Holiday Cookies

[nathansmom]

Anyone making some this season? Maybe we could swap recipes.

We made gingerbread cookies this weekend.

[trentsmom]

Mmmmm. I love gingerbread cookies. Were they hard or chewy?

Can't help you with the cookie recipe swap. I make candies this time of year - peanut butter fudge, bourbon balls, chocolate fudge.

No, I take that back. I make spritz cookies. Forgot about those!

[ribbit1019]

Have a cookie swap this weekend. I am making Becca's Surprise Package Cookies it is under Thin Mint Cookie above. I brought them last year and they were so yummy that the host asked me to bring them again! Saves me from having to think about it....

We are making sugar cookies with DD on the 10th. :)


Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[Jenn98]

DD and I made these cookies yesterday. I liked them rolled a little thin and cooked till crisp (which, in my oven was no more than 8 mintes). These are yummy and easy.

Best Ever Cut-Out Butter Cookies
1 Cup butter
1 Cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 Cup flour

Cream together the butter and sugar. add the egg, salt and vanilla. Stir in the flour and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat oven for 375* Roll on floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet or parchment paper for 8-12 minutes.
Frost with butter cream frosting below (optional).

Butter Cream Frosting
2 Cups powdered sugar
1 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
evaporated milk, or cream
food coloring (if desired)

Cream powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Add enough evaporated milk to moisten. Divide and add food coloring as desired.

[jgriffin]

I've never been to, or hosted, a cookie swap, but it sounds like fun. What's involved? How many cookies does each guest usually bring?

Probably too late this time, but I can start thinking about next year.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I still plan to host one this year but haven't gotten around to it yet. :) I think I can still throw it together for like the 19th; my friends are pretty flexible if we work around preschool.

My friend hosted one 2 years ago and I asked her what requirements there were for quantity. I think her goal was for everyone to get to take home 6 averaged sized cookies (or 3 really big ones, 9 really small ones...). So, just base your quantites on your invite list. Have everyone bring copies of the recipes too. Stock up on containers.

I think this year I will have it in the AM and provide juice and bagels and everyone can just take their cookies with them when they leave. I may put out a sample plate if there are enough cookies.

have fun!

Beth

[ribbit1019]

It is great fun! My hostess has everyone bring 6 dozen cookies. Then she does the math with how many cookies we will wind up with and each person can take so many cookies out of each type. (I always make extra since mine are a hit and I want some to bring home for myself.)

She has snacks (today was punch, crackers, dip, veggie pizza, greek pizza, pasta salad, wings, pie and ice cream cranberry delight thing).

I always bring an extra large bowl to put my cookies into since she doesn't provide a tray.

Everyone shows up eats, visits and takes their cookies. She has christmas music in the background. Total party time is about 3 hours.

She gave me two weeks notice but I knew it was coming. :)
GL! You should totally do it. I love having cookies in the freezer for when people stop by or if I just want one... ;)



Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/H-lkm5.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/tkq-m5.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[nfowife]

Christy,
Can I have the recipe for those cookies? I did a search and can't find it. I'd love to make those for a cookie exchange I'm going to on Wednesday! TIA!

[ribbit1019]

Here you go! They are sooo yummy! :9

A couple of things I would recommend: make sure the melted ande's stays warm, it makes it a lot easier to drizzle. Keep your dough cold. It is a very soft dough so I split it into logs wrapped them and switched them out often to avoid working with less than completely chilled dough. Don't double the recipe, on top of my baking powder being dead, doubling the recipe made them MUCH flatter. I did one single and one double on Sat. and the single batch are much nicer (poofier and a softer cookie). Have fun they are a neat cookie to make. :)

Surprise Package Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
65 Andes candies

In a mixing bowl,cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate fro 2 hours until easy to handle. With floured hands, shape a tablespoon of dough around 42 candies, forming rectangular cookies. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a microwave or saucepan, melt the remaining candies; drizzle over cookies. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies.


Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/H-lkm5.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/tkq-m5.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[nathansmom]

They were chewy. I didn't like them but everyone else did. I thought they had too much of a molasses taste.

[jgriffin]

Woohoo! I just convinced my friend to co-host a cookie swap with me at her house! Now I just need to figure out what kind of cookies to make!!

[nathansmom]

So we made Pfeffernusse cookies today. My oldest loves them. I guess I'll have to make another batch. We've also been making ornaments from dough today.

[BaileyBea]

Thanks Christy! This sounds so yummy! I am going to make them.

I am baking A LOT this week. DS school is having a baking fundraiser which I am baking up a storm for.

I am making: Chocolate dipped pretzels (all types) rolled in toffee, or carmel. Peppermint bark, Brownies (chocolate and Toffee Blondies), cheese crackers, sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and espresso Chocolate snowcaps (from Food - Martha Stewart's mag).

I think I like the idea of Rum balls though...

Nancy

[LarsMal]

My grandmother has the easiest PB cookie ever.

1 cup sugar
1 cup PB (creamy or chunky)
1 egg

Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes.

This year I made them by rolling them into small balls (walnut size) and when they come out press a Hershey's caramel-filled Kiss in the center. OMG- so good! I've probably made them 4 times since October and keep getting raves about them!


I wish I could do a cookie exchange. I don't know enough people in our new town yet, and my fam and friends are 2 hours away. Maybe next year. I guess I'll just have to make all my favorites for myself this year!

[ribbit1019]

Good luck! It is so fun. :)

Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/H-lkm5.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/tkq-m5.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[ribbit1019]

Wow, i think you are busier than me this week!! Good luck baking and rolling and dipping. Sounds yummy....

Need to get on my choclate houses for my neighbors and family. :)


Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/H-lkm5.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/tkq-m5.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[ctmom]

how many cookies does this make? It sounds like my kind of recipe, very few ingridents and very easy!!!

Mary
dd#1 2/01
dd#2 12/03

[LarsMal]

I'm trying to think of how many kisses I unwrap when I make them :-)...I want to say it makes 24-30, give or take, if you make the balls walnut size.

It is such an easy recipe. Oh, and FYI- I use creamy Peter Pan peanut butter, but you can use your favorite.

Enjoy!

Julie

[jgriffin]

We had our cookie swap yesterday morning! There were only 3 of us (poor turnout, but moms with kids quickly turn into moms with sick kids), but we had a lot of fun. I made 3-ginger cookies and walnut cookies and quiche. My friend who hosted it made fudge, holly (kind of like rice krispie treats), pecan cookies, lace cookies, and cutout cookies! The other guest made the surprise cookies with Andes candies inside...yum! Needless to say, there were a lot of cookies there, despite the small crowd. :)

Thanks to all for giving me the idea, and for kick-starting me into cookie season!

Jen

[Jenn98]

Do these cookies come out with a crunchy texture? I'm not a fan of crunchy pb cookies, but I do like the creamy texture of homemade Reese's pb cups. Just wondering! Thanks!

[LarsMal]

I don't think they have a crunchy texture. I asked DH if he thought they did (they're his favorite cookie) and he said he didn't think so either. I don't like crunchy cookies, either, so I always use creamy PB- I use Peter Pan creamy BTW.