Every year I make chocolate cookie and candy trays for friends and relatives. These always make great gifts. I purchase large holiday plates or trays. Many times I buy pretty platters at the end of the holiday season on sale and save for next year. After piling on cookies and candies I wrap the plate in cellophane and tie with a festive ribbon.

This is time consuming and a lot of work. I usually start baking soon after Thanksgiving and freeze the cookies. Only cookies can be frozen. Freezing is not an option for candy. I stick to cookies and candy that are sturdy. Fragile cookies and candy run the risk of breaking. My go to holiday cookie is biscotti and drop cookies. You can make so many variations. They are easy to make, freeze well, and are durable cookies. I also love making holiday chocolate bark candy, as well as chocolate covered Oreos. Chocolate bark is another special treat that can be made in so many combinations.

Here are some of my favorite holiday recipes to include in your chocolate holiday baking:

Chocolate Biscotti Recipe
White Chocolate Chip Chewy Ginger Cookie Recipe
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Special Occasion Chocolate Covered Oreos Recipe

Cookie trays are sweet gifts when delivering in person. If shipping to a loved one cookie tins or boxes are great ways to keep treats safe. When mailing chocolate keep the following in mind:

•Use bubble wrap, newspaper or shipping peanuts in between your cookie and candy containers. I save the bubble wrap and peanuts from packages I receive throughout the year.
•Indicate on the shipping box that the contents are food and perishable.
•Only ship cookies or candies that do not need to be refrigerated and that are not fragile.
•Make sure to mail in plenty of time since this is the busiest time of year for packages.

Enjoy and sweeten the soul with chocolate!