6 Best Essential Oils for Holiday Baking

Baking with essential oils is a great way to spice up your cooking routine. So let’s dig into our favorite essential oils for baking and how you can use them in your holiday treats!

There are a few reasons that we particularly love essential oils instead of other alternatives:

• Young Living essential oils do not have an expiration date. On the other hand, last week I threw away 6 bottles of various spices and herbs from my cupboard that had passed their expiration date. What a waste!
• Essential oils can add the flavor that you’re seeking without altering the color or consistency of baked goods. For example, cinnamon bark essential oil is perfectly clear and doesn’t turn your cookies or muffins solid brown like ground cinnamon does.
• Baking with essential oils is better than using extracts. Lemon and peppermint extracts, for example, are made with alcohol. This often changes the flavor of you goodies. Why add alcohol to your baked goods when you can use just a few drops of pure essential oils?

Make sure to follow these basic safety and usage tips when cooking with essential oils:

• Only use therapeutic grade essential oils labeled for internal use.  This is the only kind that are safe to ingest.
• Use glass or stainless steel bowls and accessories. Citrus oils can destroy plastic and other petroleum products.
• Keep your essential oils stored properly in your kitchen.
• Measure your oils over an empty bowl so you don’t accidentally add too many drops to the recipe.
• Sometimes just a toothpick swirl of essential oil is enough to make a huge impact.  Just dip a clean, dry toothpick into the essential oil bottle.  Remove the toothpick and swirl it around in the batter or mixture that you’re wanting to flavor.  Try this with especially strong oils like clove (or oregano in savory recipes).
• Make sure to be careful with your oils. If your kids usually help you cook or bake, then please keep the oils out of reach. Teach kids to never touch the bottles.

6 Best Essential Oils for Holiday Baking

Lemon Essential Oil

• Add to fruit pies and tarts to add a brightness and sunshiny flavor!
• Throw together a simple lemon glaze for cakes and quick breads by mixing Lemon EO with powdered sugar.

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

• Add a few drops for a delightfully warm chocolate cake. Just like how coffee brings out the deliciousness of chocolate, so does cinnamon!
• Add to sweet potato pie or baked apples for a punch your friends and family will love!

Clove Essential Oil

• A toothpick swirl in your pecan pie will make it pop!
• Perfect for spice cake or pumpkin bread.

Ginger Essential Oil

• Add to your best apple pie recipe for a pop of yum.
• Yes! Just in time for deliciously chewy ginger cookies.

Nutmeg Essential Oil

• Stir into bran muffins or buttermilk pie.
• Add for amazing flavor in your best french toast or waffle recipe.

Peppermint Essential Oil

• Add a few drops to chocolate muffins or brownies for a flavor explosion!
• Amp up your fudge and candy recipes with essential oil instead of extracts.

Have some delicious fun with your essential oils this holiday!  What essentially oily treats will you whip up?