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Even if you are not big on baking, Christmas is the time to bring out the seasonal bakeware and fill your home with heavenly aromas of gingerbread and vanilla cookies, chocolate brownies, and other cinnamon flavored treats.
This year, why not do something different and flavor your delicious holiday treats using seasonal essential oils.
Essential oils are mostly used in DIY projects for the aromas, such as homemade scented candles, diffuser blends, home sprays and various spa items such as bath bombs or bath salts.
But did you know that you could also use some essential oils to add flavor and taste in your cooking?
Of course, when using essential oils in edible items, you must be particularly careful to use only food-grade, pure essential oils. Read the label carefully before you use.
These are just a few classic holiday treats you can make with select seasonal essential oils.
Brownies with Peppermint Essential Oil
The first treat idea for the holidays is really simple to make and starts with your favorite brownie recipe and a classic seasonal scent – peppermint.
Brownies are a favorite any time of the year but if you want to transform your regular brownies into a treat that is perfect for the holiday season, all you need to do is add a few drops of peppermint essential oil into the mix before putting it into the oven.
Remember whenever you are adding any essential oil to a recipe, start small. Pure essential oil has a very powerful aroma and a few drops are all you need to flavor your dish.
If you add too much, the aromas may be too overpowering. It is best to start with just a few drops, mix the brownie batter and put it in the oven to bake.
If you don’t get the taste of peppermint, add a few more drops in your next batch.
Cinnamon Baked Goodies
Cinnamon is another classic holiday scent. You can add a few drops of cinnamon essential oil into your cookie mix to make delicious, cinnamon-scented Christmas cookies.
Like all essential oils, cinnamon oil is great alone or as a blend. You can bake a whole batch of cookies, cupcakes, and scones using cinnamon as a primary oil for both scent and flavor.
While cinnamon is great on its own, it also blends beautifully with several other flavors, especially nutmeg, vanilla, orange, and lemon.
If you prefer variety, you can bake batches of treats using a combination of cinnamon with any of the other oils.
A Variety of Treats Using Fruity and Spicy Aromas
Fruity and spicy are the two popular aroma families during the holiday season. Read more about essential oils and their aroma families here.
The popular fruity oils during this season are sweet orange, lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot.
Spicy oils include cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.
Combine these oils and add a drop of your fruity-spicy blend to your regular recipes and in an instant, you have some delicious and festive snacks.
A blend of cinnamon and sweet orange or nutmeg and grapefruit will add a festive flavor to any baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and muffins.
You can also combine the oils to make your own cider or fruit punch during a holiday meal.
Experiment with different essential oils to get their scents and flavors into your holiday treats. From Christmas sugar cookies and brownies to more decadent desserts, there are numerous variations you can try when using essential oils.
The added bonus of using essential oils to flavor your holiday treats is that you also get the therapeutic benefits of the oils.
Remember for flavor, you only need a very small amount. These oils are even stronger than your pure extracts, so a few drops are really all you need.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult your physician before using essential oils. See Full Disclaimer here.
