LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — Jonell Copeland, one of the 16 students in a holiday cookie class at the Sur La Table store here last Sunday, had carefully considered reasons for spending two hours learning to make gingerbread and sugar cookies, lemon-thyme wreaths and other treats.

“I’m the baker in my house, and I came because I wanted to step up my game for the holidays,” said Ms. Copeland, 42, of Raritan Township, who was planning to make cookies at home for gifts. “When you give something homemade,” she added, “it says: ‘This is something I took time in the kitchen to do. It’s from the heart.’ ”

The class, led at its spacious studio by Jason Buckley, the resident chef, and Jeana Pulaski, a part-time pastry chef, was one of several being held at Sur La Table this season; another holiday cookie class, one on macarons and a Bûche de Noël workshop are coming up.

Many other cooking studios and bakeries in New Jersey offer courses in which holiday cooks of all ages and skill levels can come together and, hours later, walk out with holiday confections. Options range from the simple decorating of premade gingerbread houses — popular among parents and grandparents who sign up with young children — to intensive courses taught by pastry chefs.