It is probably the best time of the year right now and I couldn't be more excited. One of my favorite things to do around the holiday season is to bake, however I never really know what to make. I decided to ask around about different holiday desserts and got some suggestions and recipes in return. I figured I'd share these recipes because they're just too irresistible!

Peanut Butter Blossoms: My all time favorite Christmas cookie.

*Contains Peanuts*

1 cup shortening

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3.5 cups of all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

2 bags of Hershey kisses

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

2) In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and stir in the milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

3) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from oven, and immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie. Allow to cool completely; the kiss will harden as it cools.

"Heaven in a Bowl": A favorite courtesy of my sorority sister, and G-Big, Kristen.

*Contains Peanuts

1 fudge brownie mix

2 packs of mini peanut butter cups

4 cups cold 2% milk

2 packs instant vanilla pudding

1 cup peanut butter

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cartons of frozen whipped topping

1) Prepare brownie batter as directed and baked in greased 13x9 pan at 350 degrees Fahrenheit 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack and cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

2) Cut peanut butter cups in half and set aside.

3) In a large bowl, whisk milk, pudding for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well.

4) Fold in 1-1/2 cartons of whipped topping. Place 1/3 of the brownies in a large bowl. Top with peanut butter cups and then 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers 3 more times.

Peanut Butter Balls: A favorite courtesy of my sorority sister Paige.

*Contains peanuts

Peanut Butter

Chocolate

1) Freeze balls of peanut butter at 1" thick. You can make as many as you like depending on how much peanut butter you have.

2) Melt as much chocolate as needed, depending on how many peanut butter balls you have made.

3) Dip frozen peanut butter into chocolate and set aside to cool.

Butter Spritz Cookies: A family favorite and a Christmas Tradition.

2.5 cups all purposed flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1.25 cups confectioners' sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.

2) In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolks, and extracts. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients. Fill a cookie press with dough and shoot cookies about 1-1.5 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3) Bake for 6-8 minutes.

Other favorites for the holiday season included chocolate pretzels, apple pie, gingerbread men, and sugar cookies. If you don't feel like baking from scratch, Pillsbury makes those amazing cookies with the snowmen and Christmas trees on them, and most supermarket bakeries carry the sugar cookies with frosting. Trust me, they're worth the buy!