I well remember the anticipation of my first holiday cookie exchange. It was happening in my house, in the formal dining room (fancy!), and my whole Girl Scout Troop of seven- and eight-year-olds was invited. I loved the holidays, I loved parties, I loved cookies—it sounded fantastic!
If you don’t know how a cookie exchange works, let me paint a picture for you. It’s a party where every guest brings a designated number of cookies to share and to swap, and everyone leaves with a nice variety of cookies. Doesn’t it sound like a dream?
I attended a fair number of cookie exchanges as a child in my Upper South hometown. (Readers, I’m so curious: is this a regional thing? Tell us in comments!) Some were extremely strict about the rules (less fun, I think), some were more casual and freewheeling (more fun), but no matter what form they took, my favorite part was getting to see what other households chose to bake.
The thing I loved most about my early cookie exchange experiences was the sheer variety. Even when I was far too young to truly grasp that every family lives (and eats) differently and my own family experience was by no means normative, I could see that truth in other people’s baking. At my first cookie exchange, it was immediately obvious that the range of tastes and traditions was far broader than I’d imagined—and most of my fellow Girl Scouts didn’t even leave their own zip code to attend! I learned other families treasured recipes I’d never seen or tried before: macaroons (utterly foreign to my palate), anything chocolate-dipped (too much trouble in my household of origin) or with maraschino cherries (we never bought them). It was a wonder.
Today, in that same spirit, you’re cordially invited to the Modern Mrs Darcy Holiday Cookie Exchange.
You’re invited!
We may not be able to exchange actual cookies together but we can at least trade recipes! Please pop in to the comments section to tell us about which cookies you’re “bringing” to our cookie exchange: what the cookie is, what makes it special, and what you like to bake it for (snacking at home, gifts, parties, etc). Let us know where you can find the recipe: the url (if you have it), cookbook title, or your great-grandmother’s handwritten recipe card.
And, after you share what you’ve brought, tell us what cookies laid out on our virtual dining room table you would like to take home with you. And maybe even bake at home, for real?
I’ll get things started in the comments section. I’m whipping up two batches of cookies for our exchange. These are the recipes that my mom made when I was a kid, and my kids made in my mom’s kitchen with her when they were little, and that we now make at home by popular demand. (My daughter baked two batches of these family favorites on Thanksgiving Eve!)
What are you bringing?
What cookie (or two) will you bring to our cookie exchange? Please tell us what the cookie is, what makes it special, and where you can find the recipe. And tell us what cookies from the comments section you’d like to take home from our party!
Thanks for sharing your holiday goodies with us—this is going to be fun! We’ve made a hashtag so you can SEE what people are making: that’s #mmdcookieexchange.
I can’t wait to peruse these comments. I’ll report back in future posts on what cookies I take home from our virtual exchange—and actually bake!—thanks to your contributions.
280 comments
As promised, I’m kicking off the comments! My first contribution to our cookie exchange is ANDES MINT COOKIES.
My mom has been making these cookies for as long as I can remember. I believe she got the recipe from one of those collaborative cookbooks that were everywhere in the 80s, and she made it her own. I love these cookies because they’re distinctive, crowd-pleasing, and doubly chocolatey thanks to the Andes Mint that tops each fudgy cookie. They’re quick to make if we want a family treat but special enough to give as a gift or take to a party. I also appreciate how easy it is for kitchen helpers to pitch in: unwrapping all those mints is simple but time-consuming.
My mom’s original recipe called for melted chocolate in the batter, but in my household we’ve grown fond of this recipe, which replaces that melted chocolate with cocoa powder.
Two tips about the Andes Mints: they can sell out during the holidays, so if you want to make these I recommend picking up a few boxes on your next trip to the grocery. (They’re in the candy aisle.) And I suggest you unwrap those mints before your cookies go in the oven. It’s crucial that you pop them on top as soon as the cookies are done baking, and unwrapping those mints always takes longer than I expect!
Thank you. I love these cookies.
I’m going to try these! Thanks!
I made these for a cookie swap last Christmas, and they were a hit! I immediately thought of them when I saw this post.
I also immediately thought of these and I love that they are the first on the list!
I love these. I received them once as a teacher. Luckily, the parent also sent the recipe. I strongly suggest getting Andes mint chips! No peeling wrappers. I just drop some of the chips on top. The swirl effect is the same.
I didn’t know these existed—thank you for enlightening me!
Oh my goodness this was my moms cookie recipe and now mine. I have never seen anyone else make them. She was southern so is it a southern thing?
I make these for exchanges’ but I put half
A mint in the cookie and a dob of mint chocolate icing on top
Those sound absolutely delicious. I’ll try this one.
My daughter has a huge Christmas cookie Exchange every year this year will be the 20th year. I can’t wait to attend.
I’m going to bring two kinds of cookies. The most popular in my house is Gingerbread Chocolate chip cookies. I was told about these cookies years ago and was intrigued. I asked for the recipe and after waiting for a while, I looked up a recipe online. The answer eventually was Gingerbread cookie mix with chocolate chips – super simple. So look it up.
Second Fruit Cake cookies which I make my own adding chocolate chips. Do you see my theme???
My mom always made these! What a fun memory for me!
The cookie exchange I attend IRL has a “no mint” rule (because it is a “bully flavor”) so I can’t take these but I’ll be making them to eat at home. They look yummy!
I just made them! My husband says they’re delicious! I’m bringing them to a cookie exchange tomorrow. I love that all the ingredients are regular in the pantry items. I only had to get the mats!
Yum! They sound delicious!
Apologies for the duplication if somebody else already shared this, but I love the peanut butter and paprika cookies from Sister Pie in Detroit! I love using the super flavorful smoked pimentón paprika from Burlap & Barrel, but even grocery-store smoked paprika is good in this. I often add even more than it calls for. And I use all AP flour – still fab.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/peanut-butterpaprika-cookies
I made these over the weekend and they’ve been a huge hit! Thanks for sharing!
My second cookie contribution is OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES COOKIES.
I’ve been enjoying these cookies since I was a little girl: my grandfather made them for Christmas Eve starting well before I was born. I loved to bake when I was young, and for years I relied on my handwritten recipe I’d copied over from his. I called them “jelly cookies” back then because when I was a kindergartener I didn’t know what molasses was or how one cooked with it, but couldn’t miss the distinctive dollop of grape jelly at each cookie’s center.
These cookies aren’t beautiful but—for those who are drawn to molasses and warm spices—they’re delicious. We still make these for our family Christmas celebration, because if we didn’t someone would undoubtably lament, Where are the molasses cookies? I lost that handwritten recipe card a long time ago but we’ve come to like like this internet recipe, though we replace the oil with butter. My family uses grape jelly because that’s what my grandfather did—except for that one time we realized mid-recipe we were fresh out, and used apricot instead.
I’ve never heard of a cookie exchange before. I’ll be bringing Soft and Chewy Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies from Recipe Tin Eats.
https://www.recipetineats.com/oatmeal-raisin-cookie-soft-chewy/
I do two things different from the recipe. I soak the half the oats in water for no more than 10mins then drain and add to the recipe. I also soak the raisins in warm water so they plump up.
I love a simple cookie done well – not overly sweet and ideally simple to make and a solid crowd favorite.
I’ll have to try this recipe. I love Recipe Tin Eats. Did you order her cookbook?
Yes, I did and we already have a few winners. We also got to see her at our local library which was a treat
We love molasses cookies at our house, and my son loves it when I dip the edges in white chocolate.
These look awesome! Thank you for the link to the recipe.
I’ll be bringing my Christmas Vanilla Sugar Cookies, decorated with festive red and green sprinkles on vanilla frosting. https://frommycarolinahome.com/2016/12/12/christmas-vanilla-sugar-cookies-a-new-recipe/
I already want to take home some of your Andes Mint cookies! Can’t wait to see what other offerings come along, so I’ll be checking back.
Forgot to say, I bake these most years to give to friends. I used to enjoy baking with my mother, but she passed away some years ago. I do remember her laughter, and the special time of making up Christmas treat bags for neighbors at the time. Now I bake for friends, to take to pickleball or quilt guild meetings, just for others to share and enjoy. Sharing is the joy of the season!
I would love those Andes cookies. I would probably bring my grandmothers “Wheaties Candies.” We lived half a country away from her and every year she always sent us a box of these around the holidays, until her mobility prevented it. Now I make them for my family, because it’s not the holidays without them. We make them with corn flakes instead of wheaties so they can be gluten free. They are basically chocolate coated cereal plus shredded coconut. I’ve found lots of similar recipes that are called things like “chocolate no-bake clusters”, but I haven’t found the same recipe anywhere else, so I’ll share it. Melt one pound of chocolate (we usually do a mix of semisweet and bittersweet, but do whatever combo you like best), add 2 cups cereal (wheaties, cork flakes, or I’m sure any flake cereal) and 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut. You can fudge these amounts (2.5 c cereal, 1.5 c coconut) as long as you have 4 cups total. Some of the recipes out there add dried cranberries and other things, I prefer it without though. Mix well (preferably in a large bowl over the double boiler so the chocolate doesn’t set up during the long process of scooping) and place in mounds on parchment lined sheet pans until set. They keep well in the freezer.
If I were to have a back-up, perhaps some pecan tassies – like little miniature pecan pies, and just as delicious.
I will try these tomorrow to take to a party where gluten is an issue for some of my friends.
LOVE a cookie exchange! I will bring two recipes as well. Starting off with this new one, I made these Christmas Monster Cookies for the first time last year and they were a HUGE hit with our extended family on Christmas eve. I made them during Christmas eve brunch and they were gone by the end of my cousin’s Noche Buena pig roast. One of my Uncles liked them so much, we made another batch as a gift to him!
(FYI- The only adjustment I made to the Half Baked Harvest recipe was using crushed-up flat pretzel slims instead of sticks since that was what we had on hand.)
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/christmas-monster-cookies/
I just saw a recipe very similar to yours! It sounds like it combines the chocolate chip, M&M, oatmeal, and the salty pretzel crunch all in one awesome cookie! I’ll let you know how I like them.
They are delish! Hope you enjoy!
I couldn’t resist seeing what was in the monster cookies recipe—what a name! They look DELICIOUS.
I just made monster cookies last night, with tahini instead of peanut butter. Very yummy!
I really love no bake cookies – there are six thousand recipes online that are all approximately the same, pick any! They’re made of chocolate, peanut butter, and oats (along with butter and other ingredients) and they melt in your mouth. They don’t look pretty, but they taste so good. It helps that they come together easily and feature ingredients you probably already have in the house. There’s generally no good excuse *not* to make them!
Bonus points for being gluten free (if you use gluten free oats), as my family is about a year and a half into dual celiacs’ diagnoses.
