Bake your pick: A stunning wreath, a smashing sleigh - or nutty, decadent, doable treats

for the holidays

Gingerbread Straws

Makes 56 cookies

These crisp cookies are long on flavor, with a friendly calorie count. A pastry wheel with a fluted edge will help make pretty and even sticks.

The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or wrapped well and frozen for up to 1 month. The baked straws can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

33/4 cups flour, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup water

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted

butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar, preferably coarse, for sprinkling

Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Combine the molasses and water in a liquid measuring cup.

Combine the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand-held mixer; beat on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the molasses-water mixture; scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture in increments, until a stiff dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add up to 1/4 cup flour; mix well.

Divide the dough into quarters and form each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle; each portion fits nicely in a pint-size resealable plastic food storage bag. Or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until fairly firm. (At this point, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

When ready to bake, position the oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Liberally flour the work surface. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough out to a 9-by-7-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar, using the rolling pin to press the sugar into the dough. Use a pastry wheel, preferably with a fluted edge, to cut the dough into 14 sticks that are a generous 1/2 inch wide and 7 inches long. Place them about 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 3 portions of dough. Make sure to dust off any visible flour from the surface of the unbaked cookies.

Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until the straws are fragrant and crisp. Transfer the straws to a wire rack to cool completely.

Per cookie: 80 calories, 1 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber

Source: Adapted from Pam Anderson's "The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great'' (Houghton Mifflin, 2008).

Brandy Snaps

Makes 12 to 18 cookies

To make these Brandy Snaps, you'll need to have ready 2 or 3 rounded handles about 3/4 inch wide (we used the handles of a wooden meat mallet and wire whisks).

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The batter should not be refrigerated or frozen. Adapted from "Martha Stewart's Cookies'' (Clarkson Potter, 2008).

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup golden syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Whisk together the flour and ginger in a small bowl.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and golden syrup; cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour-ginger mixture.

Working fairly quickly to keep the mix from stiffening, spoon 6 level tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart (the cookies will spread quite a bit). Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the sheet front to back and bake for 5 minutes. The cookies will be flat and golden brown.

Transfer the baking sheet to the stove top (off the heat but in a warm place). Let the cookies rest for 2 minutes, until they are firm but flexible; then, working with one or two at a time, wrap the cookies around a handle to form a tubular shape and transfer to a wire rack to set; this should take about 1 minute. When the cookies are crisp, the handles can be extracted. Let the cookies cool completely before storing.

Repeat with the remaining batter. Store the molded cookies in an airtight container to maintain their crispness.

Per cookie (based on 18): 68 calories, 0 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber

Cookie storage

Store or ship baked and decorated cookies with a small packet of food-safe silica gel, which will help retard moisture.

The packets can be purchased online, or you can reuse the ones found in several packaged food products. (Do not use gel packets found in non-food packages.)

The gel packs can be restored for reuse by placing them on a baking sheet and baking them in a 170-degree oven for 15 minutes.