Even before Thanksgiving I started seeing Christmas cookies in magazines and on blogs. Well of course I wanted to make all of them! But who has the time? So I asked my good friends Chris and Karen from The Peche if they wanted to have a holiday cookie swap in New York. And how could we have a New York City cookie anything without involving Gail from One Tough Cookie and baker extraordinaire, Abby Dodge. The four of us got to brainstorming and a few weeks later we were at a midtown restaurant havin’ lunch and swappin’ cookies with more than twenty other bloggers and cookie lovers.
The restaurant gave us the run of the upstairs where everyone laid out their cookies over several tables. We were all so busy drooling over the cookie smorgasbord and filling up our containers that it was hard to break away and order lunch, but eventually we’d all had enough sweet and needed to counterbalance with a bit of savory.
The cookie swap was such a great idea. I baked one kind of cookie and came home with more than three dozen different cookies made by some seriously gifted bakers. There was everything from Anna’s Millionaire’s Shortbread and Chris’ Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies to Erika’s (now famous) Homemade Nutella Chip Cookies and Jackie’s Peppermint Crusted Double Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies. We are enjoying each and every one.
What did I make, you ask? I had intended to make these delicious Chocolate Bites with Candy Cane Kisses that my friend Amber and I had made during an epic Christmas baking session the week before (Quick Aside: If you haven’t yet had a girlfriend over to do some holiday baking, you should get a date on the calendar post haste! What fun we had that day). These are cookie meets brownie bite with a Candy Cane Kiss in the middle. But typical me– the morning of the event arrived and I still had not made my Chocolate Bites and I couldn’t find mini muffin papers at either of the small shops by my house. So I made my mom’s chocolate chip cookies and added some chopped Candy Cane Kisses into the mix. They were really good, but I still wish I had been able to make these! If you don’t like mint and chocolate together, try a different kind of Kiss or candy (just be sure to freeze them first).
Happy Munching!
Other Cookies from the Swap
Jessica’s Black and White Kisses
Next year, take your swap to the next level, and turn part of it into a Drop In & Decorate® cookies for donation event! It’s so much fun to decorate together and donate.
Wow, I’m so sorry I missed this! Looks like so much fun. Next year, maybe?
Sounds like you had so much fun!! Wish I could have made it, but the date ended up being on my birthday and I already had plans. Maybe next time! 🙂
I can’t believe I’ve only done one cookie swap in my life, because they’re so much fun. The time I did it, twelve of us each baked twelve dozen of the same cookie, giving each of the others a dozen of what we made.
(There was also wine and a hot tub involved at this cookie swap, which may have had something to do with how much fun I had.)
Anyway, it’s such a cool way to get all those cookies you want but don’t have time to bake.
Wait a minute. If we add in the hot tub next year, does that mean Pam will join us?
Loved being part of the fun, Maggy! And really loved meeting so many bloggers in person for the first time.
the cookie swap was awesome! thanks so much for organizing!
It was great to get away for a couple of hours and meet everyone. I don’t think I had ever seen so many cookies in one place. I snapped a photo with my phone and sent it to a friend whose idea of paradise is a bed of cookies. His response: “Tim was right. You hacked life.”
Such a wonderful group of people. Thank you for all the work you put into organizing it!
Thank you for your part in organizing the cookie swap- I had so much fun and it was great to meet you! I posted a recap and one of my cookie recipes here: http://bit.ly/ffoywN
Hope to see you again soon 😉
A great idea! I’ve never cookie swap before too and might do it this year 🙂
Thanks so much for organizing this wonderful event. I had such a blast, great to meet so many talented bloggers and bakers. Also thanks for linking my recipe. Happy munching to you too!
Oh, now I’m REALLY sad that I don’t live closer to NYC. This sounds like a blast – so glad that you all got to get together. Happy holidays and happy cookie eating to all!
Loved meeting everyone and had a blast at my very first cookie swap! I’m going to be going through cookie-withdrawal once the holidays end!
The NYC side of TFAW would love to get in on this group action next time you plan something! 🙂 Holler at us