Hello, foodies…
Today marks the start of our Host Cookie Exchange and I hope you're as excited as I am…cookie baking has always been such an important part of my family's traditions! Check back each day until Christmas Eve for a cookie recipe from me and my fellow QVC Hosts!
Amy Stran's Reese's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S COCOA
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups (2 and ½ sticks) of butter or margarine, softened
2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 and 2/3 cups (10 oz. package) of REESE’S Peanut Butter Chips
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
Nancy Hornback's Grandma's Sugar Cookies
My mom found a small note pad with grandma’s handwritten recipes and one of the recipes was her sugar cookies. I am sharing this family recipe with you so you too may create memories with your loved ones and eat a lot of cookies too. LOL!
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Mix well. You may have to add 1/2 cup more flour. Put in refrigerator at least 1 hour . Then put in cookie press. For Christmas I'll sprinkle them with red & green sugar before I bake them. Bake @ 350 degrees.
Gabrielle Kerr's Peppermint Bark
Ingredients:
6 ounces (170 grams) of semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil (flavorless oil)
6 ounces (170 grams) of white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3-1/2 cup of crushed candy canes (this is the only tough part I promise)
Directions:
Line the bottom and sides on an 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, smoothing out any wrinkles. Melt the semi sweet chocolate with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl. Immediately pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and smooth out so the chocolate makes an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set. Then, melt the white chocolate with the remianing 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heatproof bowl. Immediately pour the melted white chocolate over the dark chocolate and smooth out so the chocolate makes an even layer. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the white chocolate. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate has set. Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the aluminum foul. Peel back the foil and break, or cut the bark into small irregular pieces. You can store the pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks! This recipe should make up to 25 pieces and takes about 45 minutes!
Stacey Stauffer's Thumbprint Kisses
I love these cookies because they bring back wonderful memories of baking with my grandmother. She would let me make the thumbprints and the dusting of powdered sugar always reminded me of fresh fallen show. They look so pretty set out on the table Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 jar raspberry or strawberry preserves (or jam)
Powdered Sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated. Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam. Bake cookies until the edges are lightly golden, about 15 minutes. (For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.) Cool cookies on the baking sheets. When cool lightly sprinkle powdered sugar over top just to give it a dusting.
Sandra Bennett's Heath Bar Crunch Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped heath bar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Beat egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl; stir into the butter mixture. Fold chopped heath bar into the mixture. Drop batter by the teaspoonful onto prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.
Dan Hughes' White Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am a pretty simple guy and not much for fancy cookies. Give me old fashioned sugar cookies and I’m happy. But how about a bit of white chocolate to add to the fun, enjoy one of my favorite recipes.. it's easy, unless you burn the first batch!
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Bag of white chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time; then vanilla. Add flour, 1 cup at a time until blended. Add baking powder. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour, or ice box for 15 mins. Roll chilled dough into quarter size balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet. Press in white chocolate chips into dough. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown.
Mary Beth Roe's Minnesota Mint Snowballs
Cookie ingredients:
1 cup softened butter (or shortening)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 cup quick oatmeal
Directions:
Mix together all of the above ingredients and roll into 1 inch size balls. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Frosting recipe:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1/4 cup milk
Green food coloring
1-2 cups shredded, sweetened coconut
Frosting Directions:
Mix the first three ingredients together, then add just enough green food coloring to the frosting to make it a pretty mint color. Allow baked cookies to cool a few minutes. Then, dip each ball into the frosting and then roll in the coconut and set on a plate to cure.
Rachel Boesing's Rum Balls
My family and I always made rum balls when I was growing up. I couldn't find my mom's recipe, but I did track down a pretty yummy version from our buddy Emeril Lagasse! Hope you enjoy 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup finely chopped, toasted walnuts
Directions:
Into a large bowl, sift together 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar, the cocoa powder and allspice. Stir in the rum and corn syrup. Stir in the vanilla wafers and walnuts, and mix well. Place in the refrigerator to firm up slightly, about 30 minutes. (The mixture may appear crumbly and dry; this is O.K.) Place the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl or dish. Using a tablespoon, scoop out portions of the chocolate mixture and press into 1-inch balls. Using your hands, roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar, coating evenly. Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, placing waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking.
