I am invited to my first ever cookie exchange. I moved to the neighborhood 4 months ago and have only met three neighbors so far. The woman across the street has hosted an exchange for the last few years. I think there will be around 20 people there!!
I am not an adventurous cook or baker, but I'd like to make something delicious. I'm trying to decide how important it is for me to take a "special" cookie or simply something I know is delicious. I think those peanut butter cookies cooked in mini muffin tins with a Reese's peanut butter cup in the center would be super easy and well-liked, but I bet someone else brings those. Should I stress about making something unique? What are the most popular cookies brought to these exchanges? I'd rather not duplicate.
If you don't mind, could you give me advice and/or cookie recommendations? Thank you!!
What about chocolate covered pretzels? Puppy chow? Homemade rock candy? Divinity???
The candies that no one makes anymore, but everyone loves?
Those sound amazing. I'm going to look the recipe up. I think that would be a great choice.
Another idea is peppermint bark. It's not exactly a cookie, but it's super easy and a light minty palette cleanser in between all the rich heavy cookies. Remember to bring the recipe for whatever you take. If they are good, people will be asking for it.
Be sure and plate them or present them in a pretty and fun way. People eat with thier eyes 1st. Presentation is half the battle.
I just made these for a super fancy charity event and they were GONE in minutes. Present them on a plate with some full sprigs of fresh rosemary. These sound pretty elegant and taste amazing but are SO easy.
Rosemary Chocolate Shortbread
1 TBL fresh chopped rosemary
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup chocolate chips/bar, shaved with a knife
1 stick unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 300.
Let the butter come almost to room temp. In a mixer or food processor, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the rosemary and salt, and add the flour slowly, mixing to incorporate. Once you form a dough ball, transfer dough to a bowl and mix in the chocolate by hand. Put in fridge for about 10-15 minutes to firm up. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. Cut into bite-size pieces and put on a cold ungreased cookie sheet. Prick the tops of each cookie with a fork and bake for 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
I just made these this weekend and they're awesome and easy:
Triple Chocolate Cookie Balls
Makes approx. 42 Cookie Balls
- 1 pkg (3.9 oz) Chocolate Instant Pudding
- ½ cup cold milk (or soy milk)
- 36 Oreo cookies (finely crushed), approx. 3 cups
- 1 ½ pkgs semi-sweet chocolate (or 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips)
- 1 square white chocolate melted
1. Crush cookies inside large plastic bag.
2. Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk for 2 minutes.
3. Add cookie crumbs and mix well with a spoon.
4. Shape into 1-inch balls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or foil.
5. Freeze for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Melt chocolate in a small saucepan on low heat until smooth and shiny.
7. Remove chocolate balls from freezer. Dip in chocolate (or spoon on with teaspoon). Place in single layer across pan.
8. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
9. Melt white chocolate on low heat. Let cool for several minutes. Place in small ziplock bag with corner cut slightly. Drizzle over top.
10. Refrigerate for additional 10 minutes or until firm.
I have never done one but don't they ask you to say what you are bringign so that they don't get 19 gingerbread men and 1 peanut butter in the muffin tin things, by the way please give us your recipe :) have fun!
I'm not a baker at all but how about chocolate chip cookies with M&M's on top?
I found a recipe for Oreo bark on the kraftfoods.com website. It looks VERY easy and everyone that reviewed it on line gave it rave reviews! I bake a ton of cookies for Christmas, as well as fudge and other stuff so I'm always looking for something new or something easy!
Also I've never heard of the PB cookies in mini muffin tins so I don't know if you'll be duplicating them, but maybe I'm in the minority!
I'm going to my first one tomorrow and posted a question about it this week too, so I don't have much sage advice, but I wanted to share that easy recipe I found and with that many people something besdies a cookie might be appreciated.
If you want to do something a little different, I thought these looked so cute! I'm going to give them a try once I finally get started with holiday baking:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/12/peppermint-bark-rice-...
I made these last year (from the same blog, I'm a big fan!) and they were really good, very easy to make & festive looking. And they froze well, an added bonus:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/12/peppermint-bark-rice-...
I also have a glazed peppermint oatmeal cookie that I make every year. They're really good & I'm often asked for the recipe. I'd be happy to send it, just message me if you're interested.
Have fun! Some neighbors by us used to do a cookie exchange every year until they moved away. I miss it!
what about some great fudge? or a 7 layer bar?
I'm not a big cookie eater, I go for bark, fudge, candy...
Try the peanut butter cookie with a Hershey Kiss on top. Super easy and you can NEVER have TOO MANY of those!
Don't go crazy and try something new now. Kinda like playing with your hair a day before your wedding.
I'm just getting ready to make chocolate chip cookies mixed with Christmas M & M's. Super easy and everybody goes CRAZY over them because it's DOUBLE the chocolate. (Nothing worse than a cookie with only three or four chocolate chips!) They also make a ton and travel well.
Everyone always oohs and aahs over cute cookies, but go with what you are good a baking.
Have fun and eat well!