I LOVE no-bake cookies! They seemed so exotic to me as a kid and I still make them occasionally throughout the years. Thanks for reminding me that I haven’t made them in a while. (heads to pantry to get out the ingredients :))
Hi Krista, I’m another grain-free reader and I wanted to share one of my recipes in case you are looking for an easy, yummy, chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s almost as easy as no bake!
https://wellnessmama.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies/
Thanks for sharing this one! I’m excited to try it!
The second recipe is for Saltine or Matzah candy!
I have been making variations of these chocolate, butter, brown sugar, cracker, and topping recipes for over a decade. It is simple to make and has my favorite combo of sweet and salty! These are a crowdpleaser, which makes them perfect for gifting during the holidays.
Two IMPORTANT tips-
1. Please make sure to cover your sweet pans in heavy-duty foil. Otherwise, things can get MESSY! The Saltine recipe skipped this step so I had to mention.
2. In my opinion, sea salt flakes are a MUST to sprinkle on top (not optional as the Matzo recipe lists). We love the Maldon brand in our kitchen!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chocolate-toffee-matzo-candy-5500728
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11376/saltine-toffee-cookies/
That should say cover your SHEET pans in foil, however I guess sweet pans works when talking about cookies!
Brigid, you made me cackle! I adore my sweet, sweet baking pans, and I cover them in foil so clean-up is easy. 🙂
We *love* these at our house!! They are so addictive my kids call them “saltine cracker crack”! Thanks for sharing.
So addictive! Luckily it’s an easy one to keep the ingredients on hand for!
Love this stuff!! We call it Christmas Crack! Got the recipe from a dear friend at MOPS (mops.org) years ago! Thanks for reminding me of this fun holiday recipe!
So good!
Too funny! This is my go to Christmas bake. My family and friends expect me to make this every year. I definitely put foil on my cookie sheets for easier clean up and I lift up the foil to peel the finished product. I sprinkle Christmas sprinkles or sometimes crushed candy canes on the top.
DeeDee- sounds like we have similar tastes! My family expects it every year too. Sometimes I even make some in the summer as a Christmas in July treat LOL! Have never tried candy canes crushed on top!
These are really yummy with pretzels as the base layer
Brigid, Thank you so much for sharing this! I made these years ago and have been unable to find the recipe since!
What a fun idea! The Andes cookies sound fabulous, and I’d like to try those this year. Our family has a few treats that we make every year, one of which is Mexican Wedding Cake cookies. https://www.food.com/recipe/traditional-mexican-wedding-cookies-162213 We prefer using pecans over walnuts, and also make these smaller than the 1.25″ suggested. The only sweetness in these cookies is the powdered sugar coating, and the smaller the sphere, the larger the surface area (sweetness!) to volume ratio. How about that…? Geometry principles are at play in cookie baking!
I’m looking forward to adding some new recipes to my collection from the comments! Happy baking!
If I could only have one cookies at Christmas, this would be it! Lots of fond memories making these with my mom. And I agree: Team Pecan all the way!!
Team Pecan! I love it!!
My grandmother and my mother made these cookies and only at Christmas. We just called them cookie balls because no one knew the name. My grandmother didn’t remember where she got the recipe. But her grands and great grands make them today.
Team pecan. My mother made them in the 50’s and called them Russian Tea cakes
This sounds like my perfect favorite recipe, right down to the smaller size and the pecans. Thank you for sharing!
Adrienne, I ADORE these cookies! This was the third cookie (in addition to the Andes Mint Cookies and Molasses Cookies) my mom made growing up—but my kids don’t love them like I do. That means every winter I need to enjoy someone else’s wedding cookies.
Please bring geometry principles to our cookie conversations anytime!
These cookies are even more fabulous if you roll them in powdered sugar a third time!
We call them “choke balls” at this house. The off-putting name doesn’t slow anyone down.
These are my families go to cookies. For us, it’s always been walnuts!
I’ve never tried them with pecans, but you know I will be doing that this year!! We have the recipe passed down for several generations. We call them Evelyn’s cookies, but no one has a clue who Evelyn is at this point. That secret probably died with my grandma. Or maybe even with her grandma. LOL
I will be bringing cracker top peanut butter cookies! Always a big favorite with my family and friends!
https://lifeofahomebody.com/best-ever-crackle-top-peanut-butter-cookies/
I’m not a huge peanut butter fan but a peanut butter COOKIE is something else entirely: these look amazing!
I will be bringing almond joy cookies!
What fun! I’ve been to a few cookie exchanges but have recently started a baking day with friends who also love to bake. The smells are incredible.
Every year I make Swiss Mountain Shortbread. Studded with chopped Toblerone and capped with a dusting of icing sugar snow, these keep for weeks. In my house, though, they rarely last that long.
https://threeplatesfull.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/swiss-mountain-shortbread.pdf
These sound wonderful! Have never heard of them before and the recipe looks easy!
These sound amazing! I have fond memories of enjoying Toblerone at German Camp when I was young (really!) and this recipe takes me right back.
Those sound amazing! I love shortbread.
Fun! I grew up in NYC and cookie exchanges were only vaguely on my radar then. They are a thing where I live now though in the upper Hudson Valley, and I have participated in a few. I must say they stress me out a bit as I want to eat ALL the cookies 😆
I’ve made pignoli cookies the last few years as we always go to my in-laws for the holidays, and they are hard to please, but they love these. I use the King Arthur Flour recipe for almond cloud cookies, with their homemade almond paste recipe, and I follow their tip to roll them in pine nuts. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/almond-cloud-cookies-recipe
Debbie, I love almond anything and these look incredible!
Debbie, I grew up in Hudson, NY, in the 1950s-60s—we didn’t do cookie exchanges to my knowledge. I celebrate Hanukkah so maybe they had them. I first learned about them fairly recently, actually, and wonder if they are in fact a more recent tradition. Love the idea but most of my friends aren’t bakers. I have collected more cookie recipes than I can ever make! (Now I live in San Diego)
Marlene, I am near Hudson! I suspect the cookie exchanges I was part of (in the 00s) were courtesy of some families who had moved here from other areas of the country.
Big chocolate fan here! I like to make chocolate crinkle cookies and fudge. Here’s my go-to recipe: https://www.marthastewart.com/350084/foolproof-holiday-fudge.
We just love these oatmeal cookies. We will make a few batches all year long.
https://pin.it/36GTEm8
I’m going to stretch the definition of cookie, and bring sufganiyot, the traditional jelly donuts eaten on Hanukkah.
There are a million recipes that involve making your own dough, and lots and lots of creative takes that sub the jam for all sorts of yummy fillings.
But, when I make them at home, I go the super easy route. I buy biscuit dough tubes (usually from TJ’s), inject with jelly (and salted caramel for some), and fry those babies up.
Here is a how to from one of my favorite Jewish foodies, Molly Yeh:
https://mynameisyeh.com/mynameisyeh/2013/10/recipe-easiest-sufganiyot-ever
What a great homemade “hack” to use the biscuit dough pre-made, Sara!
These sound amazing! I deep fried something at home for the first time in my entire life recently, which makes me think I can totally make these—especially with the biscuit dough shortcut. Do I have to tell my kids all the credit goes to you, or can that stay just between us?
I would like to be credited for all good parenting decisions you make, moving forward.
I’ll bring World Peace cookies, a delectable combination of dark chocolate and sea salt that even the pickiest eaters in my family enjoy. And as the baker, I love that it’s a slice and bake cookie. I keep a couple of logs in the freezer during the holidays for baking later.
https://food52.com/recipes/25372-pierre-herme-dorie-greenspan-s-world-peace-cookies
One of my favorites!
My Grandma used to make these!
I am absolutely going to bake these. YUM.
Ooh I want to try these! They look delicious! Thank you.
Just the name alone is enough for me to add these to my list! But they also sound delicious!
Oh!!! I love these! I’ll trade you 6 chocolate Rugelach for 6 world peace cookies. 😂
((Or maybe I’ll make my own 😋))
My second offering is Cherry Almond Nanaimo bars. We Canadians love our Nanaimo bars. This version is reminiscent of a nostalgic chocolate bar called Cherry Blossoms which, come to think of it, is also probably a Canadian thing too. I swap out the Graham crumbs for Oreo crumbs and omit the cocoa. When my 28-year-old daughter comes home for the holidays these are the first thing she looks for. https://www.cityline.tv/2013/12/26/cherry-almond-nanaimo-bars/
We visited Nanaimo several years ago and ever since I’ve made Nanaimo bars in my house. Now I need to try them with crushed Oreos instead of graham crackers. I have a box of peppermint Oreos in the house right now – might be a perfect winter version.
My favorite tradition came from an old cookbook that my Mom and I shared. I used to want to lick this one off the spoon more than eat them,; a sign of a truly good dessert.
These cookies are called Crunchy Jumble Cookies. I am not a huge chocolate fan though so I always subbed the choc. chips for white chocolate chips instead. My family also did not include raisins but I am sure they are just as delicious!
https://www.splendry.com/food/recipes-food/not-another-chocolate-chip-cookie-crunchy-jumble-cookies/
These look really good. I feel like dried cranberries instead of raisins would be a festive substitution- with any kind of chocolate!
These are THE favorite in my family for years. We make ours quite small, the color is a fun addition to a goodie tray!
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pistachio-thumbprints/print/
We make theses modifications:
1. No pecans/walnuts, non-value added for us.
2. Double (or more) the frosting recipe because we’re frosting lovers!
3. Add almond extract to the frosting. In our house the only thing better than frosting is almond frosting!
4. We skip the chocolate drizzle because it’s an extra step that doesn’t add a lot in our opinion!
Thanks for sharing! I’ve saved so many recipes already!
Happy Holidays!
As a pistachio lover I think these look incredible, and the thing I love most is your modifications. Thanks, Susan!
We didn’t have cookie exchanges growing up although we showered blessings on the neighbor that brought us a cookie plate holiday gift each year (the fudge was always the best!)
Now, I’ve gone from one regular exchange with my interfaith group, on it’s 8th year, to 4 this year, though some are just contributions for the teachers’ cookie exchange at the local highest school. I love trying new recipes but am always looking for the single-stick-of-butter recipes! I also like unusual flavors, so am going to try these rye & sesame chocolate chip ones on the family this week before imposing them on my friends 😅
https://www.theboywhobakes.co.uk/recipes/2019/3/7/tahini-and-rye-chocolate-chip-cookies-inspired-by-mokonuts-in-paris
I love cookie exchanges. In fact, we are attending one tonight in our neighborhood. My friend, Robyn, has hosted this exchange for years. Tonight, I will be bringing a favorite recipe of my mother-in-law’s: Christmas Rice Krispie Balls.
Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
48 pieces of caramel (usually Kraft but any will do)
1 cube margarine or butter (of course, butter is preferable!)
Rice Krispie cereal
1 bag regular-sized marshmallows
Instructions:
Unwrap caramels and place them in a sturdy pot. Add the sweetened condensed milk and margarine. Melt all together. Using clean scissors, cut each individual marshmallow in half and set aside in a bowl.
