'Heartwarming' holiday treats and sweets from P.E.I. bakers

Running out of ideas for your Christmas potluck? Need to whip something together for family and friends?

• 4 ways to get the most out of your holiday cooking
• 3 festive cookie recipes that belong at the top of your holiday baking list

CBCasked someIsland bakers for their festive favourites.

From cookies to peanut butter balls and leftover-stuffed handpies,here's their cheat-sheet of seasonal essentials.

Got leftovers? Stuff them into a handpie

Sarah Bennetto O'Brien, chef and owner of The Handpie Company in Borden-Carleton, P.E.I.,stayed late at her shop, concoctinga new breed of handpie for CBC to share.

Most of the flakyChristmas pastry will justrequire ingredients from around the house and, of course, yourholiday-dinner leftovers.

What you'll need

Dough Recipe:

• 1 cup ADL butter (frozen).
• 3 cupsall-purpose flour.
• 1.5 teaspoonstable salt.
• 1 cup very cold water (adjust as necessary for a dough that just barely comes together).

Filling:

• Use what you have leftover from your holiday dinner celebrations!
• You'll need a total of about 3 cups of filling.
• 1.5 cups shredded roasted meat turkey, chicken, ham, etc.
• 1 cup mashed potatoes can include some well-cooked mixed vegetables.
• cup cold gravy.
• cup cranberry sauce or mustard pickle.

Click here for the full how-to recipe.

In the end you'll have a "portable Christmas dinner of heartwarming proportions," saidBennettoO'Brien.

Scotch Cookies

Marlene Miles-Wood of the Seaside Bakery inSouris, P.E.I., is up to her elbows in work this holiday season, but that didn't stopher from dishing on a Christmas classic.

Scotch cookies are a staple holiday treatand Miles-Woodshared a recipe so people can whip together their own cookies this season.

Instructions

Start with twocups of buttersoftened or whipped, then add onecup of icing sugar. Mix in a half cup of corn starch with oneteaspoonof vanilla and gradually add threecups of flour.

Pack the mixture intosmall balls, press with gently with a forkand bake themat 350 degrees for sevenminutes.

Cool, then decorate with a dab of icing and candied cherry andvoila! Aquick batch of scotch cookies.

'Very popular' Linzer cookies

Ever had some Germanic sweets?

Angelika's Bakery recommends trying Linzercookies,aAustrian treat that's a favourite in Germany.

• CBC'sbest recipes ever:LinzerCookies recipe

Linzercookies are most popular in Germany around Christmas,said owner Angelika Reich, but since Canadians are wild for sweetsshemakes themyear-roundin her bakery in Hunter River, P.E.I.

"[Germans]don't eat that many cookies throughout the year, but here in Canada everybody really loves cookies all year," Reich said.

"They're very popular ... Canadians are cookie lovers."

Click here fora fullLinzercookie recipe.

More treats meant for the holiday season

For more ideas on quick snacks throughout the holidays, Bill DeBlois, owner of Buns andThings in Charlottetown, has a few suggestions.

"Christmas is a special time for bakerytreats," DeBlois said.

Gingerbread peopleand sugar cookies are an easy way to"enjoy the fun of decorating," he adds.

Peanut butter balls are also another quick treat to make during the holidays.

Recipe: Frozen Peanut Butter Balls

But if you're craving moretough-to-makeitems, some of the tastiest, most popular itemsBuns and Things sells arefruitcakes andplum puddings, Debloissaid.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Empty appointment slots worry Canadian Blood Services
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Whistleblowers need arms-length protection, says Opposition