Holiday Sweets

Guess who was totally uncreative in the gift-giving department this year?? I managed to bake some cookies though. Well, a little more than some. Almost nine dozen to be exact! Chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and not-so-successful pecan sandies.

Cookie No. 1: Crispy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies were pretty tasty, albeit sweeter than I usually prefer. I made them using Guittard semisweet chocolate chips and upped the 2 cups of chips the recipe called for (seemed like a great idea at the time). My family loved them, but I'll be sure to use bittersweet chips next time. Just to be safe!


Cookie No. 2: Snickerdoodles
If my first time making snickerdoodles was any indication, I'll be making these for the rest of my life. They were fantastic and everyone wanted more, including myself! The disconnect between the simplicity of this recipe versus the end result makes no sense to my poor little brain. The texture was perfect with a chewy, cake-like center and crispy edges. Sipping a glass of soy milk with each bite made me feel as if I were a little kid drinking Avena again (an obvious bonus).


Cookie No. 3: Pecan Sandies
I never imagined my first experience with shortbread would be so difficult. My dough just ended up being way too dry and no amount of refrigeration or warming made it any less crumbly. In fact, I still have some of my dough helplessly sitting in the fridge right now. The few that I managed to bake were delicious and sandy, though way too delicate for mail delivery.


Two out of three ain't bad? The recipes I used are all from Smitten Kitchen; she has a page of about 50 recipes dedicated solely to cookies. Originally I'd hoped to send frozen cookie dough so my family could bake at their will; alas, I didn't want to ruin everyone's holiday with spoiled dough and food poisoning... At least the cookie tins I found at Dollar Tree were adorable!