Dump the Rice Krispie cereal in a large bowl. Dip a halved marshmallow into the caramel sauce. (We have found that chopsticks work for this.) Remove and roll in the Rice Krispie cereal until completely covered. Place on a large piece of parchment paper to cool.
All the recipes above sound delicious! Today, I opt to take home the Andes Mint Cookies and the Christmas Monster Cookies. Anything Andes Mint or pretzel and I’m in!
OMG- I totally forgot about a Rice Krispies one I used to make at Christmas- not healthy, but delicious, my kids loved them: 1 18-oz jar chunky peanut butter, 3 cups Rice Krispies, 1 stick butter ( yikes) and I think it was 16 ounce package of confectioner’s sugar- mix well ( melt butter to mix, easiest way!) , into balls, then roll in melted chocolate, let sit on waxed paper to set. I sometimes bought chocolate at a candy making store- melted chocolate chips work, too!!
I’m so intrigued by the idea of making Rice Krispie Treats with sweetened condensed milk!
In addition to monster cookies with tahini instead of peanut butter, last night I also made rice krispie treats, but instead of rice krispies, I used bamba, which is a peanut snack, sort of like peanut flavored cheetos.
I’ll be bringing one of my favorite holiday bakes, Coconut Cranberry Chews. I know coconut is divisive, but these are just so yummy I have to make them. I’ve been making them since Sunset first published the recipe, probably 20 years ago. They are really nice with a cup of tea.
https://www.sunset.com/recipe/coconut-cranberry-chews
Yay! I love a cookie exchange! I’ll bring Smitten Kitchen’s Brownie Roll-Out Cookies (https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/brownie-roll-out-cookies/). I fell in love with these about 10 years ago and make them every year. They’re so chocolatey, are super easy to cut out and are not too sweet. They’re perfect on their own but some festive white icing will amp the sweetness without giving you a toothache. Enjoy! and Merry Merry to all!!
These look delicious!
Good morning,
Here is the link to a delicious and new addition to my holiday baking.
https://cookiesandcups.com/salted-honey-pistachio-cookies/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_smartloop&utm_content=smartloop&utm_term=5307830
Happy Baking
Wellll there’s three of my favorite things right there in the recipe title. 🙂
I’m making these chocolate dipped peppermint meringues 🙂 they are absolutely more-ish and so light and delicious.
I tend to leave out the chocolate extract – and just use the peppermint extract in the meringue. And 1/4 tsp is more than enough!
https://umamigirl.com/chocolate-dipped-peppermint-meringue-cookies/
Ruth, these look amazing! And there’s no grain to worry about. Thanks!
I’ve made meringue cookies for decades but I love the addition of the chocolate. Thanks!
My favorite cookie to bake in the holiday cookies season is a maple sugar cookie!! It’s so lovely with its deep maple flavor and the softness of the cookie. It’s to die for and a huge hit for most❤️ I love this virtual cookie exchange idea so much!!
https://www.dixiecrystals.com/recipes/soft-maple-sugar-cookies?amp=&epik=dj0yJnU9T1lQXzdUWHd6dzI1M1NtSEx0OWRIaW9JN2hleXNYaWEmcD0wJm49WnBaODk0LW5RLW5KN3JiTENlbkV3ZyZ0PUFBQUFBR09JdzU4
In my family, it’s not Christmas without Spritz cookies! It’s a plain butter cookie, but you can add to it; I use colored sugars sometimes. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-spritz-cookies/aa68df04-bd64-4f1b-8421-0df82064bca4
We just made these for the first time last year and enjoyed them so much! We haven’t used colored sugars (yet) but that sounds like a fun touch.
We love Spritz cookies but they’re the best with almond flavoring!!
We made these as a kid and now I make them during the holidays with my kids!
These were my very favorite growing up, made with almond flavoring and real butter of course! I’m not willing to go to all the trouble to make them now, but Melting Moments with a dollop of almond flavored frosting on top hits the spot with a lot less work! I use this recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10149/melting-moments-ii/ and the frosting is 2 T. butter, 2 T. heavy cream, 1 c. confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 t. almond extract, and a drop of green food coloring beaten together, placed in a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off, and piped in a circle on top. I just finished making my second double batch of the season!
My mom and I have been hosting one annually (we’re in Florida now, but they definitely seem to be regional) for the past 10 years and it’s a highlight of the holidays for us!
Baking the DOZENS of cookies in advance is fun and getting lots of different kinds to try and share with others is an added bonus! I usually make a shortbread-style cookie. My favorite are these Earl Grey shortbread:
https://theclassybaker.com/earl-grey-shortbread-cookies/
Another favorite tradition of our cookie exchange is to include a gift exchange with a cute Christmas-ey story that gets everyone laughing. Here are some similar ones to what we use: http://i3c3.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/71023605/Right%20Left%20Christmas%20Stories.htm
Our real life cookie exchange is next week Monday, so this is my baking weekend and I can’t wait (note to self: cue the Christmas music and buy more butter)!
Love the left/right Christmas stories! So fun
I love earl grey and am really looking forward to making those cookies!
I don’t bake much anymore but these are a favorite with my kids and grandkids. Like little pie crusts with frosting in the middle. You can do any shape for the holidays and green and red frosting.
https://www.food.com/amp/recipe/betty-crocker-cream-wafers-123989
My husband likes to make double batches of his grandma’s date oatmeal cookies. He’s the only one who can make them taste “right” because this recipe is the type that has handwritten instructions to add ingredients until it “looks right.” It makes a gajillion cookies, so it’s great for sharing.
I want to try the Andes cookies and those short cut sufganiyot
This is so timely! I was just discussing with my sister the need to shake up our normal cookie baking this year!
The first cookie I’m bringing is a grasshopper cookie, beloved by my kids for the double punch of mint frosting and chocolate ganache. Super easy and delicious.
https://www.chef-in-training.com/grasshopper-mint-cookies/
The 2nd cookie is a chocolate peppermint cookie! It’s been a couple of years since we’ve made these, but we’re bringing them back 🙂
https://www.bakerella.com/chocolate-peppermint-cookies/
I used to make five or six different kinds of cookies and pack them in tins to give to the neighbors. As I got older and smarter, I switched to this recipe for pumpkin bread. The recipe claims it makes three loaves at a time. I use slightly smaller bread pans and make four loaves. I also use the whole 29 oz size of puree and bump up the spices a little. It freezes beautifully. I’ve made it with walnuts or chocolate chips or plain. They’re all good.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/6862/pumpkin-bread-iv/
So smart, and I love a good pumpkin bread!
I’ll be bringing my family’s peppermint molasses snap cookies (if I don’t eat another cookie at Christmas, I’ll always eat this one). Here’s the recipe posted long ago on my blog: https://salmonandsouvlaki.com/2013/12/24/recipe-peppermint-molasses-snaps-lauras-familys-christmas-cookie/
I also adore this twist on the traditional sugar cookie: https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/12/nutmeg-maple-butter-cookies/
YUMMMM, all of these Christmas cookie options sound great, and I would love to have 2-3 of each on my plate! I’m bringing the Cranberry Orange Shortbread cookies that I love so much. I use the same base recipe found below, but I will also often switch it up! Use dried raspberries or blueberries and lemon juice for a spring or summer variation. They’re super easy to make, always look gorgeous, and they’re often the most requested cookies that I make around the holidays. I’ve shared the recipe from time to time with friends, and they always let me know what other variations of fruit they’ve used to make them into their own.
https://www.momontimeout.com/cranberry-orange-shortbread-cookies-recipe/
Those sound delicious! I love that sweet/tart combo.
These sound delicious! I made a cranberry orange soda bread with white chocolate chips a couple of weeks ago, and it was delicious! So this is right up my alley.
I also saved this recipe; love anything cran-orange flavored! And slice and bake makes them even better!
My family never did a cookie exchange party (I grew up in Alaska – not sure what that says about the regionality of the tradition) but we did always take plates of cookies to our neighbors!
We never did this either (I’m from Florida) … I hadn’t heard of it til moving to Pittsburgh a few years ago. Pittsburgh, though, has the BEST cookie-related tradition EVER, though — for weddings they have a cookie table for guests to pack their own bag of cookies to take home. I think all the close family and friends would bring a batch or two so it was a huge variety. This is all what I’ve heard, haven’t experienced one myself yet. I will need to crash a wedding if I don’t get invited to one soon LOL
I had to go look it up. Genius idea. https://theincline.com/2022/06/29/the-pittsburgh-cookie-tables-history-mystery-and-etiquette/
I’m from Pittsburgh and have been to a few of these weddings. The hilarious part is how the relatives are so critical of certain cookies – mainly buckeyes, if you know what those are. All in all it’s a wonderful tradition.
I’m from the Burgh and the cookie table is serious business. My mom (who’s from the south) was always disturbed by the cookie table tradition because it competes with the wedding cake. She didn’t get it. 🤣
I hope you’ll get an invite and experience the madness soon!!
I am “bringing” the chocolate peanut butter chip cookies from the back of the bag of Reese’s peanut butter chips. I made these on a whim last year and fell in love with them. Only one change — my mom always used shortening instead of butter in the Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies recipe — they don’t flatten as much. So I did that in this recipe as well. This is the same recipe: https://www.cookiemadness.net/2006/04/27/peanut-butter-chip-cookies/
And, now I want to go to the grocery store and get baking supplies instead of working.
One of our favorite cookie recipes at Christmas is whipped shortbread, the recipe I use was received at the only cookie exchange I’ve ever been part of (such a great memory).
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/9516/whipped-shortbread-cookies/
These Grinch themed cookies are a tasty way to add some color to your cookie platter:
https://www.monicanedeff.com/grinch-cookies/
Those are adorable!
I never did a cookie exchange growing up (maybe not common in Jewish families?? or less common in the north??) but I have really enjoyed participating in a “coworker cookie exchange” for the past 8 years! This year I will be trying out these Gluten Free Biscottis from King Arthur but I am planning on dipping half in melted chocolate to finish them off! https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/gluten-free-vanilla-biscotti-recipe
Yum! Always looking for great GF treats!
This year will be my 23rd annual cookie exchange with my best friends. There are usually 12-15 of us and we go a little crazy with it…we crown a Cookie Queen after tasting them all and it’s quite a prestigious award. We also have a theme every year and everyone tries to bake or display the cookies around the theme. This year the theme is GREASE (the movie). In prior years we did themes like “Around the World” and “80s”. So this year I will be baking sugar cookies in the shape of a hand doing the hand jive. (I found a hand shaped cookie cutter.) I’m loving all of the recipes and would pick the no-bake cookies first!
That sounds so fun! I wish I had a gang like that. 🧡
LisaJoy – It’s my favorite day of the year! You should try it…we started small and it grew!
I’m bring a savory cookie. My good friend (thanks, Florence!) was kind enough to share this variation on a cheese straw, and we make them as least twice a season. Best fresh, but they usually don’t last long enough to worry about it.
