When Kathy Adkins started her holiday cookie-exchange party more than 12 years ago, it consisted of a small group of ladies sharing batches of homemade cookies.
“I love the holidays and hosting parties. One of my favorite things are all the delicious goodies during the holidays,” says Adkins, a longtime Boca Raton resident and president of Impact 100 Palm Beach County. “I thought it would be a great way to kick off the holiday season.”
Then, it evolved into a festive luncheon. Now, it’s a full-blown cocktail party for upward of 50 women, adhering to a theme (last year was comfy pajamas) and vying for titles such as Best Decorated Cookie and Most Unique Recipe.
“My annual cookie exchange is my favorite tradition!” Adkins says. “It is so much fun to gather my friends at this special time of year and celebrate the holiday season together.”
Each guest brings at least four dozen homemade cookies on a platter with their name and recipe name displayed alongside it.
“After mixing and mingling for a bit, we all gather around the overflowing table of treats, and each person shares their recipe, why they chose it and anything else they want to share about the cookie preparation,” she says. “Each year, I have five or six categories we each vote on.”
Four years ago, Adkins decided to mix things up by adding the now-coveted Cookie Exchange Queen category.
“The idea was that this person best represents the cookie-exchange-slash-holiday spirit – best overall pick,” she explains. “They are crowned, complete with a tiara and sash, and everyone that wins a category goes home with a prize.”
In the end, nobody leaves empty-handed: Every guest receives a sampling of cookies from all the entries.
“These ladies are super competitive, and most bake something new each year with intricate displays and enthralling stories about choosing the recipe or their baking story,” Adkins says.
Here, four cookie exchange regulars – including the hostess with mostest, Adkins herself – share their favorite holiday cookie recipes. Bake on!
Kathy Adkins’ Buckeyes
Makes 150-160
Filling Ingredients
- 3 lb. powdered sugar
- 2 lb. peanut butter
- 1 lb. butter
Chocolate Coating Ingredients
- 2 20-oz. packages milk chocolate baking squares
Tools
- Toothpicks
Instructions
Cream together filling ingredients in very large mixing bowl with your hands. Form into balls about the size of a walnut, and place on baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before dipping in chocolate coating.
To make the chocolate coating, melt milk chocolate baking squares in a double boiler, and keep warm while dipping. Stick a toothpick into a ball, and dip into the chocolate, about 3/4 of the way. Place the ball back on the waxed paper on the baking sheet, and pinch the hole closed. Store in refrigerator.
Amy Kazma’s Peppermint Bonbon Pops
Makes 15
Ingredients
- 1 12-oz. bag white chocolate morsels
- ⅓ cup butter
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp. peppermint extract
- ¼ cup hard peppermint candies, crushed
- Peppermint disks (see below)
Tools
- 15 white lollipop sticks
Instructions
In a large saucepan, add morsels, butter and cream. Cook over low heat 5-6 minutes, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, add sugar and beat at low speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in extract and crushed candies. Cover, and chill 2 hours, or until mixture is thick enough to shape into balls.
Roll chilled mixture into 15 balls, and insert lollipop sticks into top of each ball. Place each bonbon on top of a peppermint disk to serve.
To prepare peppermint disks, preheat oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place peppermint disks on baking sheet. Bake 3-5 minutes, or until just melted. Remove from oven, and let cool on pan.
Heidi Adams’ Pecan Pie Brownies
Makes 12
Brownie Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Topping Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 3 cups pecans, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray, and line bottom with parchment paper.
To make the brownie batter, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When butter begins to boil, remove from heat, and add chocolate chips, stirring once to coat. Allow to sit 5 minutes; whisk together until fully combined.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Add chocolate mixture, and whisk to combine. Sift cocoa powder and flour into wet ingredients, and gently stir until fully incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
To make the topping, while the brownies are baking, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and melted butter until everything is well combined and sugar is dissolved. Stir in pecans, and set aside.
Once the brownies are baked through, pour pecan mixture over the top, and spread evenly with a spoon. Return to oven until topping is set, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Renee Feder’s Big Batch Sugar Cookies
Makes 24
Cookie Ingredients
- 4 sticks butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt (omit if butter is salted)
Icing Ingredients
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tbsp. meringue powder, slightly heaping
- ½ cup warm water
- 1-2 tsp. clear vanilla extract (or flavoring of your choice, such as mint, lemon, orange or almond)
Instructions
Gently mix butter and sugar in bowl of stand mixer; beat until light and creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gently stir flour before measuring. Combine dry ingredients, and add 1 cup at a time to the butter mixture. Beat until completely blended.
Roll cookie dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin with spacer rings to get perfect 1/4-inch-thick layers. Continue rolling all dough between parchment paper, and place in stacks on a cookie sheet that fits in your refrigerator. Cover cookie sheet with foil. Chill dough overnight or 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Remove 1 sheet of dough at a time, and cut into shapes. Bake on baking sheet 10-12 minutes, or until the edges begin to slightly brown.
To make the icing, put sugar and meringue powder in bowl of stand mixer. Add 1/2 cup warm water and vanilla; beat on low to medium speed 10-12 minutes (this creates fewer air bubbles). Beat until the icing thickens and can stand in peaks. Add more water, a little at a time, and continue mixing slowly until you get the consistency you want. When you’re done, the icing should be white and glossy. Note: Add additional water 1 tsp. at a time. It may take another 1/2 cup or more to get your desired consistency. If you add too much water, you can adjust by adding more powdered sugar.
Divide icing, and color as desired. Fill pastry bags or squeeze bottles, and decorate. Add sprinkles if desired. O
Photos by Carlos Aristizabal