Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Blog Hop 2022

It's still too early to panic about the Christmas festivities, so relax, pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate, and be inspired.  

Every year Carol of Just Let Me Quilt  hosts the Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange blog hop and I always have to join in the fun!  It's just the ticket to get my creative juices flowing for the holidays.  Thank you, Carol, for letting me play along and for hosting this fabulous hop.

This year I decided to make a batch of Eggnog Cookies.  These are sweet and spicy and leave your kitchen smelling amazing.  If you bake these cookies, make sure to make a large batch because recipients will beg you for more.  

I'm hoping Santa will love a couple of these cookies with a hot cup of coffee.  He's going to need lots of coffee for his midnight run!  If you would like to make a batch or two for gift giving or holiday noshing, I have provided the recipe below:

EGGNOG COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup eggnog

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies 

Drizzle Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

Pinch of salt

1/4+ cup eggnog  

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves together in a small bowl.

3.  Using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter in a large bowl.

4.  Add the eggnog, vanilla, and egg and beat at medium speed until smooth.

5.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat at low speed until just blended.

6.  Create 2 Tablespoon-size balls of cookie dough and roll into balls.

7.  Roll each ball in the additional sugar to coat, then place on cookie sheet one inch apart. .   

8.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until bottoms are light brown.  

9.  Allow the cookies to cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

10. Drizzle icing over cookies.  

Of course Santa would be nothing without his reindeer.  I have a bag of organic carrots to set out for them as well.

For my project this Christmas, I made a table runner in honor of Santa's hard-working reindeer.  Afterall, without them, where would Santa be?  Stuck at the North Pole, for sure!

I chose a pale blue background with white dots I thought looked a little like snow.  (It does not snow where I live in California.)  

For the reindeer, I chose a cream color for the muzzle, a cocoa brown for the face and ears, and dark brown for the antlers.

I use the Half-Square Triangle method a lot in my patterns, and this one is a full of them.  

The reindeer blocks are 10" x 10".  The side prints are 5" x 10".

The overall size without the border and seam allowance is 15" x 30".  Two different sizes of black buttons sewn askew finish my reindeer.

The border adds 1 1/2" all around, for a finished size of 18" x 33".  

I used a cute Christmas print on white for the backing.  Of course, it's upside down.  

As a runner, it's a little small for my dining room table.  I should have added a few more reindeer to add length.  No matter, Santa seems to like it, and it can make a cute wall hanging, too.

Thank you, Carol, again for hosting this hop at this magical time of year.  It is always so much fun to visit everyone and see new ideas, remember the past, and virtually sample yummy treats.   

This is just the first day of this fun blog hop, so you have miles to go.  Be sure to come back everyday for delicious cookie recipes, as well as more Christmas magic from these fabulous makers and bakers.  You don't want to miss a thing!    

 

December 5

Creatin' in the Sticks
DesertSky Quilting
Karrin’s Crazy World
Days Filled With Joy
Just Because Quilts (you are here)
That Fabric Feeling
For The Love Of Geese
Words & Stitches
 
December 6

MooseStashQuilting
Just Sew Quilter
Ms P Designs USA
Beaquilter
Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life
Stitchin At Home
 
December 7

Inflorescence
Crazy'boutquilts
Patchouli Moon Studio
Texas Quilt Gal
Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching
Needled Mom
Quilted Delights
 
December 8

Just Let Me Quilt
Quiltscapes
Songbird Designs
Patchwork Breeze
Quilt Schmilt
Homespun Hannah's Blog
Happy Cottage Quilter

Happy Holidays