“Them Cheese Things”
1 c. Butter, softened
1/2 lb. Grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 c. Flour
2 c. Rice Krispies
Dash of salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Dash of Tabasco (or more!)
Combine butter and cheese. Add salt, flour, red pepper, and Tabasco. Add cereal last. Roll into small balls. Flatten with forks on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15 min. at 350 degrees. Enjoy!
OK- I have so many cookie recipes bookmarked right now, my computer is going to crash! I’m having a taste of most of them!! I already wrote above about my peanut butter balls that I forgot about- my most requested cookie lately is not a Christmas cookie ( but still requested at the holiday: https://homecooking.show/roasted-pecan-chocolate-chip-cookies These were on the home cooking podcast that debuted at the beginning of the pandemic- They are amazing as roasted pecans are used as part of the flour and with the chocolate chips- so good!!!
Roasted pecans + chocolate sounds like heaven!
What a fun idea! I have never done a cookie exchange, but know people who have. I’m bringing walnut frosties: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/walnut-frosties.html.
A co-worker shared these years ago and I’ve been baking them ever since and they’re always a hit!
One suggestion though-to get the dough and topping to come out even double the dough and 1 1/2 times the topping.
I’m taking home the Andies cookies and the saltine cracker cookies. Yum!
It’s been years since I’ve been part of a cookie exchange. A virtual one is a great idea!! No worries about calories! Lefse isn’t a cookie but it is such a treat! And it’s a lot of fun to have a lefse making party. Flour flies and there is good strong Scandinavian coffee with lots of “ya shurs”and
“uffda”s!
I have not included a recipe. Find someone who makes it to teach you. Sometimes you can find a class.
My second recipe would be a shortcake cookie with pecans rolled in powdered sugar.
In return I’d love a soft molasses cookie with lots of ginger! And simple peanut butter cookies for my husband! Happy holidays to ya!!
I’m bringing pfeffernusse, which means “pepper nut” in German. These are the spiciest, most delicious cookies! They have a full teaspoon of black pepper! But the cardamon, ginger, anise, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon keep the pepper from being weird. My whole family loves these. My family didn’t bake them when I was a kid, but we did always buy them at Christmas. I stopped seeing them in grocery stores so I googled spicey Christmas cookie about 10 years ago and found an easy recipe. Now they are my family’s favorite.
recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/155182/pfeffernusse-cookies/
Cookie exchanges aren’t a traditional thing in the PNW, though I have attended one in adulthood. I’m inspired, though, and want to host one now!
My mom is from a big family, and Christmas with them was a big, loud, and very sweet affair. One year, people counted the number of homemade cookies, candies, pastries, whatever at the Christmas Eve party and counted 46 varieties. My favorites were my grandma’s Swedish Crème Wafer cookies. Small, super light, sandwich cookies filled with buttercream. I use her recipe, but this one is similar.
https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/cream-wafer-sandwich-cookies/
I am in Texas and Cookie exchanges are definitely a thing here!! Haven’t been to one in a few years, but we always brought these…they were always a hit and so easy to make! I never had a recipe-just verbally given to me but here is one that is exactly like what we make.
https://dinnerthendessert.com/haystack-cookies/
I’m the troop leader for my daughter’s troop of 20 kindergarteners and first graders and you’re making me think that our last meeting of the year should be a cookie exchange!
These are my absolute favorite: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021715-eggnog-snickerdoodles
These look incredible! Thanks for reminding me I saved this recipe last year and haven’t made it … YET. 🙂
I would love the recipe for these, but can’t get past the paywall.😢
Here’s a gift link! It’s not pretty but it will get the job done. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021715-eggnog-snickerdoodles?unlocked_article_code=QlR_xVzvNHAS-ke55ndKI9r-H2FiF4AI-CzzABjCSJjrWukWBMkFO1LpXt__no87AXeFcggGq_p7UGt3SwTogEJciJDD0u4mKKfRed0q80pbTHUzgabfBiFxI9vQ0sctUaH4b6tJf0-SHcd27TtMSUcbLCb8aCLidTVt8Ke3rbTY3ci5begfkMfEeBGWe1nGSK1HADJPYe48-VRtdy2HmYV13euvFXbRZyTmAVb48pVGkLo28cvKMJQyIYTA5H7THE306iI5o7suLY-vnOyZwkuvfw75IH5Iu2k_nQRSR5S0A3VWyjwyonQyjqhn5EW7ilJRDl5_JU9ZUA&smid=share-url
Thanks so much for the link – that works!
I do host an actual cookie exchange, with drop off on a Saturday and pick up on a Sunday because I started in 2020 and it turns out that even now, people prefer the time flexibility.
I’m bringing Butter Tarts (with raisins, the correct way). I just buy tart shells and fill with homemade filling: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12333/raisin-butter-tarts/
And confetti squares: https://www.artandthekitchen.com/butterscotch-confetti-squares/
Neither of which are cookies, but variety makes a baking tray shine.
Those butterscotch confetti squares are so fun and festive!
Ooh, I want to try all these cookies! I am bringing a classic chocolate chip cookie to our exchange from the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip package. However, there is a secret ingredient that makes these cookies taste even better. Add a scoop of peanut butter to the wet ingredients before mixing in the dry. I used to make these with my grandma all the time. After she passed away my cookies didn’t taste the same. A few years later, I realized I forgot all about the peanut butter! It makes all the difference.
I grew up in Upstate NY in the 80s and Cookie Exchanges were “the thing.” I carried the tradition with me all over the world as a military family and have enjoyed seeing everyone’s different versions of Christmas cookies. I always make Italian Pizzelles- chocolate and anise flavors. My kids love to use the pizzelle press and I love the light cookie with a cup of espresso!
Jessica, pizzelles are my go-to Christmas goodie, for sure. I took them to a cookie exchange one year and I don’t remember how I prevented them from breaking in transport!
That’s so funny! I grew up in upstate NY (born in 84) and never went to one! But then, my mom wasn’t really into baking!
My book club does a cookie exchange every year. My Pecan Tassies are always a hit. https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/pecan-tassies
A holiday-into-winter cookie favorite is the white chocolate chai snickerdoodles but I sometimes use cinnamon chips instead of white chocolate chips.
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/white-chocolate-chai-snickerdoodles/
Those sound incredible—I love all those warm spices!
You had me at chai! These look delicious.
I am loving this virtual cookie exchange!
I’m bringing 2 batches of cookies. The first, Grain-free Chocolate Chip cookies, became a staple when I was diagnosed with a thryoid issue a few years back. They’re super simple (my youngest child was able to whip up a batch by herself even at the age of 8) and free of grains.
https://wellnessmama.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies/
The second, Lemony Ricotta Pillows, are the cookies we make every year for our New Year’s Day party. These cookies are so. good! My family and all of our visitors love them so much. They are easy to make and we give them a simple dash of pizzaz by sprinkling some Wilton star decorations on top of the frosting!
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/dessert/a35774/lemony-ricotta-pillows/
I’ll be taking the Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Meringues and the Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies (because I think I can convert this into a grain-free recipe pretty simply).
Thank you all!
I grew up in Kentucky but never did a cookie exchange until I moved to Illinois. I participate in two exchanges. I always bring my Kentucky mom’s Texas Crunch, which is similar to the Saltine candy above, but includes peanut butter chips. This is the approximate recipe, but I use a full bag of chocolate chips and a full bag of peanut butter chips for each recipe.
https://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t–53700/texas-crunch.asp
My favorite holiday cookie is not a cookie but a treat that my grandma would make every year and everyone loved them! Every Christmas I make them in honor of her since I miss her so much even though she lived to be over 104! She had a contagious laugh, lots of energy, and everyone loved her. This special treat was Peanut Butter Balls.
I’m with you Donna, they are my husbands favorite cookie.
Love this, Donna! My grandma also made peanut butter balls every year, and I also carry on her tradition. Sweet, sweet memories!
I made these Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies the last few years, and then I basically ate them all myself! They are best warm, fresh from the oven!
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/soft-baked-white-chocolate-chip-cranberry-cookies/
Cranberry and white chocolate? You are singing my song!
These are my favorite cookie recipe of all time! They’re called Secret Ingredient Christmas Cookies, but they’re a take on a snickerdoodle with the addition of the secret ingredient toasted pecans and browned butter to the batter!
https://www.kevinandamanda.com/kevin-amanda-secret-ingredient-christmas-cookies/
I can’t wait to try the grinch cookies with my niece!
This thread has gotten me in a panic! I was surprised when nobody had yet added Peanut Blossoms to the list. If I don’t make these every year, friends and family will revolt! So I went to grab the recipe and (GASP!), it’s not where it should be! I’ve searched the internet to see if I find anything that looks the same, but am seeing variations that I never did! I NEVER included milk. I NEVER included shortening. I remember that my recipe has 1 3/4 C flour (because I always have to double the recipe…and doubling that amount makes me have to do real math!).I will have to check with friends and family who I may have shared the hand-written recipe with. YIKES!!!
My friend had it!! After my mom died, I put together a cookbook for friends and family…because everyone was always asking her for recipes. I forgot that Peanut Blossoms were included. Here is how she wrote it:
PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES
Sift together:
1 3/4 Cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
(I never sift anymore, as most of the flour comes presifted. I mix these together in bowl with a spoon or fork.)
Cream together in another bowl:
1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup peanut butter Gradually add:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I use light brown sugar usually but both light and dark will work.)
Add 1 unbeaten egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend with the dry ingredients.
Shape dough into balls, using approx. a tsp. full of mixture for each. Roll balls in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place a candy kiss on top of each cookie pressing down firmly so that cookie cracks around the edge. Return cookies to oven and bake 2 minutes longer until golden brown.
A couple hints: You’ll have time to remove the foil wrapper around each chocolate kiss while the cookies are baking the first 8 minutes.
This makes quite a few but if you want to make them for Christmas, it would be wise to make more than one batch, freezing a lot of them. Both Ellen and I have found that they are gone almost as fast as they come out of the oven and the chances of keeping them for Christmas without freezing them are rather slim.
My favorite too! I make them every year just like this.
Love a good cookie exchange. We changed it up a few years ago with our friends and do a cookie dough exchange (bring just the dough sectioned into a dozen cookies with instructions on how to bake) and it is the best as your freezer is stocked or when you have surprise company or just need a cookie fix.
My go to is always shortbread that you can always change up to make it different flavors, with my niece and nephew I always add sprinkles or dip in chocolate.
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/shortbread-wedge-cookies/ this recipe always have great results for me. I also do a mojito cookie as it tastes like summer in the middle of winter which is always a good pick me up. https://www.averiecooks.com/soft-and-chewy-mojito-cookies/
I will be trying those monster cookies and those Andes cookies sound delightful.
