One of my favorite holiday activities is hosting a cookie exchange.  In case you haven’t participated in one, and would like to host one, here is how it works.

1. Invite 10-12 friends over who like to bake.
2. Each guest will bake a dozen of one type of cookie for every attendee, plus an extra dozen for serving at the get-together.
3. All cookies should be baked from scratch…no store-bought slice and bake.
4. Make a pot of coffee and open some wine…enjoy your guests and the fact you will have dozens of fabulous homemade cookies.  And you only had to bake one type!

Here are two of my favorite holiday cookie recipes:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Cream of tartar
½ tsp. Salt
Colored sugar

In a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter and sugars.

Beat in eggs one at a time until mixture is light.

Add oil and vanilla. Beat until well blended.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.

Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat until blended.

Wrap dough and chill for several hours.

Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Flatten dough to 2″ circles with the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar.  Sprinkle with colored sugar.

Bake at 325° for 8 to 10 minutes, just until set.

Let stand on the cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before removing.

Makes about 7 dozen.

½ lb. salted butter (8 oz)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cup flour
1 tbsp. Cream
Powdered sugar
Jelly (homemade raspberry jam)

Mix butter and sugar well.  Stir in flour.  Stir in cream – may need to add additional cream – make the dough usable!

Roll very thin.  Covering rolling pin with wax paper helps.   Cut out with a cookie cutter a little larger than a silver dollar.  Bake until light brown.

Place 2 cookies together with jam & sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Note: You can cut a shape out of the “top” cookie so that jam shows through when cookies are assembled.  I use an Hors D’ouvres cutter.

Enjoy!

(Photo: Pinterest)