Cookie Exchange -- What's Your Fav Christmas Cookie?

I've been going to the same cookie swap for about 11 years now. We always bring an entire dozen for each person plus 6 cookies to put out on a platter for tasting. We all bring home tons of cookies, but I use them to make up some gift baskets for the teachers and such.

Hmmm....the cookies I've been asked to make again and again are my anise cookies...I sprinkle red or green sugar on top of the glaze on top of the cookie.

We also do a Yankee swap with ornaments. Lots of fun!!

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I would say 6 cookies per person. So if there are 6 ladies then 3 dozen cookies. Everyone should also bring a copy of the recipe in case of food allergies.

My favorite are Jingle Jangles (gingerbread with raisins) and
Chocolate Treasures (chocolate chunks cookies with cocoa powder dunked in powdered sugar)

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People go crazy for these and they look very festive:

Corn Flake Cookies

2 egg whites
1 Cup sifted Confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Cup shredded coconut
2 Cups corn flakes
1 6-ounce package chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla
Candied Cherries (red) - usually sold in the baking section of the grocery store

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry

Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff and satiny (a long time - maybe 5 minutes).

Add salt.

Hand mix in the rest of the ingredients with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Using two spoons or a mini ice-cream scoop, place rounded spoonfuls of the cookie mixture on the parchment (e.g. similar shape and spacing as if baking chocolate-chip cookies).

Cut candied cherries in half and place a half-cherry in the center of each cookie.

Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing.

Parchment paper is non-negotiable! Before I discovered parchment paper, I would lose half the cookies trying to remove them from the pan.

Everybody loves these. I make 5 or 6 kinds each Christmas, but these always win the most compliments.

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I just love cookies, I'm not sure I could pick a favorite! ;) Last year my brother's girlfriend went to a cookie exchange where they did voting and prizes and she won with my carrot cake cookie recipe! Yay! It's not especially "holiday" but they are super yummy!

I did just see a recipe in a Family Fun book I bought of the $1 bins at Target that had mitten cookies that were striped. You have to layer the dough and use cookie cutters, but they looked so cute!!! I just might have to give those a go this year!

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I love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!!

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So hard to pick one favorite, so I'll list 2! Mexican wedding cookies and sugar cookie cut outs with sparkly sugar. When I take a cookie tray to work, we always laugh because we can tell who's been eating the Mexican wedding cookies by the powdered sugar on the front of their shirts. (I always remember to brush it off so I'm not busted!)

The rules for our cookie exchange are:
1. Everyone brings 1 to 5 dozen cookies in bags of 6.
2. Each person takes as many bags as they bring.
3. Everyone takes only 2 bags at first, allowing everyone a chance at the "favorite" cookies, and then all bets are off!

This works really well for a large group of friends, as some have more to share than others.

My favorite cookies are chocolate with crushed peppermint bits.

I don't have a name for these, but I make them every year. They're a small round chocolate drop cookie. I pipe on some white icing, then sprinkle shaved chocolate, then place a cherry on the top. They LOOK so festive! And since I start with unsweetened chocolate (Bakers - I use the recipe off their box), the sweetness of the frosting is against the tartness of the chocolate ... Oh my goodness! To, Die. For.

My friends and I do this every year and everyone brings a dozen to give to each person there, and brings a dozen to eat while exchanging (it's a big party for us). One rule we don't have that I would make (I'm not one of the original people though so I just go with the flow) is no chocolate chip cookies. They are the easiest to make so you aren't really swapping anything fun.

Gingerbread cookies and lemon bars!