Monday, December 12, 2011

Cookie Swap!

For someone who has about two minutes of spare time a day, you might wonder why I'd want to participate in a cookie swap. Usually a cookie swap entails shopping, baking, packaging, getting showered, dressed, and driving your butt and your pretty little cookies to someone's house. That is, if you aren't hosting the swap, which is another whole list of scrubbed and sparkly to-dos. As much as I adore the baking and getting together part of such a party, the getting dressed in holiday finery is just too much for me to bear lately. Luckily this is the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, organized by Lyndsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen. It's a swap by mail. No clothing necessary. Sweet!

I knew I had to make my favorite holiday cookies. My Aunt Patti's almond cookies are the best thing on her huge cookie trays, and they have tough competition. She makes about 12 kinds, but every year I squirrel away at least 12 almond cookies. It's shameful. They are amazing with a cup of tea at dessert, perfect dunked in morning coffee, and good as a quickie snack when a carrot stick won't cut it. This is an old sercet-ish family recipe passed down among the aunts, so don't tell anyone I told you.

Patti's Almond Cookies


Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. oil
2 Tbls. cold water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
10 oz. slivered almonds
6 oz. chopped almonds
1 egg white, lightly beaten (for wash)
sugar or melting chocolate (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat first 6 ingredients until creamy. Sift in cinnamon, flour, and baking powder and mix by hand until well combined. Fold in almonds. Shape dough into 3 small loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake 20 - 25 minutes or until loaves are golden. Cool slightly and slice each loaf into bars. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate.


And a HUGE thank you so the lovely ladies who took the time to bake and ship treats to me:
Renee of Casa del Kuchen whose Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies were gone in two days,
Amilia of Just Everyday Me whose Chocolate hip Cookie Dough Bars with Pretzel Crust combined the perfect amount of salty sweet,
and Erin of Big Fat Baker whose fabulous Rolo Stuffed Chocolate Cookies came in a box that sang carols to me. I know!

Thursday the round up of all of the (500 plus!) swappers will be posted, but you can visit the Facebook Page for most of the recipe links already!

6 comments:

Amilia @justeverydayme said...

These almond cookies look so tasty! I hope I get the chance to make them soon! I'm glad you enjoyed the cookie bars :)

Rachel said...

wow that looks so yummy! and what a fun cookie swap idea. I love that it's "no clothing necessary" sounds like a fun party lol!

-rachel w k
rwkrafts.blogspot.com

Kimberly said...

Hi Joanna,

It's Kimberly from Rhubarb and Honey ... just wanted to let you know I loved the cookies!

Thank you so much!

Happy Holidays!
~Kimberly

Stephanie (@ Life Tastes Like Food) said...

Hii!! I've been meaning to stop by and say thank you so much for the cookies!! I guess I lost track of time...where did december go?! Anyway, thank you, thank you! They were so yummy :) Happy Holidays!!

Anonymous said...

I made these cookies. Took them out when they were golden brown. I am not sure if I baked them long enough. They have a delicious flavor. I was wondering if they are supposed to be chewy or crunchy.

Anonymous said...

These have a delicious flavor. Are they supposed to be chewy or crunchy?