I made a new to me cookie this year from this Robin Hood booklet from the fall of 2010 (I rediscovered the actual booklet while looking for something else and have made a few things from it.)
https://www.robinhood.ca/downloads/en/Fall-2010_e.pdf
The cookies I made are the Sugary Citrus Cookies on page 10 and I took them to a program at which I volunteer that brings dementia patients and their care givers together for exercise, fellowship and fun activities. We always have coffee and cookies half way through the afternoon and I like to bring homemade cookies for the last day of the session. These were a big hit.
Peppernuts (Pfeffernusse) Cookies. You can grab them by the handful for a spicy switchup from the classic sugary goodness ones. I add a little less anise than some recipes do, and it’s sometimes hard to find the white pepper but it’s worth it. It’s a tradition that was brought over from my German ancestors. The recipes from my church cookbooks are better but this is still real good!
https://bakerbettie.com/holiday-party-made-easy-part-1-pepper-nuts/ Here’s the recipe link!
Peppernuts are a must at our house. I leave out the anise because I dislike it but definitely include the pepper. It seems every family has their own twist to these. My recipe has more eggs and no butter.
What a great idea! I grew up and still live in Alabama, and I am quite familiar with Cookie Swaps, but it has been a while since I went to one. I’m “bringing” Chocolate Chubbie cookies. They are impossibly chocolate-y, and include my two favorite nuts: pecans and walnuts. I can’t wait to make some of these recipes! Thanks to all for sharing!
https://mission-food.com/chocolate-chubbies/
Just for the record, this group “ROCKS” and I love so many of the recipes. I would bring “Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies” from the Taste of Home recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-thumbprint-cookies/
Funny that your grandfather made his molasses cookies with grape jelly; when I pulled my grandpa’s recipe it was really close to the recipe you posted, but of course he used real butter and topped them as they came out of the oven with red or white gumdrops.
Gumdrops?! Who knew?
Hi everyone! Here is one of my favorite holiday cookie recipes: Candy Cane Kisses! They are SO good. Happiest holidays to all of you <3
https://www.recipegirl.com/candy-cane-kiss-cookies/
I have two recipes that my husband and I will be taking to the Office Cookie Exchange this year. The first is Hazelnut Chewies a delicious cookie made with Nutella and hazelnuts and rolled in powdered sugar so that it cracks when baked and looks snow-covered. I use a recipe from the Dec/Jan 2009 issue of Cook’s Country but just Google because Food.com and others have the recipe under the same name. My second recipe is my mother-in-law’s Peanut Butter Balls. The recipe card is ancient and in her handwriting which adds to the deliciousness in my opinion. Another Google will find you the recipe but note that our family version is a No-Bake recipe that uses Corn Flakes.
I’ve been making these cake batter chocolate chip cookies every Christmas for the last 7 years now! And of course I replace the birthday sprinkles with Christmas sprinkles 🙂
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/recipe-round-2-cake-batter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Oh, these look fun! I’ve always had such great success with any recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Her sweet potato pie is a staple on our Thanksgiving dessert table and my bf loves her carrot cake.
How *fun* is this?! I’ve never been to a cookie exchange but have heard about them. Regardless, I do a ton of baking during December and send out *a lot* of cookies as gifts. A very popular one amongst our recipients is Coffee Drops from The Complete American Jewish Cookbook. Note: if you’re omitting the nuts, you can add more raisins. My MIL once made these with chocolate chips and my bf said it was sacrilege, LOL. Before my coffee-loving self moved in with him, when he made them, he would go to Dunkin Donuts and order a cup of black coffee to use rather than making coffee at home. Hope you all enjoy these pillowy bites of spicy goodness.
3 ½ c All-Purpose Flour Sifted
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Salt
1 c Shortening
2c Brown Sugar Firmly Packed
2 Eggs
¾ c Cold Coffee
1c Raisins
½ c Nuts Chopped
Cooking Instructions
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
2. Cream together shortening and sugar and add eggs, beating well.
3. Add dry ingredients alternately with coffee, mixing well.
4. Stir in raisins and nuts.
5. Drop from teaspoon on greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F) 10 minutes. Yield: about 5 dozen cookies.
I’d waffle about bringing something more sophisticated like the Barefoot Contessa’s ginger cookies or Shauna Niequist’s Gaia cookies, but at the end of the day, I’d probably settle on our family’s most often made cookie—Magic bars, whose recipe you find on the back of Eagle brand sweet condensed milk.
Do bars count as “cookies”? I’m going to file this under Anne’s more freewheeling/more fun category and say yes!
They’re chewy and chocolatey and, hot take: if you leave out the nuts, perfect.
Agreed Ginger – the nuts ruin Magic Bars! My MIL always made 2 batches, one correct and one with nuts 😉
I’m bringing applesauce cookies – https://www.food.com/recipe/civil-war-applesauce-cookies-417388 – my mom found this recipe in a cookbook (I think it was called the Cookie Book or the Cookie Jar or something like that) and has made them since I was little. They are a great cakey everyday cookie, budget friendly, and the recipe makes a ton. They are a sleeper hit at any cookie exchange – not flashy or outwardly impressive, but familiar and homey. I don’t change a thing about the recipe (not even the shortening – use regular Crisco, not butter flavored)!
What a great idea! Several years back I had an annual tradition of hosting a cookie exchange for friends/family in the season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everyone would bring cookies to share and I would put all the recipes into a photo book that each participant received. IT was a lot of fun and I miss those days, so this is GREAT! I’m sharing a “new” favorite I discovered last year, it was a big hit with our family:
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/eggnog-snickerdoodles/01010259-3106-43e1-81be-5f5026ccd290
Happy Baking to All!
Oooh, Trader Joe’s used to have a cookie like this that was incredible. Will have to try.
I love this idea, this is my first cookie exchange! I’m bringing two recipes to share. The first, is a chocolate truffle cookie recipe. They’re crackly on the outside, chewy and brownie-melty-choclate like on the inside, and bonus brownie points – they freeze raw beautifully so that you can pull a few (or half a dozen) out at a time and cook in the oven whenever the fancy strikes.
food52.com/recipes/66052-chocolate-truffle-cookies
My second is a recipe for snickerdoodles. Cinnamon tastes like Christmas to me and this one is my perfect snickerdoole recipe. Ha, I just wrote snickerdoodlie.
bhg.com/recipe/desserts/snickerdoodles/
I love this idea! I’d like to bring two varieties to share. The first cookie is a solid crowd pleaser that gets it’s Christmas reputation from its red and green M&Ms. It’s called the Fat Chewy and is a breeze to make:
https://whimseypie.com/2021/12/14/a-little-yule-cheer-day-13-the-fat-chewy-an-mm-cookie-recipe/
The second cookie I’d like to bring is the Sour Cream Sugar Cookie. This cookie is a longstanding Christmas tradition in my husband’s family and I’m so glad my mother-in-law shared the recipe with me. It can be dolled up in numerous creative ways with colored icings and festive sprinkles. It’s delicious!
https://whimseypie.com/2021/12/03/a-little-yule-cheer-day-3-sour-cream-sugar-cookies/
I’ve been feeling the urge to bake – I can’t wait to try some of the great recipes offered in this post!
These are my husband’s FAVORITE cookie. He got excited when he came home from work yesterday and they were in process. I usually make these once a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve also been known to freeze some cranberries so I could make a batch around Valentine’s as well. We eat them and share with everyone!
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-cookies-with-browned-butter-glaze/
Love the Andes mint cookies & will definitely try them. My family’s favorite is the nestle toll house cookie spread into a 15 x 10 inch pan to make their toll house pan cookie. I add cranberries too sometimes. Delish!
I’ve been to a cookie exchange or two, but would love them to be a more regular part of my life! I make a ton of cookies and candy at Christmas–usually about 20 varieties in total–and love giving cookie plates and boxes as gifts. One must-have is my state (NM) cookie: the biscochito! It’s a simple anise-flavored shortbread dredged in cinnamon sugar, and it wouldn’t be Christmas without them. Here’s a recipe that’s very similar to the one I use, though I’d note that I typically use brandy instead of wine in the dough. (And while I typically only bake with butter, I think lard is essential here for the proper texture.) https://jessicalynnwrites.com/2020/01/new-mexico-biscochitos-recipe/
I love cookie exchanges, and what a great idea to have a virtual one!! I made these Ginger Molasses Cookies last week for a cookie exchange here in Texas and they were a hit! https://thesaltedsweets.com/the-best-ginger-molasses-cookies/ I think these are officially the BEST ginger molasses cookies I’ve had and they’ll be my new go-to.
I also made these White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Cookies to give out last year and everyone RAVED about them. https://thesaltedsweets.com/white-chocolate-peppermint-pretzel-cookies/ I can’t stand white chocolate but for some reason in these cookies it totally worked for me…although I may try throwing in half dark chocolate chips this year to see if it’s even better. 🙂 Happy holidays everyone!
This is my favorite holiday Cookie. I make tons every year in November and December! I would choose this one over any other cookie, all day every day. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/soft-ginger-molasses-cookies-and-ginger-syrup-recipe
I remember baking old fashioned Spritz Cookies with my mom and grandma, and now I’m in possession of my grandma’s spritz cookie press. These cookies melt in your mouth. I’ve only ever used the Betty Crocker recipe and a vintage press. One year, my mom tried a new press and it was a total flop. If you can find a vintage one second-hand, that’s the best! You could also roll the dough into a log and cut into shortbread-like circles, rolled in sprinkles (of course).
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-spritz-cookies/aa68df04-bd64-4f1b-8421-0df82064bca4
Spritz cookies are DELICIOUS.
I have my grandma’s Spritz cookie press too! I have to eat gluten free but I make Spritz for/with my kids some years anyway!
All of these cookies sound so good! I can’t wait to make many of them. I love a good molasses cookie so definitely picking up some of those!
The cookie I’m bringing is Kelly Gordon’s (from the Sorta Awesome podcast) Salted Caramel Oatmeal cookies. These are so easy, and so good. Not necessarily a Christmas cookie but good all year round. I brought these to a work potluck last year and people were fighting over them. I’ve been asked to make them many times since. Hope you make them, make sure to save a few for yourself – they will go fast!
https://www.kellygordonmn.com/recipes/salted-caramel-oatmeal-cookies
These look delicious!
Amanda, yes!! This is the recipe I was just scrolling through the posts to make sure wasn’t posted yet. I was going to post it myself. I discovered the recipe through Sorta Awesome too, and I usually make them in the Fall. But they are SO good & perfect for Christmas too. I love the caramel & oatmeal together… and that salted top to cut the sweetness just makes them perfect! I’m no so glad you shared this one. 🙂
I would bring Ina Garden’s Hermit Bars https://barefootcontessa.com/
They are as huge success at our Christmas cookie exchange party. This year’s will be held day after tomorrow!
I’m bringing these!
https://www.tastingtable.com/767690/gooey-butter-bars-recipe/
Not a speck of lemon in these but they are the best “lemon “ bars ever! Always a big hit!
My first exchange was attended as a young adult and my friend was from upstate New York . I will bring snickerdoodles. I make these every Christmas season . The recipe is from the Betty Crocker cookbook here’s a link. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-snickerdoodle-cookies/7ffc92a9-d847-4869-9ecb-99de3b751b14
What a fun idea, Anne! My daughter and I are chocolate mint addicts and will absolutely be making the Andes Mint Cookies.
I will bring my mom’s WHITE VELVET CUTOUTS. These are the perfect cutout sugar cookies for holiday shapes and decorating. Strong enough to frost, yet still delicious. Makes 7 dozen.
2 cups butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4.5 cups all-purpose flour
For buttercream frosting:
3.5 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 Tbsp butter, softened
0.5 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp milk
food coloring
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add flour. Cover and chill two hours or until firm. Roll out on floured surface to quarter inch thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on pan before moving to wire racks.
For frosting, mix 1.5 cups powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and milk. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add a little more milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Divide frosting into small bowls and color as your heart desires. Frost, decorate, and enjoy!
I love this idea! So many great cookie recipes! I’d never been to a cookie swap until I was in my 20’s and a co-worker started hosting one. We’d all provide the recipes ahead of time and she’d put together a book for everyone each year. (Not to mention getting to take some of each home!) And then it was also a competition and we’d vote on best cookie. Super fun – maybe I’ll start one next year since we moved across the country!
My signature cookie has become the chocolate truffle cookie. It’s not a quick cookie, but I think it’s worth it. I make these a few times a year. I’ve given out the recipe many times, but I’ll share my secret tips here. I use Trader Joe’s cane sugar (not as fine as refined) and it creates the tiniest little crunch. Always refrigerate dough overnight, and err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking. I also store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container and separate the layers using the parchment paper they were baked on – we like them best cold. Great with a glass of red wine or port! Very rich, so I prefer to make them a bit on the small side.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/25808/chocolate-truffle-cookies/
For those that like peppermint, this is a similar cookie using peppermint hard candies. I used to break them down in the food processer (but it did rough up the inside of it and boy, is it loud!!). My husband hates mint in anything (except toothpaste) so I haven’t made them in several years, but I think they’re great. AND I did win the first year of our cookie swap with this recipe! I used to top with a little red sugar.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-and-peppermint-crunch-crackles
I am a horrible cook and baker but one thing that I can make and we had every year were 7 layer bars or magic cookie bars…You know pecans, chips (choc and butterscotch chips)on a graham cracker crust with sweetened, condensed milk poured over before baking. We always used the recipe on the can of Eagle Brand milk.
I’m a bit late to the party, but this is what I’ve made for a lot of functions. Everyone loves seven layer bars, and they’re easy to adapt for food allergies (pretzels instead of nuts, for example) or dietary restrictions (Minimalist Baker has a vegan gluten-free version). I’ve replaced the butterscotch chips with mint chips, peanut butter chips, and raspberry chips (chocolate chips, raspberry chips, and chopped almonds was a fantastic combo). Haven’t tried Trader Joe’s salted caramel chips or (can’t remember the brand) cinnamon chips yet, but maybe in the near future…
Here’s the link for the vegan, gluten-free version: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-7-layer-bars/
I grew up in NH and now live in MA and cookie exchanges have always been a common thing around the holidays. I used to absolutely love them, until I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance 20 years ago. I’ve gotten very good at cooking and baking gluten-free over the years, so I like to make myself a variety of treats and share them with others who always say “I can’t believe that’s gluten-free!” My favorite GF recipe blog is Gluten-Free on a Shoestring. I love trying new-to-me recipes from her blog, because I am always confident they will turn out great. This year, I’m going to try her Easy Cheesecake Cookies, which are made with a GF yellow cake mix. From start to finish, they take 20 minutes. That means I will have time to make several different kinds of GF cookies for myself and to share! https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/cheesecake-cookies-a-preview-recipe-from-gluten-free-on-a-shoestring-quick-easy/
How fun!
My daughter was diagnosed with an egg allergy around her 1st birthday over twenty years ago. While looking for an egg free cookie recipe I could make for her, I stumbled across these Swedish Coconut Cookies on the Land O Lakes website. Instead of rolling the dough into a log, I scoop the dough out with my cookie scoop and chill them for about 20 minutes then bake as directed. They have become our favorite Christmas cookie! Enjoy!
https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/20056/swedish-coconut-cookies/
This virtual cookie exchange is a fabulous idea! These are on our family’s Christmas Cookie plate every year. Everyone loves them. I can’t remember where I got the original recipe, but this one is the same.
https://www.barbarabakes.com/chocolate-caramel-rolo-cookies/
My mom always went to a goodie exchange and we looked forward to seeing what she brought home! I would’ve shared the Andes Mint cookies too. And I’m excited to look at everyone’s recipes.
I love this idea of a virtual cookie exchange! So excited to try out some new recipes!
I usually make these chocolate crinkle cookies every year. They are quick and require minimal ingredients!
https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2020/04/chocolate-crinkle-cake-mix-cookies.html?m=1
We were fortunate enough to have a Meyer lemon tree that produced LOTS of lemons each December!!! Sadly, that tree died in the Winter Storm Uri, but we’ve replanted. Here’s our favorite lemon cookie recipe:
https://www.bakedbyanintrovert.com/iced-meyer-lemon-cookies-recipe/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_smartloop&utm_content=smartloop&utm_term=33867566
https://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-cranberry-bliss-bars/
Like my favorite coffee ☕ place. I’m not a baker; these are easy.
I have been hosting a cookie exchange for the last 15 years but these past 2 years I haven’t been able to host. So I am so glad to see this post. Brings back memories. I am bringing 2 cookies to this exchange. First is brown sugar cookies- I use a recipe from A Perfect Cookie but this is similar: https://www.thekitchn.com/brown-sugar-cookies-recipe-23102311 The second cookie is millionaire shortbread. My husband loves these.
They take a little work but are delicious. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019333-millionaires-shortbread
These look fantastic–but the paywall at NYT will not let me see the recipe! Can you please post the recipe?
My absolutely favorite cookies are my cousin’s Angel Cookies. I can’t find an equivalent recipe online. They are a sugar cookie rolled in white sugar and a piece of maraschino cherry placed on top before baking.
Angel Cookies
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour-sifted
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Form into small ball and dip into ½ cup of white sugar, place on greased cookie sheet. Put a piece of Maraschino cherry on top of each ball.
Bake 15 minutes at 350º.
My favorite holiday cookie was a discovery a couple years ago in the Sally’s Cookie Addiction cookbook (Sally’s Baking Addiction). They are the Hot Cocoa Cookies, and they are a chocolate chocolate chip cookie made with hot cocoa mix, and you put some mini marshmallows on top and some chocolate drizzle if you’re feeling fancy. Fun for kids, and also delicious! I also really recommend that cookbook—all the recipes I’ve made have turned out great!
Those sound really good!
I have given these out to all the teachers every year for my three boys. They are so yummy! I just changed the Lemon Zest for Orange Zest because I think orange and chocolate go so great together! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/holiday-biscotti-recipe3-2014062.amp
White chocolate cranberry cream cheese snickerdoodles
This is my kids and friends most requested recipe. I got it years ago on a blog that I’ve since lost the name of…. warning. The dough is sticky. Put it in the fridge for a bit of it is hard to work with. But, yum…
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KkIVRSsjszPRD1_bVpJ6dyh0hB7NgDm2SFZeB9SLDs0/edit?usp=drivesdk
In my family, we didn’t really do cookies; being from the Deep South (Mississippi), we did pies. Great Aunt Marty’s Chocolate Chess Pie has been a family favorite for over 75 years. Here is a recipe very close to Aunt Marty’s:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12581/chocolate-chess-pie-ii/
Also, at Christmas, we like to top each slice with a scoop of peppermint ice cream.
My mom used to participate in cookie exchanges when I was growing up and I loved attending with her! Her best friend always made the most delicious treats and one that I was always excited to eat was her eggnog logs. Don’t worry if your frosting doesn’t taste like rum, the cookie will make up for it (I tend to add the extract on the high end of the scale). If your frosting is too sweet add 1/4 teaspoon of salt at a time to cut the sweetness. If it’s not creamy add 1 tablespoon of milk, cream, or half and half until you get your desired consistency. My mom, sisters, and me got together the Saturday after Thanksgiving to make cookies and we made these. Delicious.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/eggnog-logs/
I’m bringing the Cornflake Christmas wreaths. These are for fans of Rice Krispy Treats & also perfect for anyone who loves almond flavored things. Plus, they’re so cute and festive!
Note: I know people aren’t much into food coloring these days, and I definitely would not use an entire bottle of green coloring as the recipe suggests, but a little bit of green does make for a very pretty cookie.
Making these always brings me right back to my childhood Christmases.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/cornflake-wreaths-520680
Thanks to all who have shared such yummy looking recipes. This is fun!
I LOVE this idea! I participated in one cookie exchange many years ago here in Southern California and walked away with some yummy recipes. However, the one I’m sharing today was my own discovery. Sometimes a cookie, not too sweet but delightfully crunchy and dunkable, fills the bill. That’s right – once bitten, twice baked – biscotti! Give this recipe for cornmeal biscotti with dates and almonds a try. https://www.marthastewart.com/332767/cornmeal-biscotti-with-dates-and-almonds
Here’s a favorite at home and for my co-workers. Snickerdoodles by Martha Stewart. No cream of tartar needed either.
https://jennyrambles.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/martha-stewarts-snickerdoodles/
I love this! I still subscribe to a printed newspaper, and in December the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel publishes a special Holiday Cookie edition. Every year, my 3 kids read through the featured recipes, study the pictures, and each choose one new recipe to try. Most often, we enjoy trying the new recipe but don’t consider it “a keeper.” However, sometimes we find a true “winner!” In 2020, my daughter chose “Raspberry Kisses” from the list (primarily because they are bright pink!). Our whole family fell in love with these simple and flavorful meringue cookies. We made them several times that season, and several times last year as well. Of course, I’ll be picking up the ingredients this weekend to make our annual batch!
RASPBERRY KISSES
3 large egg whites
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 ½ tablespoons raspberry gelatin powder
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
In a bowl, beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Add raspberry gelatin mix and sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Mix in vinegar. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Drop batter by teaspoon onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes. Turn oven off and leave inside 20 minutes longer.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/food/2020/12/01/pretty-cookie-stays-life/3769891001/
I live in WI and do the same thing every year! Most aren’t keepers, but my “find” from around 10 years ago is a recipe called gingernoggles (gingerbread cup with eggnog filling). They are my daughter’s favorite! I think I’ll try your raspberry kisses instead of my normal mint meringues (pretty similar with the mini chocolate chips). Enjoy and happy baking!
