It's Cookie Swap Time!

Yes the Dietitian BAKES! I'm not "immune" to cookies!

Just don't eat them all until you wake-up with crumbs dribbling down your shirt and chocolate melted on your face! And perhaps you need to read THIS (Dodge the Muffin Top: Holiday Tips I & Part II) if you feel you cannot handle the cookies.

I grew up on home-made, everything from SCRATCH, ain't nothing from a box: COOKIES!

Both my Nana's and Mom baked the best cookies! Nothing from tollhouse will ever compare!

SO...Aprons are on, flour all ova the face (well, that might just be me) and Cuisinart Mixers are rumbling. Although I'm still a bit old school and use the hand mixer...there's something "vintage" about it that I like.

One cup of espresso and I'm ready to rumble!

NOW, I am not sharing the secret cookie recipes...and Nana's making all of them anyway (sorry).

I go straight to Martha for some super yummy cookies then hand out plates, platters, and cute little baggies to all my lovelies.

NOTE: All recipes today are from Martha Stewart Everyday FOOD-with a few of my own twists!

Cookie 1: Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps

Serves: 18 caps!

Prep-Time:45 minutes (cause you have to freeze the dough for 40)

Total Time: 1 HR 45 Mins

Ingredient Line-Up

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons unsalted-butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 Tablespoon milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, for coating

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined, mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low-speed, gradually add dry ingredients; beat in milk just until combined. Flatten dough into a disc; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place confecioner's sugar into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar twice.

3. Place balls on prepared baking sheets. 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies have spread and coating is crackled, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Transfer to wire wrack to cool completely.

STORE: Up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

YUMMMMM!!!!

Cookie 2: Coconut Macaroons

(I dipped mine CHOCOLATE!)

Makes: 30

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes (works for me!)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or coat generously with nonstick cooking spray.)

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 large egg whites, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until frothy. With a fork, stir in 1 package (14 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut (5 1/3 cups) until moistened.

3. Drop mixture by packed level tablespoons onto prepared sheet (cookies will not spread). Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until lightly golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

STORE: up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cookie 3: Peanut Butter Blossoms with a Kiss

Makes: 36

Prep Time: 20 min

I suggest you unwrap the hershey kisses and set aside in a bowl before this whole process...

Total Time: 50 min

Ingredients:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I use natural)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
1 package hershey kisses (Martha uses mini peanut-butter cups)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. With an electric mixer, beat peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar, beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low-speed, gradually beat in dry ingredients in two batches.

3. Using 1 level Tablespoon dough per cookie, roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll each ball in sugar, coating completely. Place on prepared baking sheets; 2 inches apart.

4. Bake until cookies for approximately 13 minutes. Pull out of the oven and immediately start gently pressing hershey kisses into center of each cookie. Transfer to a wire rack and cool!

STORE: Up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!