Carolyn Gracie's Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup milk (prefer 2%)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats
1 cup shredded coconut
Preparation:
Stir butter/margarine, cocoa, milk, and sugar together in a medium saucepan on stove top, over medium to medium-high heat. Bring to a bubble/boil. Continue boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat and slowly stir in peanut butter, followed by quick oats and coconut. Mix well. Tip: it's easier to stir in the oats and coconut a small amount at a time. Drop by rounded tablespoons full onto trays lined with a sheet of waxed paper. Let cool until cookies become solid. Makes 2 to 3 dozen depending on size of cookies.
Jane Treacy's Red Velvet Polka Drop Cookies
Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons red food coloring
Dry ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 12 oz. bag white chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. add vinegar, then egg until combined. Add red food coloring and vanilla. Mix all dry ingredients together and slowly add to the mixture. Stir in a little over 1/2 the bag of chips. Roll into balls. Bake for about 10 minutes. After you remove the cookies from the oven, place more chips on top, pointy side down to look like white polka dots.
Mary DeAngelis' Gluten-Free Macaroons
My favorite cookie for this time of year: David Venable’s Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons. I decided to try to make a gluten-free version and I’m thrilled to say: I think we’ve got it! As always, when baking gluten free, please make sure the ingredients you’re buying are gluten free by thoroughly checking your packaging.
Ingredients:
5 cups flaked coconut, sweetened
1 cup rolled oats (gluten free)
1 cup all-purpose flour (gluten free)
4 oz cream cheese (1/2 of a package)
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1-1/2 cups (1 bag) dark chocolate morsels
Sliced almonds (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Or, you can also use a silicone baking sheet. Set it aside. Use a tablespoon to drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. (Each cookie should be about the size of a golf ball. Place a sliced almond on top of each macaroon, if desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the coconut is toasted and golden brown on the outside. Allow the cookies to cool for 45 minutes, then dip the bottom of each macaroon in melted dark chocolate. Place the cookies back onto the lined cookie sheet and let them cool completely, or until the chocolate has set and hardened. This recipe makes about 24 large cookies. Please feel free to adjust the sizes and double-up if you're baking for a crowd!
Jill Bauer's New England Jam Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour
Crushed nuts
1 egg white
1 jar fruit jam
Preparation:
1.Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2.Cream the butter and sugar. Fold in the egg yolk, the flour, and the crushed nuts until fully incorporated.
3.Pinch off pieces of dough and roll it into balls. Roll the balls in the egg white then bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
4.Remove the cookies from the oven and, using the back of a teaspoon, immediately make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill the centers with jam. Put the cookies back in the oven for approximately 10 more minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the pan.
Sharon Faetsch's Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
In order to make the Oatmeal, Cranberry, Chocolate Chunk Cookies you're going to need:
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 (4-ounce) 60 percent cacao bittersweet chocolate bar (recommended: Ghirardelli), chopped into 1/4-inch chunks
Special equipment: a 4-ounce (1/2 cup) ice cream or cookie scoop
Directions:
Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture. Add the oats, cranberries and chocolate chunks. Mix until just incorporated (dough will be stiff). Using a 4-ounce cookie scoop, scoop slightly rounded mounds of the dough into 12 (2-inch-diameter) balls. Arrange 6 balls of dough, spaced evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, flatten the tops slightly and bake until the cookies are slightly golden on the edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before serving.
Antonella Nester's "Ma's" Drop Sandtarts
3/4 lb. butter
2 cups sugar (Ma uses 1 cup)
1 egg
2 1/3 cups flour
3 tsps. baking powder
Mix with mixer well, drop 1/2 tsp. on cookie sheet, leave 3" between cookies. Bake @ 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Press nut on cookie before baking (I use walnuts) and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Jennifer Coffey's White Chocolate Pecan Cookies
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
8 oz white chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the sugars, butter and eggs until fluffy. Stir in the flour, then pecans and chocolate chips. Use a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to portion out the dough onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
Kerstin Lindquist's Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
I like to eat gluten-free, and I'm always on the lookout for good recipes. But the key for me, as a non-cook, is that is has to be EASY! These cookies fit the bill, and taste so yummy.
