Creativity might be the first item on the grocery list this holiday season.

As supply chain issues and higher costs continue to wreak havoc among all aspects of food production, those of us who are used to baking up a storm might be feeling a bit more Scrooge-y than usual.

Please don’t despair. There are ways to circumvent the “bah humbug” of out-of-stock ingredients and packaged goods. If you can’t find your favorite baking staples at the supermarket, it may be time to pivot to a new recipe or try a new technique.

Several factors are contributing to current food supply issues, including packaging shortages, lack of staffing and our collective desire to celebrate at pre-pandemic levels, according to Patrick Penfield, a professor of practice in supply chain management at Syracuse University.

“Last year at this time, we couldn’t have bigger gatherings,” said Penfield, but with families hosting bigger celebrations and office parties necessitating catering, “demand has skyrocketed for baking supplies.”

While the flour and yeast shortage of 2020 likely won’t repeat itself for home bakers this season, those who are accustomed to buying holiday cookies, cakes or pies from their neighborhood bakery may not get their usual order.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the small baking companies are having issues with labor,” said Penfield, in addition to bulk ingredient shortages and shipping delays for items like fruits, chocolate, vanilla and peppermint flavoring.

“We always want to support local bakeries as much as we can,” he said. If you have your heart set on a specific treat, embrace the spirit of the season by exercising patience and understanding when substitutions must be made.

For those baking at home, what’s in stock in the Northeast United States may not be available in the Southwest. “It’s going to be different per region,” Penfield cautions, so when you see something you need in the supermarket, buy it right away. (But please show some spirit of the season and be mindful of any product limits, and don’t hoard all the ingredients.)

Or you can make it yourself. Here’s how to make some holiday baking standards instead of buying them off the shelf.

Basic pie crust

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of amateur bakers quite like the idea of making homemade pie dough. Luckily, a food processor takes a lot of the finicky work out of the equation. This basic tutorial can be used to make one standard double-crust pie, or two single-crust pies. You can also substitute a gluten-free flour blend or dairy-free butter substitute for any guests with food allergies.

Graham cracker crust

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Source: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/12/health/holiday-baking-substitutions-wellness/index.html