Cookie Exchange

For the past seven years my daughter, sister and I have hosted a cookie exchange at my house. It gets a little wilder and crazier each year. It's not only a cookie exchange but a contest too. It started out innocently enough with voting for the best tasting cookie. Because the chocolate always seemed to win we added a non-chocolate category as well. Then decided to add best recipe card then best presentation... It seems to have taken on a life of it's own!

We had over 30 competitors this year! It was so much fun. Here are some of the memories...

We started with a mixer to get to know each other. What better way than digging through each other's purses. The room was divided into two teams. Each team was given a list of various items you might find in a purse, the team with the most found items got to start their cookie sampling first!

Wonderful family and friends...

Just look at these cookies...

And the winners...

Best presentation was won by Sharon Hocking...

Best tasting chocolate went to my extremely talented sister-in-law/friend/business partner, Debbie Taylor. The Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies were here own recipe! Congrats Debbie!

Best tasting non-chocolate went to JoAnn Taylor (no relation to Debbie). Not only did JoAnn win for best tasting, guest judge Kimberly Koch from truly scrumptious boutique bakery voted for JoAnn's maple cookies because they reminded her of warm pancakes!

Best recipe card went to Kim Woon (this is Kim's fabulous presentation, her cards are hiding behind it and they were gorgeous)...

We also give out a prize for the 18 years and under group. Best tasting, for her Oreo Balls went to my niece Faith Burton...

Best presentation went to the amazingly creative Jessica Melberg, is that cute or what! Her meringues were great too...

It was such a fun way to kick off the holiday season!