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
18 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
Directions:
Preheat overn to 350 degrees F. Combine sugar, peanut butter and egg. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on un-greased cookie sheet. NOTE: If dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 1/2 hour or until easy to handle. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.
Jayne Brown's Simple Rolled Sugar Cookies
Ingredients: (makes 48 cookies)
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
3/4 cup of butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla
2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Directions:
Cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir together flour & baking powder. Stir into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half, chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or if doing quick method, place in ice box for 15 mins to half hour. Roll half dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured surface (keeping remaining dough chilled). Cut with cookie cutters, place on un-greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar or toppings if desired. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes.
Leah Williams' Nutter Butter Snowman Cookies
Ingredients:
1 Package Nutter Butter cookies
Vanilla bar or white chocolate chips
M&Ms
Orange Tic Tacs
Black Decorator Icing
Directions:
Melt vanilla bar (or white chocolate chips) and spread over Nutter Butter cookie. Place 2 M&Ms as buttons. Place an orange tic tac as the nose. Dot the eyes and mouth with black decorator icing. Let cool to set -- eat and enjoy!
Pat James-Dementri's Grammy's Peanut Butter Kissy Cookies
My family loves these special Grammy's Peanut Butter Kissy cookies...My grandmother passed this recipe along to my mom so from my family to yours I hope it becomes a tradition for you...
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup crisco
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs milk
2 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Combine crisco, salt, and peanut butter.....mix well...add sugars..cream..add egg in milk (mix those together first) ..than add flour and baking soda....grease pans...bake at 325...15-20min.
Alberti Popaj's Almond Butter Cookies
Ingredients:(Makes 24)
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar in a bowl, then stir in vanilla and water. Add flour and almonds and mix until blended. Cover and chill for 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Shape dough into balls and place about 2" apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. When cookies are cool, roll them in confectioners' sugar.
Courtney Cason's Brownie Cookies
Brownie cookies??? Yum! I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it would be perfect to try out because 1 - it's chocolatey and 2- I love baking for the holidays. Make sure to cool your cookies all the way before transferring to a plate or individual baggies. Since this recipe is very brownie-like, you want the cookies to "set" a bit before removing them from the parchment paper (or aluminum foil.)
Ingredients: (Makes 24 cookies)
1 box of brownie mix
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
2 cups chocolate chips (any kind!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or foil) and set aside. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add in egg and continue mixing (with hand mixer or stand mixer) until incorporated. Slowly add in brownie mix, a little at a time, until the dough is mixed and becomes thick. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop dough onto baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set. Transfer to wire rack and cool.
Jacque Gonzales' Biscochitos
These spicy, anise-flavored cookies from are rich, crisp, and very easy to make. Biscochitos are the holiday cookie staple in New Mexico.
Ingredients:
(Yield: 5 dozen)
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound lard (a must, no substitutes)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed (I like to crush them in a cup to help release their flavor!)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sweet table wine (I used a white Moscato)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions:
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream the lard with sugar and anise seed on medium speed. In a separate bowl beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs to creamed mixture and mix. Add to the flour, baking powder and salt mixture. Mix together well, adding wine to form a stiff-like dough, add more wine, if necessary.
Refrigerate dough overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand for a while, until dough is soft enough to roll. Divide dough in quarters and roll to about 1/16 to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet. OR to make them into rounds like in my picture - make small ball sized pieces of dough by hand and flatten.
Sprinkle or dip the cookies into sugar and cinnamon mixture - place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until bottom of cookie is golden brown. Set aside to cool.
David's Pizzelle Cookies
Kicking off the month-long recipe swap is my recipe for Pizzelles - the classic Italian cookie!
Pizzelles
Ingredients:
- 1-3/4 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp almond extract
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 stick butter, melted
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation:
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
- Beat the eggs, sugar, almond extract, and zest together in another medium-size bowl.
- Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Add in the melted butter.
- Preheat your pizzelle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Drop 1 tablespoon of the batter onto each patterned cookie grid on the bottom plate of the iron. Close the iron and cook the pizzelles according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Remove the cookies from the iron and place them on a rack to cool. When you're ready to serve, dust with the Confectioners' sugar.
Check back tomorrow for another delicious cookie recipe.
Keep it flavorful!
—David
