Hi! I hope your holiday activities are bringing you lots of joy and very little stress!
A few weeks ago, I sent a quick message to a handful of friends I haven’t seen in a while to see if they’d be available for a Christmas Cookie Swap. The cookie part was really just an excuse to get us together, eat snacks, have a couple drinks and catch up. Of course, I was excited when most of them could make it and was super excited to see what kinds of cookies they’d bring!
It means the world to me to get time with friends and I don’t do it nearly enough. When I do, I’m so grateful for the time and laughs! I made a few savory appetizers including a cheese board and these little Greek bites. Easy and cute!
I also whipped up Holiday Cheermeister Bourbon Punch from one of my favorite bloggers, Half Baked Harvest. It was delicious and the perfect holiday cocktail! I didn’t get a picture but there are lots on HBH’s site. Trust me, it’s beautiful and it goes down real nice!
My cookie for the evening was a Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Chocolate Chip cookie. Hannah introduced me to these a few weeks ago. They’re one of my new favorite cookies! You can find the recipe here on Baker by Nature’s site. Please add these to your cookie recipe files! Also, I think Santa would be quite grateful to have one or two of these on Christmas Eve!
The cookies my friends brought were AMAZING!
Snickerdoodles. Seriously, so good! I always thought Snickerdoodles were thin and crispy. These were fluffy and chewy and I ate way too many! No I didn’t!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. I’ve never had these before and have always found them to be so pretty. They’re beautiful and they didn’t disappoint on flavor! Chocolatey and gooey!
Traditional Almond Biscotti. These just feel special! I had a quick bite last night but really enjoyed two of these with my coffee this morning. Light and perfect for dunking and the anise flavor makes them divine! What a treat!
Red Velvet Thumbprints. Come on!!! They taste as good as they look! I love how pretty these are! So festive and yummy! Again, Santa would be grateful for these on his/her plate!
Pretty neat, huh? I had a great time with the exception of missing a few gals who couldn’t join. When I got the wheels in motion to host this, I found all kinds of ways on Pinterest to do a Cookie Swap/Exchange. I kept this simple. Everyone made 7 dozen cookies and showed up. We had snacks, drinks and then filled our containers and shared a little about why we chose our cookies and/or where the recipes came from. Some of these are Grandma’s recipes! I love that!
It’s a busy time and I’m so grateful I got to spend some of it with dear friends! Thanks for showing up, ladies, and sharing your cookie creations!
From the heart,
Shannon
flouredapron.com 