Cookie Exchange

We asked for cookies, and wow, did we get cookies.

Some 97 readers responded to our call for recipes for the Review-Journal Christmas Cookie Exchange, and some sent in more than one recipe. There were old favorites, variations on old favorites, new creations and offbeat concoctions. We didn't specify that the recipes had to be original and while some were, other readers recounted warm memories of the source of their recipes, whether family tradition, a gift from a friend or a product of an earlier cookie exchange.

We chose 13 finalists, but only 12 made it to the Review-Journal for the final judging by a panel of staffers from across the newsroom. The winner: D'nee Potter, for her Snickers Cookies. Of her cookies, the judges commented: "absolutely delicious; the only thing that kept this one from a perfect 10 is that it was slightly gooey inside"; "a professional cookie"; and "sweet and moist."

The closest runners-up were JoAnn Mangiarelli, for her Oreo Dreams, and Holly Ross, for her Cloverleaf Cookies. Potter wins $100, Mangiarelli and Ross win a small measure of fame and all 95 win the undying gratitude of us and all of the readers who will have fun baking their cookies.

The finalists follow, led by the top three, followed by the rest in no particular order.

SNICKERS COOKIES

1 cup margarine

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

60 Snickers Mini's

Glaze (optional; recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine margarine, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to peanut butter mixture.

Use 1 tablespoon dough to cover each Mini. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 3 tablespoons milk. Drizzle on cookies.

Makes 5 dozen.

-- Recipe from D'nee Potter

OREO DREAMS

1 pound Oreo cookies, crushed in a food processor

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 pound candy-making chocolate

Mix Oreos and cream cheese well and refrigerate until firm. Using a teaspoon, form into small balls. Put on a cookie sheet and refrigerate again until firm.

Melt candy-making chocolate (a slow cooker works well and keeps the chocolate warm while you keep dipping). Dip the balls in the chocolate and refrigerate again.

Note: You also can use mint-flavored Oreos and white chocolate for dipping.

Makes 6 to 8 dozen, depending on size.

-- Recipe from JoAnn Mangiarelli

CLOVERLEAF COOKIES

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

11/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg

13/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream brown sugar, sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.

Divide dough into three parts; place each in a small bowl. Add chocolate chips to first part, peanut butter to second and melted chocolate to third; blend each well. Refrigerate dough about 30 minutes for easier handling.

Shape 1/2 teaspoon of each dough into ball. To form each cookie, place 1 ball of each flavor dough cloverleaf-style on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until set. Let cool 1 minute before carefully removing from cookie sheets.

Makes about 31/2 dozen.

-- Recipe form Holly Ross

ACESSORLE

(ALMOND TARTLETS)

1 cup flour

5 ounces (10 tablespoons) butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon white wine

1 egg yolk

1 to 2 egg whites

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup chopped almonds

Prepared cranberry relish or cranberry-orange relish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour; cut in butter and add sugar, wine and egg yolk. Form into a smooth dough and roll into two or three 1-inch-thick rolls. Chill.

For topping, beat 1 to 2 egg whites until very stiff; fold in 1 cup of confectioners' sugar and 1 cup chopped almonds.

Cut dough rounds into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; top each with 1 teaspoon of the topping. Place 1/2 teaspoon (or less) cranberry relish or cranberry-orange relish. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove carefully.

Makes 50 to 60 cookies.

-- Recipe from Holle Cook

CINNAMON COOKIES

4 cups flour

Pinch salt

6 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1 cup salad oil

6 eggs

4 tablespoons vanilla

Cinnamon for sprinkling

Icing (optional; recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a board, mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar together; make a hole in the center of the flour mixture and add oil. Mix thoroughly, make another hole and add eggs and vanilla, kneading dough until it's a good consistency, adding more flour if needed. Place dough in a floured bowl.

Cut a piece of dough, place on floured board and roll out on board (not too thin). Sprinkle dough with sugar and cinnamon. Start at one end of dough and start rolling dough into logs (if the logs get too thick, cut dough and make two logs). Cut logs into 11/2-inch pieces and place cut-side-up on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly brown.

Once cookies have cooled, ice, if desired.

Icing: Mix a half-pound powdered sugar, a few drops of vanilla and cold water a little at a time, until you reach the proper consistency.