Anne, thank you for this lovely idea! My poor printer is working overtime! Today I’m bringing Orange Glazed Sugar Cookies. Here’s the link for the recipe: https://thegoldlininggirl.com/2016/12/orange-glazed-sugar-cookies/
These cookies are like none I had ever had before! I started making them about four years ago for the holidays. Friends and family alike enjoy them! The orange zest and orange juice in the glaze give a lovely brightness to the cookies. I only make them during the holidays to keep them “special”.
I’d bring some Magic Cookie Bars to the exchange. This is such an easy crowd pleaser that my mom loves to make. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/63959/magic-cookie-bars-from-eagle-brand/
I knew immediately that I would be bringing Austrian Raspberry Shortbread bars. I found them a few years ago over at Smitten Kitchen and they have been my fancy holiday party go to ever since. They are crazy easy but they look and taste like you slaved for hours in kitchen! https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/12/austrian-raspberry-shortbread/
I’ll bring Neapolitan Cookies https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/neapolitan-cookies/
and also my most favorite World Peace Cookies https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/01/world-peace-cookies/
but be warned that if you make this dough and put it in your freezer your husband may find it and eat the entire batch and you may have to leave him as punishment if he doesn’t make it again for you. Enjoy!
When my kids (now teens) were the toddler/preschool age I belonged to a moms’ group that had a Christmas cookie swap. I brought the Betty Crocker grasshopper bars a couple of years in a row: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/grasshopper-bars/124fe1c3-3500-4b56-9f62-eef19338ab94
I follow the first tip listed and use milk and peppermint extract instead of the liqueurs.
One of my friends loved them so much that even after she moved halfway across the country, she would send me a message around the holidays to tell me she was thinking fondly of those grasshopper bars!
I’m bringing Sally’s peppermint mocha cookies, which has been adored at my annual friend-Christmas-cookie-baking day for nearly a decade. Recipe is here: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/peppermint-mocha-cookies/
**Cook them for no more than 9 minutes. If you go the 11 like she suggests, they’re too dry the next day. Underbake them slightly like brownies for a great cookie that is just as good days later.
I’m also bringing by Grandma’s drop sugar cookie, which is often all she would give us for Christmas (she raised 5 boys) and they are so good and simple.
My first contribution is Cocoa Snowflake Cookies–a recipe that was in the Penzeys catalog years ago and my family has made it ever since. I especially love making this now with my kids–rolling the dough balls in the powdered sugar. Sheer delight and delicious!
https://www.penzeys.com/shop/recipes/cocoa-snowflakes/
Oh, yum. I love anything Penzy’s!
My second contribution is a version of a recipe that has been in my husband’s family for years–and for which I got an honorable mention in a cookie contest. I made a different more fussy, roll out version of these as a kid with my best friend from a recipe from her grandma. Here’s Grandma Minard’s fluffy sour cream cookies. Now, my kids love to frost these and decorate the frosting.
http://www.sweetie-licious.com/Recipes/articleType/CategoryView/CategoryID/25/currentpage/4
Final to share–I always love a spice cookie at Christmas and Hanukkah. I also prefer soft to hard/crunch gingerbread. Sarah Moulton shared her family recipe some time back and we’ve been making it ever since. So good!
https://saramoulton.com/2013/10/ruth-moultons-spice-balls/
What a fun idea! So many great cookie recipes to try here! I love cookies and have loads of favorites. It was hard to narrow down, but the two I would bring are:
1. Christina Tosi’s Cornflake Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are a bit of an extra effort, but so incredibly good. Because the marshmallow might ooze past the round shape of a few of the cookie while baking, my tip is to take a round biscuit cutter and just gently circle them up with the cutter – so easy, no worries – just spray that cutter with vegetable spray. https://milkbarstore.com/blogs/christina-tosi-bake-club/bake-club-crunchy-cornflake-chocolate-chip-cookies
2. The second recipe is for those that like to decorate sugar cookies. I have been a cooking instructor for many years and the recipe that I have found that works the best is from Design Eat Repeat.com. The reason that is the best, is that you don’t have to chill the dough AND the cookie retains the exact shape and does not spread out, like in a blob of that shape if you know what I mean. And of course the taste is fantastic! I change up the extracts and use different gel food colorings all the time for different projects and it’s just a perfect dough. https://www.designeatrepeat.com/cut-out-sugar-cookies/
The one cookie recipe I can’t not make at Christmas is
https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/19753/raspberry-almond-shortbread-thumbprints/
I make a lot of cookies at Christmas and these please everyone.
At Christmas, I ask each family member to pick the one treat they most would like to have. For at least ten years, my 20-year-old son has chosen peanut butter chocolate bars, a recipe I got at a neighborhood cookie swap years ago.This recipe is close to the one I use. I just swap out Hershey’s bars for Ghirardelli.
https://www.shugarysweets.com/buckeye-bars/
So many great ideas in this thread! I’m def stealing the Andes Mints recipe for my cookie swap next weekend 🙂
Also thinking of trying this gochujang caramel recipe which I’ve been seeing all over the interwebs: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023675-gochujang-caramel-cookies
As well as the white chocolate / cranberry / rosemary cookie recipe from the 100 Cookies bookbook which I don’t see on the internet anywhere but is phenomenal: https://www.amazon.com/100-Cookies-Kitchen-Classic-Brownies/dp/1452180733
And, these icebox cookies are delicious so might make the dough ahead and bake them day of: https://homecooking.show/tangy-lemon-cookies
I love this – and will definitely be going back through the comments to make a list!
My contribution is salted chocolate toffee cookies, from Bon Appetit years ago (same as linked in Smitten Kitchen below). These are DELICIOUS. Years ago I sent some leftover into my husband’s office, and the boss’s boss’s boss (not a sweets person) loved them. A few weeks later when my husband needed a reference letter for grad school, said person wrote the letter – and also requested the recipe!
https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/11/chocolate-toffee-cookies/
I am loving this post! It may be time to re-start the cookie exchange in my neighborhood!
Love making these Rugelach, which I think are a Jewish cookie and oh so yummy! (We have a nut allergy in our house so I make them without the nuts!)
http://www.wittyinthecity.com/2016/03/sweet-and-tangy-rugelach/
Chocolate Chip Biscotti is another favorite.
https://www.missinthekitchen.com/chocolate-chip-biscotti/#_a5y_p=3163155
Happy Baking!🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
It’s been years since I’ve participated in a cookie swap and I miss them. Here are links to a few cookie tray favorites.
https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ginger-toffee-cookies/
https://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/holiday-biscotti/
https://www.bakersroyale.com/chocolate-swirl-meringue-cookies/
We love cookies all year at our house, but for Christmas, we make sure we have two that I don’t make during the year: Classic Shortbread and Gingersnaps. My son is particularly fond of the gingersnaps I make from a recipe in “Make-A-Mix Cookery” by Eliason, Harward, and Westover. The recipe makes dough for about 12 dozen cookies and it is expected that the dough would be frozen until needed. This recipe https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/gingersnaps-recipe from King Arthur flour seems to be the closest and makes a modest 5 dozen snaps. We like our snap to come from the ginger instead of the crunch, so we use the higher amount of ginger. Pull them out of the oven sooner for a softer cookie and bake longer if you want them snappy! My favorite shortbread comes from “Martha Stewart’s Cookies” and this is the link https://www.marthastewart.com/1142421/classic-shortbread to the exact recipe. Shortbread is my indulgence with a cuppa of tea or cocoa.
Make-A-Mix Cookery — you just took me down Memory Lane! I loved that book when my family was young and ended up giving it to my daughter when she married and moved away.
Russian Tea Cakes are my contribution – they’ve been a family tradition for almost 50 years now! (Also referred to as Mexican Wedding Cookies, above). My son’s family lives in CO (I’m in TN) and I’m getting ready to make a batch to send out there. Wouldn’t be Christmas without them!
This year I’ll be baking these Bacon Fat Gingersnaps from a recipe in the New York Times. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017041-bacon-fat-gingersnaps. Cook up a few batches of high quality bacon (we’ve been buying Nueske’s from Zingermans Deli) and save the fat in the refrigerator. I add extra cinnamon, clove and ginger because we love all three spices. These cookies are pretty easy to make and come out perfect. I’ve found they vary a bit each time based on the fat you use. Also you’re supposed to strain the fat but we like our cookies more bacon-y so the little cooking bits from the bacon add even more flavor.
Another favorite is Taste of Home’s Cranberry Date bars. This recipe makes a big pan that is perfect for an easy breakfast or dessert while guests are over. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-date-bars/
Great idea and I can’t wait to try some of these recipes, especially the spice balls, snickerdoodles and chocolate truffle cookies.
Love this idea! I’m bringing Italian ricotta cheese cookies. They are not pretty, but so soft and light. My recipe was given to me by a friend, but these are the same: https://www.shugarysweets.com/ricotta-cookies/
I will be taking coconut cranberry chews and the brownie roll-out cookies.
We moved into our neighborhood 39 years ago, and for 38 of those years, we’ve had an annual cookie exchange. When our daughters married, they started to join in. Now, the younger women are outnumbering us grandmas! Love that the tradition continues.
For the MMD Cookie Exchange, I’d love to bring these cut-out cookies with a twist: Pecan Sugar Cookies with
Brown Butter Icing from Sally’s Baking Addiction. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/pecan-sugar-cookies/
Happy baking, friends!
These are my favorite gingerbread cookies! They are more like a molasses cookie with chai spices. So delicious and always a request with fam and friends
https://www.bakefromscratch.com/gingerbread-chai-cookies/
My favorite Christmas cookie to take to exchanges is lebkuchen, a traditional German spiced cookie. My aunt and grandmother made these (as well as many others) every year for the holidays. Below is the recipe I have been using the last few years because it is not written in German (haha).
https://www.marthastewart.com/332633/lebkuchen
P.S. Anne and other Louisville readers: my aunt was one of the original owners of the Anchorage Country Store (depending on how long you have been in the area). It closed when I was younger. These cookies were a staple at the store and our family has long enjoyed many of the store’s recipes (and still working our way through huge amounts of the iconic wrapping paper).
Amelia, my Tante just sent us a huge box directly from Germany. Wir haben Lebkuchen sehr gern!!
Ah they are so wonderful. Lebkuchen passt wunderbar zu starkem Kaffee. Place a small orange in the box and they will stay deliciously moist for longer:)
This is my favorite Christmas-ish cookie recipe. It is vegan, but I promise that they don’t taste vegan.
https://www.mydarlingvegan.com/chocolate-peppermint-crinkle-cookies/
Thanks, as someone who currently has to be dairy free due to temporary lactose intolerance I’m loving finding a vegan recipe on here! Especially one without nuts as I also am allergic to tree nuts.
This first cookie I always think to bring is my friend Susanne’s spice cookies, and they are always a hit. However, the recipe is not mine to share, so instead I will offer you shortbread from the Brown Bag Cookie Mold folks:https://shortbreadpan.com/classic-shortbread/
Of course I will make them in a cookie mold, perhaps the wreath mold I used last year for an IRL exchange. The cookies will be as big as your hand!
