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Now that it’s socially acceptable to talk Christmas, I can finally tell you how excited I am for Christmas this year. ???

So much so, that I’ve been baking like crazy and bringing my holiday goods to work, trying to get everybody else as excited as me!

We all went through a lot at work recently, so I figured we need some cheering up. And what better way to send your problems away than eating a lot of delicious cookies? ?

The number 1 crowd-pleaser so far? These festive Swiss Chocolate Spice Cookies, or Basler Brunsli in German. They are very popular in Switzerland during the Christmas season and are often described as Swiss brownies because of their chewy texture.

The scent (and taste) of the cinnamon and cloves is what makes them christmasy. They taste a little like gingerbread, but also nutty and chocolate-y. Oh, and they are naturally gluten free! (But don’t worry, they still taste as indulgent as any other Christmas cookie! As they should always be.)

Christmas last year was pretty rough. With me ending up in the ER every other day because of my sciatica, plus Lola eating a whole box of raisins (when me and Tim were out in the ER) and having to be admitted into a vet hospital for 2 whole days, there was not a whole lot to celebrate. We stayed home and Skyped with my family, who were in Brazil ’cause they couldn’t afford a trip to the U.S. ?

The blog, consequently, suffered a lot, as I didn’t have the energy or the motivation to make all the amazing Christmas recipes I had planned on sharing.

So this year, to make up for it, I’m holding on to every little tradition and old-fashioned Christmas magic as much I can.

Tim and I are flying down to Brazil to be with my family, and I already told my Grinch of a mom that I won’t tolerate a Christmas without a Christmas tree. So she is annoyed that she now has to buy – or borrow – a Christmas tree when she doesn’t even care about Christmas that much! I also bought a bunch of Santa hats and reindeer headbands and I’ll make everybody dress up for our Christmas Eve feast.? ? ??Ha! Seriously, I just can’t contain myself. I’M SO EXCITED! 

I hope you are not sick of my excitement already, like some of my relatives.? ? I mean, you wouldn’t click on a Christmas cookies post if you weren’t excited for Christmas, right?

But back to cookies. 

To be 100% honest with you, I rarely bake cookies. But when Christmas time comes, the baker in me awakens and the kitchen becomes this chaotic flour-sugar land where all sorts of magic happens with the aid of clever little elves.

Just kidding! No elves. I have to do all the work myself because no elf cares enough to even show up! I mean, c’mon, at least show up for cleaning time, will ya?

My own personal elf – aka husband – came defective from the factory and doesn’t have many cleaning skills.  ? ? ?

Okay, okay. I don’t wanna sound ungrateful. He does help a lot with cleaning. It just takes him a looooong time!

But it’s all good. All the hard work and mess that come from baking cookies are soon forgotten when you bite into one of these decadent chocolate spice cookies. You will be glad you don’t have any elves hanging around, because that means you won’t have to share!

And when your cookies finish cooling and setting, you now have all the time in the world to play some Christmas tunes and sit by the tree, devouring your cookies, while the scent of freshly baked spice cookies still linger all over your home. 

Oh, and forget the milk! These cookies are better served with a hot cup of good old black coffee. (But you’re allowed to add some milk or cream to your coffee if black is not your thing!) 

For this specific batch, I couldn’t resist buying some Starbucks Holiday Blend at my local Shop Rite. It pairs perfectly with the chocolate spice cookies!

This special holiday edition is a blend of bright Latin American and smooth Indonesian coffees. The results? A smooth, elegant and layered coffee with a sweet finish. Oh, I just adore it! ❤️

True story -> As soon as I wrote these words, I had to stop what I was doing and go make me another cup of coffee. I just couldn’t resist it! Now I’m back here, talking with you guys and sipping my Starbucks Holiday Blend. Pure bliss! ? Too bad I don’t have any more cookies to go with it, since they were all gone in a matter of minutes when I brought them to work last week!

Oh well… Guess it’s time to make more?

These Swiss Chocolate Spice Cookies also make the most perfect edible Christmas gift. Just arrange them into a pretty tin, jar or basket and voila: an inexpensive yet special delicious gift! 

Christmas definitely will be sweeter with a bunch of edible gifts under the tree. I can’t wait till 25 days from now, when I’m sitting around the tree with my family, opening gifts!

Yep! 25 days until Christmas, guys! Can you believe it? What are your plans to celebrate the holidays? Do you have any fun traditions? What are you baking this year? 

Whatever it is, don’t forget to grab some Starbucks Holiday Blend to go with it. Our friends at Starbucks care so much that they are giving a $5 Starbucks Card e-gift when you purchase 3 or more qualifying Starbucks products. Because there cannot be cookies without coffee! 

And may the holiday cheer shine through in everything you bake this year! ❤️

P.S. Wanna keep in touch? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up making one of my recipes, I would love to see it! Just take a photo and post it on your preferred Social Media and tag me or use the hashtag #oliviascuisine! 

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