Makes about 4 dozen.

-- Recipe from Lucille Kancso

MARSHMALLOW SANDWICH COOKIES

2/3 cup butter

11/4 cups sugar, plus more for rolling

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

24 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and 11/4 cups sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in corn syrup, egg and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; add to butter mixture. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate dough 15 minutes or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Place sugar in shallow dish. Roll tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat. Place cookies 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set.

To assemble, place a marshmallow on flat side of one cookie. Microwave on paper plate on high for 12 seconds or until marshmallow begins to melt. Place another cookie flat-side-down on top of hot marshmallow and press together slightly.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

-- Recipe from Janet Feldman

NANAIMO BARS

Bottom layer:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 egg, beaten

13/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

Second layer:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons cream

11/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Top layer:

4 squares semisweet chocolate (1 ounce each)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Prepare bottom layer: Melt butter, sugar and cocoa powder in the top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press firmly in an ungreased 8-by-8-inch pan.

Prepare second layer: Cream butter, cream, vanilla and powdered sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Prepare top layer: Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. When cool but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

When cool, cut in a 3-by-6-inch grid.

Makes 18 bars.

Note: Since these are very sweet, you may wish to make thinner bars in a 13-by-9-inch pan. Keep bottom and middle layers as they are; just spread them out. Increase the ingredients for the third layer to 6 squares of chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter, and prepare as above.

-- Recipe from Ronald P. Peterson and Sheila Raj

FINNISH STAR COOKIES

1 package frozen puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)

1/2 cup dried apricots, diced

1/4 cup apricot jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Let pastry sheets thaw according to package directions. After dough is thawed, unfold each pastry sheet on flat surface. Cut each sheet in 12 squares (you will have 24 squares total). Then cut the four corners of each square toward the center, leaving a center area untouched about the size of a nickel.

For the filling, mix dried apricots with apricot jam in a bowl. To form each cookie, put a teaspoon or so of the filling in the center of each square. Then fold over every other triangle section of the pastry toward the center to form a star (they will look like pinwheels). Using a spatula, carefully place each cookie on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Before baking, press the corners down in the center of each cookie firmly with your finger. If not, some of the stars may fall open during baking.

Bake for 9 minutes, or until light brown.

Makes 24 cookies.

-- Recipe from Terresa Wellborn

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SURPRISES

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter-flavor solid shortening

1 egg

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour (divided use)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream sugar and shortening; add egg, chocolate and vanilla and mix well. Add 1 cup flour and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter, peanut butter and brown sugar; add 2 tablespoons flour.

Drop chocolate dough by scant teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets. Top with same amount of peanut-butter dough, then same amount of chocolate dough. Press with fork dipped in flour.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 31/2 dozen.

-- Recipe from Wendy Corcoran

DIPPED GINGERSNAPS

2 cups sugar

11/2 cups vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 12-ounce packages white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in molasses. Combine dry ingredients. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well, kneading with hands near the end, if necessary, as dough gets quite stiff.

Shape into 3/4-inch balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets (or parchment-paper-lined sheets). Bake 8-10 minutes, until cookie springs back when touched lightly. Remove to cool. Melt white chocolate (may need to add some shortening to make it creamy). Dip cookies halfway; shake off excess. Place on waxed paper to harden.

Makes about 12 dozen.

-- Recipe from Beverly Jacobson

CHOCOLATE BUTTER SWEETS

Cookies:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 to 11/2 cups flour

Creamy nut filling:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons water

Powdered sugar

For cookies: Cream butter and add sugar, salt and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Divide dough into fourths and cut each fourth into nine pieces (about 1-teaspoon-sized balls). Shape each piece into a ball and place on cookie sheet. Press top of each cookie lightly to make an indentation. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

For filling: Mash cream cheese; blend in powdered sugar, flour and vanilla. Cream well. Stir in pecans and coconut. Drop some on each cookie.

For frosting: Melt chocolate, butter and water in top of a double boiler over low heat. Add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Drizzle some on top of each cookie.

Makes 3 dozen.

-- Recipe from Shelley Walker

SWEET YAMMAS WITH PECANS

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

1 cup sweet potatoes or yams

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

11/2 cups oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda