The aromas of freshly baked treats and still-cooling pies linger this holiday month—praline tarts and gingerbread houses, pumpkin cookies, peppermint bark and pecan squares. Yum! Join us as we go back to school—baking school— to learn the secret to making these delicious confections. Be sure to bring your appetite, we’ll have to taste test along the way.

Cake making is the name of the game at the Decorette Shop in Tigard, where December through April (and then back again in September) bakers of all ages can sign up for a baking class of their choice. Create decadent holiday desserts, construct gingerbread houses and learn how to draw with icing on your favorite winter cookie. Serious bakers can sign up for extended class seminars, learning how to make elaborate cakes and decorate in fine detail.

This holiday, wow your guests with a homemade pie—savory or sweet. At Sur La Table in the Pearl District, they’ll teach you how to make the perfect pie crust. Send the kids to baking camp at Lake Oswego’s In Good Taste cooking school. At a three-day camp, Dec. 20-22, kids learn the kitchen basics for a myriad of holiday treats. The pint-sized bakers make pie dough and holiday dishes, such as mini pot-pies and cherry scones. The final day is all about cookies, making and decorating and then taking home to enjoy and share. Those with gluten allergies will appreciate In Good Taste’s special gluten free baking class in January. For more foodie fun for your little ones, check out The Merry Kitchen’s schedule of kid’s cooking classes.

The bakers’ supply store and baking school, SweetWares, is kicking off the new year with great cake and pie making classes throughout January. Learn how to make the perfect pie on Jan. 19th or stop by the shop to celebrate National Pie Day the weekend of Jan. 22-23. SweetWares is hosting free, drop-in pie demonstrations all day.

Venture out to the McKenzie River at McKenzie Orchards Bed & Breakfast. Make it an overnight at the picturesque B&B or just spend the day at the Christmas cookie class and luncheon during December. The tutorial includes four different cookies (with extras at the end of the day to take home) and a catered lunch.

Through December and January, learn how to bake holiday breads, Christmas cookies and even homemade Pop-Tarts at Pepperberries cooking school and store in Eugene.

Allyson’s Kitchen with locations in both Bend and Ashland, hosts classes such as how to make traditional celebration foods from around the world, holiday cookie making for all ages and a class on baked goods as gifts. A box of homemade cookies gift-wrapped with a bow? Yes, please.