On the final Days of Christmas…
A couple of years ago I held my first Boston cookie swap. It was mostly book club girls and coworkers, mixed with a few friends. I was pretty happy with the turnout given it was my first one. We ended up with entirely too many cookies, but it made for a great learning experience. That year, I made Salted Mudslide cookies from How Sweet It is. If you haven’t had them, I suggest you go and make a batch right now! I’m not a huge chocolate lover but these are GOOD! Maybe it’s more the Kahlua and sea salt that makes them so addictive, but either way, I’m pretty sure I gained 5 pounds just eating those cookies.
This year I made Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies from Cooking Classy. They were a little more labor intensive then I had planned, but I think they turned out perfectly. If you like Samoas, you’re going to LOVE these. I think next time I might even roll them in pecans AND coconut.
So to conclude the 12 Days of Cookies, I give you The Great Boston Cookie Swap of 2014. We had bakers, non-bakers, runners, NPers, friends. Each person brought such a unique cookie that we had quite the smorgasbord of options. Some of my favorites, the coconut macaroons, Pecan Tassies (aka Tea Time Teasers), and the gluten-free peanut butter blossoms.
This year goes down as a success! And reducing the number of cookies to 1/2 dozen per person was a welcome change. No one needs THAT many cookies!! Also as a Thank You, I made each of the girls some Homemade Vanilla Extract. I’ve been making my own for years and I thought it was the perfect party favor.
The 12 Cookies of Christmas recap
1. Almond Butter Snickerdoodles
2.Pomegranate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
3.Sparkling Cranberry Gems
4. Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. Granola Cookies
6. Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
7. Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
8. Cranberry Noels
9. Salted Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
10. Butterscotch and White Chocolate Chip Oat Drops
11. Salted Mudslide Cookies (see above)
12. Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies (see above)