Minnesota is my home and I’ve been part of Christmas Cookie exchanges since my first year out of college. Now, I’m part of two cookie exchanges. One is with long-time friends and has been going for over 25 years. When my friend first invited me, we had to get our cookie “approved.” No easy cookie or non-holiday cookies allowed. Several years ago I found a recipe by Land ‘O Lakes — Almond Glazed Sugar Cookies. My other cookie exchange is our annual neighborhood exchange. By popular demand, I make the same cookie for both exchanges.
My fave cookie recipe from before I became lactose intolerant: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/peanut-butter-mm-cookies/
A good recipe that works for the lactose intolerant/vegan amongst us (if you switch the butter for margarine that’s plant based spread instead): https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1300638/gingerbread-men?amp
Yikes, I have SOOO many tabs open right now!! My book club does an annual cookie exchange, so I now need to narrow down all these amazing recipes to decide what I’d like to bring this year. I think of the ones shared I am going to opt to sample the Cranberry Orange Shortbread and the Earl Grey Shortbreads.
The recipe I am sharing was given to me by a friend, whose son also happened to be one of my students back in my teaching assistant days. He brought them to school one day and caramel is my kryptonite, so I asked for this recipe for Chocolate Caramel Apple Cookies. https://www.sweettoothsweetlife.com/chocolate-caramel-apple-cookies/
(I found when I followed the directions to melt the caramels, 1-1/2 minutes was too long in my microwave, so maybe start at 1 minute depending on the power of your microwave.)
Two adaptations my friend made, which I adopted: Double the chocolate chips and instead of using Milky Way, use 1/2 to 1 c. of Kraft Caramel Bits. (A pet peeve of mine in regards to online recipes is when it doesn’t tell you how many cookies it makes, especially when I need to make a specific amount. This is one of those. So for the record, it makes about 6 dozen.) Enjoy!!
This cookie exchange is such a fun idea! I have 2 contributions.
The first is “Santa-size” Gingerbread Cookies from Better Homes & Gardens. I have been making these for about 10 years now, and they are one of my favorites (and my sister-in-law’s also!). I look forward to them all year!
https://www.bhg.com/recipe/santa-size-gingerbread-cookies/
These cookies are huge, but they end up so very soft and chewy, and I’m afraid if I made them any smaller, the texture would suffer.
My second contribution is Hot Chocolate Cookies. If the gingerbread cookies are my favorite, these are my husband’s. I make them both every year!
https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/hot-cocoa-cookies
You ladies have shared a lot of great recipes, but the ones I am most intrigued by are the soft maple sugar cookies and the roasted pecan chocolate chip cookies!
Now you’ve all made me hungry! I’ve never done an in-person cookie exchange before, but now I want to find (or start) one!
Such a fun idea! I’ve always wanted to host a cookie exchange… soon it will happen, but not this year. Instead, I enjoy baking a few varities of favorites and delivering little cookie boxes to friends and neighbors during the Christmas season.
Martha Stewart’s Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread cookies are a big favorite here. Do find fresh ginger, and also note that this is a relatively small batch in cookie terms. When I’m planning to share these I double the batch and deliberately roll the cookie dough balls smaller.
https://www.marthastewart.com/339353/chewy-chocolate-gingerbread-cookies
These are my all time favorite sugar cookies! Very moist and the flavor is amazing, not crunchy and simple ingredients! They are my mom’s recipe and have been baking since 1984!
Christmas Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 Sticks of butter softened 1 Egg
2/3 Cups of sugar 1 Tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 Cups of flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Cream butter and sugar in mixer until well blended. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute. Blend in vanilla. Gradually stir in flour just until well mixed. Form a ball with dough, and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4” thickness. Cut out favorite Christmas shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 325 degrees. Let cool.
Icing: Mix 3 cups of powdered sugar that is sifted. Add 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/2 – 3 TBSP water until well mixed. Divide into different bowls before adding color. Add drops of food coloring and blend. Spread onto cool cookies. (Add salt to frosting if too sweet.) Decorate as you desire.
My mum’s peanut biscuits (cookies in America = biscuits here). Can’t give a recipe, she doesn’t measure anything and she learned by watching my grandmother make them – also without a recipe that we know of. They are nutty and crumbly and oh so unsharable now with so many allergies around, and right now with my mum in her mid 80s and in poor health so I’m treasuring them as any batch could be the last. But sharing it with you because your site is also a distant gift with meaning.
For the coffee lovers I’m bringing these cappuccino bean cookies. I make them every year and get rave reviews! http://sugarmamacooks.com/chocolate-dipped-cappuccino-beans/
I’m fascinated! Definitely going to give these a try. Thanks, Julie!
So many great ideas here!
I’m bring 3 of my favorites.
1. Pain d’Amande that I discovered when reading The Muralist by Barbara Shapiro. It has become a favorite for special occasions and it’s great with coffee. I use this adaptation by David Lebovitz: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/flo-brakers-pain-damande-cookies/
Next, a couple favorites from Cookies & Beer by Jonathan Bender. My local book club has made an annual event out of coming together to share these cookies and beer. So fun, delicious, and somewhat adventurous!
2. Rich Butter Cookies with Fennel Seed and Sea Salt paired with a rich Copper Ale. The fennel sounds like a strange addition but I’m telling you these were a hit!
3. Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies paired with a Smoked Porter. The recipe calls for rolling them in habenero sugar. I substituted cayenne + sugar and they were fantastic and more within my heat tolerance. The best part is the surprised looks and smiles on faces when the heat kicks in. 🙂
Cheers everyone!
So many great ideas! I had never heard of a cookie exchange (grew up in St Louis, Missouri) until I read The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman in 2018 (about a group of friends who do an annual exchange). Lo and behold I got invited to a cookie exchange the following December from someone who grew up in the Chicago area. I’m glad I had a reference to what she was talking about!
I’m bringing a cookie I love to make each year: Gingersnaps.
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/11/gingersnaps/
Also a cookie that has been on repeat this whole year for us: Whole Wheat Chocolate Oat Cookies. In the place it calls for wheat germ or bran, I use raw quinoa and it adds a nice crunch.
https://smittenkitchen.com/2020/09/whole-wheat-chocolate-oat-cookies/
I’m taking home Monster Cookies and Swiss Mountain Shortbread. But really I’d take them all home!
What a delicious post! My family’s favorite Christmas cookie is a simple one. I bake peanut butter cookies and put a mini Reese’s cup in the center after the cookies have baked for 9 minutes or so. When the kids were young, they always hoped that some didn’t come out of the pan nicely. Those were the “flops” and the kids could eat them because usually the rest were needed for family or church gatherings. Even the funny looking ones tasted great!
https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/peanut-butter-cup-cookies/
Chocolate Crinkles, but add a touch of heat! (Pro tip: roll in regular sugar, then powdered to get the best crinkled look!)
https://honestlyyum.com/20964/chocolate-and-ancho-chile-crinkle-cookies/
As soon as I saw the recipe for Andes cookies I looked for the candies but alas too late already. So, I used Dove’s chocolate mint candies and they made a beautiful and delicious cookie. Thanks for the inspiration!
I just had to share a new-to-me molasses cookie recipe that is soooo delish! They keep their chewy texture for a couple of days. After that, I microwaved them for a few seconds to restore the chewiness I love. For my second batch, I added 1½ teaspoons of corn starch to hopefully keep them softer longer.
https://www.popsugar.com/food/disney-molasses-crackle-cookies-recipe-48069183
Need to provide gluten free cookies (or cakes) and want to use your own time-tested family favorites? Simply use the Cup for Cup GF flour or the King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour in place of regular flour. No need to alter your recipe! If you don’t tell them, your guests will not think these are gluten free. These flours are a little more expensive, but when you have children, friends or you need gluten free, it is worth every penny!
These are my favorite gingerbread cookies, and have converted my husband who didn’t think he liked gingerbread cookies. It also makes a medium sized batch, whereas I feel like a lot of gingerbread recipes have a high yield. The orange zest and fresh ginger really elevate the flavors and balance out the molasses, which can taste heavy.
https://www.dessertfortwo.com/gingerbread-cut-out-cookies/
These are a must-do in my family. This recipe was published in a Good Housekeeping magazine in the ’70s. My mom made them & now we carry on the tradition. They’re like Linzer Tarts, but not spiced. The cookie dough is richer with a touch of lemon.
Ischl Tarts
About 3 dozen
2 ¾ cups sifted flour (sift first, then measure)
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup almonds, ground
1 Tbl grated lemon rind
1 12-oz jar seedless raspberry jam
Confectioner’s sugar
Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Beat butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg with a mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture, blending well. Stir in ground almonds and lemon rind. Wrap the sticky dough in wax paper and chill for at least several hours or up to 2 days. Working with half the dough at a time, roll out to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut out with a 2- or 3-inch round cookie cutter. Cut a 1-inch hole in the center of half of these dough circles (these will be the tops that the jam peeks through). Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes, just until the edges are beginning to brown. Let cookies cool on the sheets for 1 minute, and then remove to racks to cool completely. Spread wax paper on your work surface and lay out all the cookie tops (the ones with the holes). Using a fine strainer or shaker, cover these cookie tops with confectioner’s sugar. Heat raspberry jam in a small saucepan and spread warm jam on the flat side of the uncut cookie halves. Top each jammy cookie with a sugary top. Store in an airtight tin, with wax paper between layers of cookies. These cookies freeze well.
So late to the party with this post, but have loved reading everyone’s comments! I love Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies mentioned above. This year, I worked on a lemon cookie idea and came up with these super yummy Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies. Something a little different from all the chocolate cookies out there (though there will still be plenty of those on my table!) https://www.vanillabeancuisine.com/lemon-white-chocolate-cookies/
I haven’t been able to read through all the recipes yet (I LOVE all the responses) so don’t know if anyone “brought” these cookies to the exchange. My grandmother was German and baked these cookies by the dozens at Christmas time every year. This recipe says to use walnuts which work, but my grandmother substituted pecans when she could find them (this was the midwest back in the 60s and 70s so couldn’t always find warm weather nuts) – I always use pecans now. I dust my knife with flour before cutting the dates. Even people who say “Rocks??, what kind of cookie that?” LOVE them !!! Merry Christmas and happy baking.
It didn’t post the link I tried to attach – here is the recipe for German Rocks:
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups sifted AP flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. hot water
2 cups dates, pitted and chopped (can’t have too many)
3 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (can’t have too many)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C)
2. Cream together butter and sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Dissolve baking soda in hot water, add it to the egg mixture. Stir in the flour, cinnamon until well blended. Last, add in the dates and walnuts/pecans so they are evenly distributed. This dough will be (should be) stiff.
3. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto an uncreased cookie sheet (parchment works too). Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Hi Christy,
Can you please post the recipe for your gingernoggles? They sound delicious!
Joyce
Is anyone here on the SCD diet? I’m allergic to almonds so looking for cookie recipes made with coconut flour.