Virtual Cookie Exchange

 

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It's Carol's Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange & Christmas Blog Hop!

Every year Carol of Just Let Me Quilt hosts her Virtual Cookie Exchange.  I look forward to it every year because I get SO many delicious new recipes to try.  It's also fun to see what everyone is working on for Christmas, or just share memories from Christmases past.

I'm excited to share with you one of my family's favorite cookies.  These cookies are chock full of yummy goodness, including chocolate chips, coconut, crispy rice cereal, and nuts.  These are very versatile cookies, so you can omit what you don't like and add your own favorites.  I also like how easy they are to make from items I usually already have in my kitchen pantry.  

Because they have puffed rice and a lot of other good stuff, I call them 'Puff & Stuff Cookies.'  

  

Preheat oven to 375°

Bake crispy rice cereal in oven for 2-3 minutes, until toasted

Cream together:

1 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

Beat in:

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2-1/2 cups flour

Stir in:

1 cup crispy rice cereal

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup chocolate chips

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet and bake at 375° for approximately 10 minutes.  Cookies will be pale on top and golden on bottom.  

This recipe makes a lot of cookies!  A large cookie scoop will yield me just shy of 4 dozen.    Using a smaller scoop, I can probably get around 60.

Whatever size you make them, be prepared for them to disappear fast.  They are great for after-school snacks, and are lovely with a cup of coffee or tea.  I bet Santa might like a couple with a glass of milk!

I like gifting baked goods to my neighbors for Christmas.  This year I decided to package my treats in fabric boxes.  I found a very simple pattern on YouTube by Stacey Lee Creation for a reversible fabric box.   

If you don't use a directional print like I did for my Christmas sample, these little boxes are completely reversible.  

The fabric boxes are made from 4 10" fabric squares and 2 10" squares of stiff interfacing or batting.  They are very easy to make and go together quick as a wink.  It was my first time trying this pattern and I completed 2 boxes in under an hour.   

I hope you will give these cookies a try.  They are really delicious!  Thank you, Carol, for hosting this fun and delicious hop!  It's my favorite!  

Be sure to visit the other elves who are busy baking up a batch of goodies!

DECEMBER 5

Selina Quilts

Just Because Quilts (you are here)

Karrin’s Crazy World

Quilt Schmilt

Domestic Felicity

Happy Cottage Quilter

Nettie Sews and Lucky Quilts