Christmas Cookie Exchange

Everyone loves cookies!  And don't we all love to give sweet treats as gifts to our friends, family, and neighbors at Christmas time?  Of course!  On December 8th, Generous Home hosted a Christmas Cookie Exchange.  We invited a handful of ladies to join us for Tea and to exchange cookies.  We had 7 ladies in attendance, so each one brought 7 dozen cookies of the same flavor, packaged so they could go home with each one of the guests.  

 

Packaged so pretty!

 

 

The flavors that we had included:  Double Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Expresso Snow Cap Cookies, Coconut Cherry Macaroons, Whipped Shortbread, Oreo Truffles, Peanut Butter Balls, Filbert Fingers and Peppermint Meltaways.  We had a great time and for many of us, our Christmas baking was done! The recipe for each cookie went into a little booklet and was included in the ladies' bags of cookies.

 

Tea Time!

                

 

After an afternoon of visiting, and digging in to some yummy food...

 

everyone went home.... 

 

...with a bag full of a delicious assortment of cookies. 

It was such a success that we plan to make this an annual event.    Thank you to all the ladies that came to Generous Home's first annual Christmas Cookie Exchange! 

 

We have included Anne's recipe for Whipped Shortbread and Laura's recipe for Coconut Cherry Macaroons.  Hope you enjoy them!  Thanks to all the ladies that participated.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Whipped Shortbread

½ lb Butter softened

½ lb Margarine softened

1 C Icing Sugar

½ C Cornstarch

3 C All purpose flour (sifted)

 

 Directions:

Whip together the butter and margarine until light and fluffy.  Combine the sugar and cornstarch together and gradually add this mixture to the butter using the electric mixer on low setting.  Continue to slowly add the flour while beating with the electric mixer on low.  Drop by teaspoonful on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes.

These can be decorated with cherries, mixed peel, or any other cookie decorations you choose. 

 

Coconut-Cherry Macaroons

6 Cups sweetened flaked coconut

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 Cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ c maraschino cherries drained and chopped

Directions:

Combine coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl; mix until coconut is well coated.  Stir in chocolate chips and cherries.  Drop by heaping teaspoonful 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Makes 3 dozen