Cookie exchange parties take the cake during the holidays. Start this season off with a cheerful swap!

Find a festive recipe that begs to be shared, stock up on the necessary ingredients and make a day of it in the kitchen baking away. As host of the exchange party, the idea is to bake a small batch of cookies (no more than a dozen per guest), and have them wrapped and stapled with a copy of the recipe. Ask each guest to do the same in advance.

At the end of your fun holiday gathering, friends will be out the door with more scrumptious treats then they’ll know what to do with! One bit of advice: it’s best to cool your cookies completely before packing them up. Store them in self-sealing bags, tins, or plastic containers, and – if you remember – separate the soft from the crisp varieties.

 

Speaking of variety, we have plenty on Goodtaste.tv. You may have heard the urban myth of the $250 Neiman Marcus recipe. Well, THIS version of the Chocolate Chip Cookie is the real deal…

 

BIRD bakery is a cult favorite in Alamo Heights in San Antonio. These Monster Cookies from owner Elizabeth Chambers are one of my all-time favorites! Made flourless with oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips and M&M’s. I keep a couple on hand for a nibble with coffee every morning… 🙂

 

Vanilla Buttercream Macarons white as winter snow from Olivette at The Houstonian. Light, luscious and oh so creamy!

 

These soft, sugary Ginger Molasses Cookies are from the Sugar Fairy herself, Pastry Chef Rebecca Masson. Her brick and mortar for Fluff Bake Bar is a hip spot for creative confections in Midtown H-Town.

 

This take on Peanut Butter Sriracha Cookies certainly adds a kick to things; a sweet and spicy accompaniment to an already classic cookie! Add chocolate chips to the mix or top with a Hershey’s Kiss for a Peanut Butter Blossom.

 

Two of my favorite things: bourbon and bacon! These Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Cookies are accented by rich chunks of dark chocolate. The saltiness of the bacon is a splendid pairing with the sweetness from the bourbon, chocolate and vanilla flavors.

 

A seriously good snickerdoodle recipe by way of Dewberry Farm, just west of Katy, TX. I like to call these Pumpkin Snicker-DEW-dles “Texas-sized” on account of their plump proportions…thick and chewy just the way we like’em!

 

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