Baking may be a year-round activity but there’s something particularly wholesome about dusting off your apron in the approach to Christmas and creating something extra special, whether by yourself or with friends and family. From crumbly, spiced biscuits and plump mince pies to boozy puddings and buttery pastries, the familiar classics we associate with this time of year are favourites for a reason, but the truth is the possibilities are endless! Look outside of the UK, for example, and you’ll find all manner of different traditional bakes synonymous with Christmas celebrations.

Here at Great British Chefs, we’re of the belief that a bake is only as good as the ingredients you use to make it. One simple way of taking your festive bakes to the next level, therefore, is by using organic flour from the likes of Doves Farm, who have been pioneers of organic farming since 1977 (you can learn more about the benefits of baking with organic flour here). Below we’ve rounded up six of our favourite Christmas baking recipes, each of which you can make using organic flour. There’s everything from some impressive star-shaped linzer cookies to a variety of elevated takes on festive classics, including our own take on mince pies.

We begin with our take on arguably the definitive Christmas bake here in the UK - the mince pie. Here, we’ve filled our pies with a homemade marzipan alongside the traditional mincemeat to give them an added almondy flavour. Organic wholemeal spelt flour, meanwhile, is used to create an extra tender pastry. Whether snaffled down with a cup of tea or served as a dessert, these are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Austria’s festive answer to the jammy dodger, linzer cookies are typically just made with ground hazelnuts but in our recipe we’ve added in ground almonds and organic white spelt flour for a particularly rich yet short crumb. Filled with a homemade spiced plum jam and cut into the shape of stars, these would make a particularly sweet Christmas present for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Chances are that if you’ve ever visited Germany around Christmas, you’ve probably at least been offered a slice of stollen. Packed full of nuts, spices and dried fruits, this chewy fruit bread is a celebration of some of the season’s most classic flavours. Ours is made with marzipan, pistachios and dried cranberries simmered in whisky for an extra boozy hit, whilst organic strong white bread flour helps us to achieve that essential chewy texture.

The Yule log or bûche de Noel may be the most classic Christmas roulade you’re used to seeing on dessert tables but this chocolate and hazelnut number is an equally indulgent alternative. Generously filled with a hazelnut buttercream and coated with a thick layer of chocolate ganache, our roulade is actually made from organic oat flour making it completely gluten free. A perfect family-friendly centrepiece to finish any Christmas meal!

Not all show-stopping Christmas bakes need to be sweet, as proved by this stunning plaited brioche wreath with a baked camembert sat in the middle, waiting to be dipped into. The dough, made from a combination of plain flour and organic wholemeal khorasan, is flavoured with a whole bulb’s worth of roasted garlic and cranberry sauce and finished with rosemary for the ultimate festive combo. Once baked, simply tear pieces of brioche off and cover them in oozing camembert for a fail-safe comforting mouthful.

It wouldn't be Christmas without gingerbread in some form! This is our own take on gingerbread - a sticky, treacle and ginger loaf, spiced with the likes of cloves and nutmeg, and topped with a sharp clementine icing and segments. Once again, we've chosen to use organic spelt flour in this recipe to bring a slight nuttiness to the loaf.

If you're now in the mood for planning your Christmas cooking further, take a look at our huge collection of Christmas recipes.