From the Chronicle Kitchen: Very Merry Cookie Party
How to Plan and Host a Christmas Cookie Exchange
12.1.10 | Peter Perez | Food and Drink, Weekly Recipes
I’ve never been to a holiday cookie exchange, but after thumbing through our new Very Merry Cookie Party cookbook I’m unsure why. Not only am I a sweets freak and an avid baker, I’m an extremely active appreciator of pretty much everything that’s buttery, chocolaty, and nutty during this time of year. It may mean having to do more cardio than normal, but it’s totally worth the pleasure factor provided.
Do you take part in a holiday cookie and sweets exchange? Have any photos or tidbits to share? Post a comment and let us know about it. I’ll be giving away a copy of the book to a random lucky winner.
Enjoy two recipes this week—and happy baking.
TOFFEE SQUARES
Makes 48 squares
To heighten the toffee flavor, substitute toffee baking bits for half of the chopped almonds.
Cookie Exchange Tip
This is another of those always-popular cookie-exchange selections: Toffee-laced squares appeal to just about everyone. Dress them up a little by weaving lengths of gold metallic ribbon through the stacked cookies.
Crust
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
7 to 8 ounces milk chocolate, broken into pieces, or 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment.
2. Prepare the crust. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and salt. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour just until mixed. The dough will be stiff. Pat the dough evenly over the bottom of the baking pan.
3. Bake in the center of the oven until pale gold on top, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the chocolate pieces evenly over the crust. Return the pan to the oven for 1 minute. Remove the pan again and, using a knife, spread the chocolate evenly over the crust. Sprinkle evenly with the almonds.
5. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Using a sharp knife, cut into small squares, then carefully remove from the pan with a small offset spatula or an icing spatula.
CHOCOLATE-DIPPED SHORTBREAD
Makes 16 wedges
Chocolate chips melt faster than bar chocolate and firm up nicely as a coating, but you can also use a top-quality bittersweet chocolate. You will need 6 ounces; chop it before melting.
Cookie Exchange Tip
Play up the Scottish origin of these treats by decorating the tray with ribbons in red-and-green plaid.
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two 8-inch square baking pans with aluminum foil, letting it slightly overhang 2 sides of the pan. (These “handles” will make it easier to lift the shortbread sheet from the pan.)
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour and cocoa just until mixed. The dough will be stiff.
3. Divide the dough in half. Press each half evenly into the bottom of a prepared pan. With a small, sharp knife, lightly score each shortbread sheet into 8 even wedges, being careful not to cut through the dough completely.
4. Bake on the top rack of the oven until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pans on wire racks.
5. Retrace the scored lines in both pans with the knife. Grasp the foil on 2 sides and lift carefully to remove the shortbread sheet from each pan. Break gently into wedges.
6. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl or in the top of a double boiler. Microwave at 80 percent power or heat over (not touching) barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
7. Dip one pointed end of each cooled shortbread wedge in the melted chocolate and set on a wire rack. Let stand until the chocolate sets.
Purchase Very Merry Cookie Party.
Peter Perez
Senior Marketing Manager
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My mom always participated in a cookie exchange when I was a kid and she would make the same cookies every time — rosettes. They are very thin waffle-like cookies that are fried on a hot iron in oil. Not very healthy but extremely tasty! I happen to make a wonderful snickerdoodle so that is my go-to cookie for the holidays. I was thinking of trying shortbread this year though!
I could always go for a new shortbread recipe. thanks. Id never thought of dipping them in chocolate so Ill have to try that. I havent been to any cookie exchange parties. Id like to but im also ok the way I have it now which is bake as many types as i can with my mom doing the same and then try all of those haha.
I'm going to participate in my company's first holiday cookie exchange next week. Very excited as I love sweets and baking too. Instead of a cookie though, I'm going to attempt to make Hasty Torres' Cacao Nib Brittle. Seems easy to make but also easy to mess up? Wish me luck!
I've seen this book and I want it! One important tip when participating in a cookie exchange: make sure the people you are exchanging with are good bakers. I learned this the hard way- one year I made my mother's delicious chocolate nut cookies, iced with vanilla buttercream frosting, then dipped in ground walnuts ( they are so good, but kind of labor-intensive) for a cookie exchange and got some pretty slap-dash cookies in return. The party was fun and I was glad I went, but the cookies I came home with were not as good as the cookies I took with me. That sounds conceited, I admit, but it's the truth.
I do a cookie exchange at my office…I always bring in snickerdoodles. It's so much fun to see what other people's "specialties" are. :)
That chocolate dipped shortbread looks divine!!! I am going to have to try them!!! We have a cookie swap every year – totally fun – http://www.se7en.org.za/2008/12/12/clearly-christ…
I’ve never been part of a cookie exchange, though it sounds like fun! I do, however, bake a big ol’ mess of cookies a few weeks before Christmas! In fact, I may have to add that chocolate dipped shortbread recipe to this year’s roster- it looks delicious!
I don't take part in any holiday cookie/sweet exchange, but I kind of dream of having cookie parties- I'm just not in a good situation to do such things right now. Some day!
I love those toffee squares, by the way.
I have never done an official exchange, but at family parties often the people that I give baked goods to give me a plate of goodies that they've made.
I love cookies and love giving and receiving them.
I LOVE cookie exchanges and have hosted them on and off for the last 15 years. The best part is that after you have an assortment of cookies to share with guests, bring to friends or just enjoy on your own. Here are my top 4 tips:
1) make sure participants know how it works and how much to bring. Last year, someone brought uncooked cookie dough instead of cookies!
2) participants should bring a tray or plate to display the cookies as well as a container to bring them home. I have forgotten to relay this important detail.
3) if everyone has email, ask participants to send the recipe electronically. Most people want copies of the recipe but may forget them. Make it easy for them.
4) offer light snacks and drinks as part of the exchange. Hey, it’s still a party!
no but can we start one here?! maybe i should start one with my friends! i’d love to win this book!
thanks!
j.
I always make all the sweets around here. I WISH I could get a cookie exchange started though. Sounds like fun, and less work.
I splurged and bought plain empty pizza boxes from a local pizza place for all the attendees of my little party. Everyone got a box and got to “shop” the cookies. I think it’s important that the host makes some extras, just to fill in the gaps or in case someone brings an uninvited guest (things happen!)
My church holds a cookie exchange every Christmas. It's always fun to see all the different cookies that people bring and I try to make a different cookie every year. It's so fun!
se7en, LOVE your blog post you mention above (http://www.se7en.org.za/2008/12/12/clearly-christmas-a-christmas-cookie-swap-in-se7en-steps), with all the info about your cookie swap – great photos and recipes! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much!!! So thrilled you came by!!!
and the lucky random winner of a copy of Very Merry Cookie Party is…Amy F! Congrats.
Happy cookie party baking to all.