Cookie Exchanges!

[XYSRUS]

What kinds of cookies do you bake for exchanges? What kinds do you love to receive. We have an exchange at work every year and I just love it! Sometimes we just end up eating everything at work! Lots of fun!

 

[maslex]

I've done a few cookie exchanges and have done 7-layer cookies (more like a bar cookie), the peanut butter w/hershey kiss on top is always a hit. One year at work I did a "sandwich cookie" using a cake mix. Looked like little whoopie pies (I even colored the filling with red & green). Shaped sugar cookies w/sprinkles or frosting.

I love to look through this website and get some great ideas. Hopefully you can find something you like.

http://www.christmas-cookies.com/

 

[java]

Thank goodness our exchange isn't happening this year. I hated it. Baking 8 dozen cookies in one shot wasn't fun. It was stressful. Plus the the pressure of what to bake.

I agree that bar cookies are easier to make a bunch of.

The party itself was ok it was those darn cookies , the host has gone gluten free so no more cookies.

 

[minkydog]

I love cookie exchanges! I'd much rather make 8 dozen of the same kind of cookie than make several different batches. My go-to cookie is Molasses Crinkles. They're easy and cheap and so, so good.

 

[DebbieB]

Try for something unique. I always do my grandmother's pizzelle cookies.

 

[3doodlebugsmom]

I did ricotta cookies last year. They were a big hit, which surprised me a bit!

 

[Maria1985]

I've done a few cookie exchanges and have done 7-layer cookies (more like a bar cookie), the peanut butter w/hershey kiss on top is always a hit. One year at work I did a "sandwich cookie" using a cake mix. Looked like little whoopie pies (I even colored the filling with red & green). Shaped sugar cookies w/sprinkles or frosting.

I love to look through this website and get some great ideas. Hopefully you can find something you like.

http://www.christmas-cookies.com/

thanks for share.

 

[emma'smom]

8 dozen? Wow!

I do a cookie exchange every year and I tell everyone to bring 3-4 dozen cookies (a batch). Then we put all the trays of cookies on a table... Over the course of the party, each person fills their extra container with about the same number of cookies they brought---and the point is to mix it up so they take just a few of each kind---so everyone has lots of variety to choose from.

No muss....no fuss!

 

[maslex]

8 dozen? Wow!

I do a cookie exchange every year and I tell everyone to bring 3-4 dozen cookies (a batch). Then we put all the trays of cookies on a table... Over the course of the party, each person fills their extra container with about the same number of cookies they brought---and the point is to mix it up so they take just a few of each kind---so everyone has lots of variety to choose from.

No muss....no fuss!

Yeah, we do it "by the dozen" too. Depending on how many people participate, each person brings "that many dozen" cookies. That way if 7 people participate, 7 people bake 7 dozen of the same cookie and then each person takes home 7 dozen cookies (one dozen of 7 varieties).

Usually when I do these (or attend one) I package each dozen of my cookies in either cute little Chrismtas bags or those chinese take out containers, Christmas gladware type containers, etc. And then I print out the recipe and attach it to said container.

 

[afnaechiquita]

My favorite always are the peanut butter ones with the hershey kisses pressed in. I know they have a proper name, but I always forget it.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Chocolate covered cherry cookies!

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 10 min./batch
Yield: 24 Servings

Ingredients
•1/2 cup butter
•1 cup Imperial Sugar® / Dixie Crystals® Granulated Sugar
•1 egg
•1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•1/2 cup baking cocoa
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•48 maraschino cherries, blotted dry
•FROSTING:
•1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
•1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
•1 to 3 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice

Directions
•In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture (batter will be very firm). Shape into 48 balls, about 1 in. round, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Push one cherry halfway into each ball.
• For frosting, melt chocolate chips in milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add cherry juice and stir until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon of frosting over each cherry (the frosting will spread over cookie during baking).
• Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 4 dozen.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

UGH! Well we are doing yet another one tomorrow and judging by past experiences it will be a dud and will be the last. I always make some sort of a jam cookie. Tomorrow I am bringing Almond Raspberry jam prints and Apricot Cream Cheese ones.

Going by past experiences only three of us will actually bring homemade cookies. Last year somebody made chocolate covered pretzel sticks. Two did slice and bakes. One made mimi muffins and one brought cookies from the store. This year we tried emailing what WE were bringing so they got an idea but all the past offenders have not offered up what they are bringing. We shall see...

 

[Andtototoo]

I do cake mix cookies. They're quick and I can whip up many different kinds very easily and quickly and everyone seems to love them as much or more than the fancy kinds.

 

[okeydokey]

We are going to one at church tomorrow, 3 dozen, so it's only batch.

I am doing cake mix frosted chocolate mint biscotti.

 

[wdwmom2]

My favorite always are the peanut butter ones with the hershey kisses pressed in. I know they have a proper name, but I always forget it.

Peanut butter Blossoms. My favorite too

 

[dsneprincess]

Peanut butter Blossoms. My favorite too

Baking as I type. Can't wait for them to come out.

Santa Snickers cookies in fridge for baking later.

I no longer do exchanges because of the store bought ones I got in return.

 

[Jedana]

I've done a lot of different kinds over the years.

Chocolate chip
Oatmeal with cinnamon chips
Peanut Butter kisses
Sugar
coconut Macaroons
Peanut butter honey cookies
Gingerbread
Shortbread topped with homemade marshmallows (made with honey, not corn syrup) and dipped in chocolate.

My friend always does these ones with corn flakes and chocolate and dried cherries--and I can't pry the recipe out of her!

 

[mom2cookies]

we got tired of cookies, so now we have cupcake exchange. The only rule is, they have to be unique. No basic vanilla/chocolate cake with icing. No store bought. This year, we had, maple bacon, pistachio,coffee, chunky monkey to name a few.

 

[loveWDWalways]

I've only been to a cookie exchange once, but every Christmas I bake a large variety of cookies/treats and give them out to neighbors, friends, and it's especially fun to give them to my best friends (who hosted the exchange that one year), who also love baking and make a ton of cookies/treats as well. I like a mix of cookies/truffles/bark/bars/candies.

Here's one I'm making this year:

http://nycityeats.com/wordpress/3500/vanilla-eggnog-stuffed-red-velvet-sugar-cookies/

Red velvet cookies stuffed with eggnog inside. YUM!

OK, this next one isn't a cookie but in case you want something a little different to bring, or just to make for your non-cookie-exchange days, here is some Gingerbread Oreo (I found them at Wal Mart) bark!

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2012/11/gingerbread-oreo-truffle-bark/

 

[MichelleinMaine]

We did our second annual exchange one the other day. I made German black and white cookies (chocolate/regular short bread. Supposed to be checkerboards but I ran out of time and just did stripes.)

In return got:
chocolate/PB no bakes
chocolate PB fudge drops
sesame seed cookies (I need to try these)
double dipped mint cookies (Second time she's made- I think everyone's favorite. The recipe is on LandOLakes website.)
Snickerdoodles
chocolate cookies w/ candy cane Kisses (Same idea as the PB blossoms)

We do the bring a dozen packaged up for each person participating. I can't imagine anyone bringing store bought or slice and bakes- ack!