Christmas Cookie Exchange 2010

This year, I participated in two really fun Christmas Cookie exchanges.  Each required us to make 10 dozen cookies (20 dozen total) so the beginning of December our house turned into a major cookie factory.  I always make the Santa Surprise Cookies since they are a huge hit and it allows me to put much of the kid's Halloween candy in the freezer to save for these special treats.  By the time I got to baking for the second cookie exchange, I was wanting a little variety so I made 5 dozen of the shortbread and Linzer cookies and everyone got 6 of each of these cookies.  I love cookie exchanges because I now have a freezer full of a HUGE variety of cookies, bars and candies.  Thanks to all the ladies that made each cookie exchange special.

Love Twin B

xoxoxo

Santa Surprise Cookies

Santa’s Surprise Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies…  Recipe doubles well!!! 

1 cup butter, softened 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted

1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar 12 leftover Halloween Mini-Chocolate Bars

2 eggs Confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup of chocolate chips (melted)

Beat together butter, peanut butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Slowly add eggs and vanilla, beating until well mixed.  Then mix in the flour, baking soda and salt.  Cover and chill dough in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove dough from fridge.  Divide dough into 1 tablespoon pieces and flatten each dough piece.  Unwrap the mini-chocolate bars and cut in half.  Place one piece in the center of each dough piece.  Form dough into a ball around each chocolate piece.  Place on greased cookie sheets.  

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.  Melt chocolate chips and drizzle it over the tops of the cookies.

Kissed 'n Whipped Shortbread

Kissed 'n Whipped Shortbread

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup icing sugar

Hershey’s Kisses (or Hugs) Chocolate Candy, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Combine butter, sugar, flour and mix with an electric mixer for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.  Drop by tsp. onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Decorate each cookie with a Hershey’s Kiss.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Linzer Pinwheels Stuck in a Snowdrift

Linzer Pinwheels Stuck in a Snowdrift

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 tsp lemon peel

3 ¼ cups  flour

2/3 cup cherry preserves

White Chocolate, melted

Icing Sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer.  Add sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Beat until combined.  Beat in eggs and lemon peel until combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.  Divide dough in half.  Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Place each portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper; roll each portion into a 10-inch square.  Spread preserves over dough to within ½ inch of edges.  Roll up dough into spirals.  Moisten edges; pinch to seal.  Wrap rolls in waxed paper.  Chill dough for 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F .  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Quickly cut rolls into ¼ inch slices. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. 

When cookies are cool, dip ½ of the cookie into white chocolate.  Let set.  Sprinkle with icing sugar.