Christmas Cookie Exchange

Hobby of the day: Baking

Every year the book club that I am in has a Christmas party at the host of the month's house.  The Christmas party fell on my month. Score!  I didn't have to pick any books since we all bring a wrapped book to exchange and or steal.  This year I also included a cookie exchange.  As we know, baking is a huge hobby of mine.

A cookie exchange is where everyone brings their favorite cookie, several dozen and then we all get to choose from the variety an deliciousness and walk a bunch of new cookies. Let's just say, we all know why we make New Year's Resolutions. Christmas is not a very forgiving holiday.

I made white chocolate chocolate cookies:

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar ( I used half white and half brown sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

A friend made amazingly delicious thumb print cookies!!! I could eat them for breakfast, oh wait, I  did. :-)  Easy Recipe

Ingrediants:                                               

Thumb Print Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 - 1.5 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose sifted flour

Jam of your choice

2 cups (or more chopped walnuts)

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract.

2. Sift Flour. Gradually add flour until dough forms a ball.

3. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Roll into 1-in. balls. Roll in walnut mixture. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Make an indentation in the center wtih your thumb. Dont flatten them at all as the jam will leak out. Fill with jam.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal

Chocolate Chip

Peanut Butter Cookies with Hershey Kiss

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge