Taste of CHRISTMAS
Creative Cookie Swap COOKBOOK
Recipes and Holiday Inspiration
Š 2014 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Written and compiled by MariLee Parrish. ISBN 978-1-62836-875-8 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher. All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Published by Barbour Books, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.
Printed in the United States of America.
Taste of CHRISTMAS
Creative Cookie Swap COOKBOOK
Recipes and Holiday Inspiration
A n Impr int of B ar bour P ublishing, Inc.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. A u t h o r U n k n ow n
Contents 9 Chocolate Lover’s Library………..........................…55 The Best Bar Cookies……….........................………….77 Make-Ahead Freezer Cookies……...........…………113 Swap Day Recipes…………….............................………137 Traditional Favorites……….................................……….
A cookie swap is a beautiful thing! Busy families everywhere love it when someone takes the time to organize a cookie swap: you show up to the “swap” party with your cookie contributions, and when you head home, you’ve got dozens of delicious and colorful homemade cookies (made by others). It’s a win-win! In this little cookbook, you’ll receive instructions, ideas, and recipes to make yours the best Christmas cookie swap ever. Happy swapping! MariLee Parrish
Traditional Favorites  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 T hessalonians 5:18
To prepare for a cookie swap, send a message out to your friends and find out who is interested and when they are available. Afternoons and evenings are very busy for families in the month of December, so consider hosting a breakfast or brunch party. After you have your guest list, send out invitations that contain instructions on how to participate
in the swap. Choose an amount of cookies to make that is manageable for everyone—usually two to five dozen cookies. Be sure to note that all cookies must be homemade and that guests need to bring copies of the recipe. Let guests know that you will send a reminder the day before the swap with the number of recipe copies they need to bring.
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Old–Fashioned Snickerdoodles ½ cup butter or margarine ¾ cup sugar 1 medium egg 1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt 1⅔ cups flour 2½ tablespoons white sugar mixed with 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine margarine and ¾ cup sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and beat until creamy. Add baking powder, salt, and flour. Stir until you have a nice thick dough; set aside. Combine the 2½ tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the coated balls on a greased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a smooth cup, press the dough down to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for 10 minutes.
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Peanut Butter Cookies 2½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda Ÿ teaspoon salt 1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine first 4 ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour mixture. If necessary, chill dough. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
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Chocolate Almond Tea Cakes ¾ cup margarine or butter, softened ⅓ cup powdered sugar 1 cup flour
½ cup instant cocoa mix ½ cup toasted almonds, diced Additional powdered sugar
Combine margarine and ⅓ cup powdered sugar. Stir in flour, cocoa mix, and almonds. (Refrigerate until firm if dough is too soft to shape.) Heat oven to 325 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes or until set. Dip tops into powdered sugar while still warm. Let cool and dip into powdered sugar again.
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Chocolate Shortbread 1 cup butter, softened ¾ cup powdered sugar 1½ cups flour Pinch salt
⅓ cup cocoa Walnuts, halved Maraschino cherries
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Stir in flour, salt, and cocoa. Mix well. If too soft, chill in refrigerator for ½ hour. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten balls with a fork. Top each with a walnut half or a cherry. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before removing from pan.
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Chocolate Spritz Cookies 1¼ cups butter, softened 1 cup sugar ⅔ cup dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ⅔ cup cocoa 2½ cups flour
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. In separate bowl, combine baking soda, salt, cocoa, and flour; add gradually to creamed mixture until just blended. Use cookie press fitted with disk of choice. Press cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
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This star drew nigh to the northwest, O’er Bethlehem it took its rest; And there it did both stop and stay, Right over the place where Jesus lay. T ra d i t i o n a l E n g l i s h C a r o l
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Chocolate Drop Cookies ½ cup shortening 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate 2 eggs
1 cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 1⅓ cups flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt shortening and chocolate together in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; set aside. Beat eggs; add sugar and whisk together well. Add melted chocolate mixture, vanilla, and flour. Mix well. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 minutes.
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Oatmeal Scotchies ¾ cup butter, softened ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt 3 cups rolled oats 2 cups butterscotch chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. In separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients, except oats and butterscotch chips, with a wire whisk until well blended. Gradually add to creamy mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the oats and the butterscotch chips. Drop by spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 9 minutes until edges begin to brown. Store in sealed container.
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Gingersnaps ¾ cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar ¼ cup molasses 1 egg 2¼ cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon cloves Sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until fluffy; set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining spices. Stir into molasses mixture. Form into small balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Do not overbake or cookies will harden.
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Cream Cheese Cutouts 1 cup butter, softened 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1½ cups sugar
1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 3½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined, Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Divide dough in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
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Gingerbread Cookies 6 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup shortening, melted 1 cup molasses 1 cup packed brown sugar ½ cup water 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. In separate bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients. Divide dough into 3 pieces, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
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Raspberry Thumbprints 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened ¾ cup softened butter 1 cup powdered sugar 2¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup pecans, chopped ½ teaspoon vanilla Raspberry fruit preserves
Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth. Add flour and soda; mix well. Add pecans and vanilla. Mix well; chill dough for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press your thumb in the middle of each cookie; fill with about 1 teaspoon preserves. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
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Traditional Sugar Cookies ½ cup butter 1 cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring 2 eggs
2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon milk Additional flour, if necessary
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter with sugar; add vanilla and eggs. Mix thoroughly. Sift flour and baking powder with salt and add to egg mixture. Add milk and mix well. Add enough more flour to make dough consistency to roll. Cut off small pieces of the dough; roll on floured surface and then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Dip cutter in flour and cut out cookies. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool before decorating.
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Sour Cream Cutouts 2 eggs 1½ cups sugar 1 cup butter, softened ¾ cup sour cream ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 cups flour
Cream together eggs, sugar, butter, and sour cream. Add remaining ingredients. Mix together well and chill for at least 2 hours. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut with your favorite holiday cookie cutters. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
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Almond Toffee Cookies 4½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon salt 2 sticks salted butter, softened 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups sliced almonds, toasted and chopped 1 (10 ounce) package English toffee bits
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; set aside. Cream butter for 30 seconds. Beat in vegetable oil and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in almond extract. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in the almonds and toffee bits. Drop by teaspoonful on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately.
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