel Anything Goes Cookie Dough recipe (recipe below) then added a variety of items to make the cookies. This yummy cookie dough is fully customizable and so easy to make.

becel

Becel Anything Goes Cookie Dough

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (550 mL) all­ purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. (5 mL) baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt
  • 1 cup (250 mL) Becel® Buttery Taste margarine* or Becel® Original margarine
  • 1 cup (250 mL) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1 Preheat oven to 375°F (190° C). Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Step 2 Beat Becel® Buttery Taste margarine with sugars in large bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla until blended. Gradually add in flour mixture; beat just until blended. Add your choice of mix in’s (i.e. chocolate chip, dried fruit, seeds, toffee bits, etc.). Drop by tablespoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets, 2­in. (5 cm) apart.

Step 3 Bake 7 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool 2 minutes on wire rack; remove cookies from sheets and cool completely.

For variations you can see a great selection at www.becel.ca

cookie-balls

One batch we did not add anything as my daughter is a bit fussy. Another we added mini M&Ms to the mix, then candy cane to the third and cranberries, cocoa and chocolate chunks to the last. They all turned out amazing!

becel-cookies

I am doing up small platters as well as gifting some in jars made up with ribbons and tags.

anything-goes-cookies-in-a-jar

I hope this small gesture will show the members of my community they are not forgotten this holiday season. I still have some more baking to do to add to the gifts. I am thinking of doing some squares. The great thing about Becel is you can add it to any recipe. Becel margarine can replace butter 1:1 in any of your favourite holiday baking recipes for an alternative, that is ready to use straight from the fridge!

candy-cane-cookies

Head on over to Becel and tell me below what cookie recipe you would like to make this holiday season

Comments

  1. I’ve been using real butter lately because I prefer the taste. I’ll have to try this and see how it compares!

  2. I love making cookies over the holidays. These look very tasty.

  3. Those cookies look great. I’ve been looking for a new butter alternative. I’ll have to give this a try.

  4. I never knew you could bake with margarine. I am a butter girl and usually use unsalted sticks.

  5. I can’t wait to try it! I’ve never used an alternative when I bake!

  6. This looks like a great alternative for butter. I haven’t ever tried anything but butter. I’ll need to try this the next time I bake.

  7. That would be a wonderful gift! I love the idea of this! I think we will do this for my son’s teacher.

  8. I have baked with butter for years. My hubby prefers margarine for things like pasta.

  9. These look yummy. I love baking things for my neighbors, and will definitely have to try these.

  10. These cookies look so delicious. I am excited to do all out Christmas baking this weekend.

  11. I love cookies-in-a-jar for Christmas gifts! Thanks for sharing.

  12. This is definitely a must try! I am looking for more cookie inspiration for holiday treats. Thank you for sharing!

  13. What great gift ideas! Anyone would love to receive a sweet treat! Great job!

  14. Jocelyn Brown says

    I will make this one and taste it! I like cookies so much. I hope i had this one right now.

  15. The chocolate peppermint spiral cookies look delicious, can’t wait to try them.

  16. Giving homemade cookies to your neighbours is such a wonderful idea. I love that you can take this base recipe and customize it to suit the occasion!

  17. I am such a little cookie monster so this is making me want some freshly baked cookies and a glass of milk! I love getting cookies around the holiday, well okay, any day works for me.

  18. I love small town communities. We have fantastic neighbours where we live. We usually exchange cookies every year.

  19. Everyone loves homemade gifts. What a thoughtful thing to do for your neighbours. These cookies look delicious.

  20. Love living in a small town also. We might have to take this idea for the cookie gifts and use it also.

  21. Yum these all look so great! We love Becel. Would love to participate in a cookie exchange, how fun!

  22. I too am a butter girl and will have to try this out this season and see what everyone thinks

  23. I love the idea of adding candy cane pieces to cookies! I’m wondering though, did they make the whole cookie taste minty or was it just a little bit extra oomph?

  24. Elizabeth O says

    Home made cookies make a great holiday gift and are consumed quickly. I’m giving them out this season too

  25. These cookies sound delicious. Baking is one of my favorite things about the holidays.

  26. Teresa A Lavigueur says

    I have made these cookies and they are absolutely yummy. Very easy to make. I’m going to make these cookies for a group of (mostly senior called) at my Library called Youngsters of Yore. This program meets every Thursday afternoon.

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