GeorgieCakes

Here I am, once again participating in another great cookie swap.  Hosted by the lovely and talented Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen.  These two ladies know how to throw a party.

How it works… you send a dozen cookies to 3 secret cookie swap participants that you have been paired with.  Meanwhile you receive a dozen cookies from 3 separate cookie swappers.  That’s a lot of cookies! This has turned out to be one of the biggest cookie exchanges ever, with nearly 22, 000 cookies shipped across the world.

Here are the cookies I made…

Cranberry & White Chocolate Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies (recipe adapted from Zoe Bakes)

Here’s what you’ll need:

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cup sifted flour

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons dried cranberries, very finely chopped

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°

Prepared in a cupcake baking dish lined with baking cups, or use a square 9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Use the middle rack in oven.

To make the brown butter:

In a small sauce pot, heat the butter on medium heat until it boils and resembles a light golden color, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Using a small wire mesh strainer, pour through the butter into a medium bowl.

To make the brown butter shortbread cookies:

In the bowl with brown butter, add the sugar and flour mixing well with a wooden spoon.  Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. If the dough is too cold, allow it to sit for 15 minutes so that it becomes soft and pliable again.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and place in lined the baking cups, you can use the spoon to spread and distribute evenly. (if using a square 9 inch pan distribute evenly).

Bake  for 15 minutes in cupcake pan and (20 minutes for square pan), or until the dough is a nice golden brown. Remove and allow the crust to cool on a rack while you make the cranberry maple filling.

Maple fruit topping:

In a sauce pot combine the maple syrup, salt, cranberries and vanilla, cook over medium heat until you reach a boil, continue to cook for about a minute.  Remove from heat.

Using a teaspoon, place a spoonful onto each shortbread cookie, then top with 4 to 5 white chocolate chips.  Return cookies to oven and bake for additional 8 to 10 minutes, or  until chocolate chips begin to melt.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.  I removed the baking cups from the cupcake pan and allowed the cookies to cool in baking cup liners on a wire rack.

The following lovely bloggers were my secret cookie recipients…

Erin from Erin’s Food Files

Kristen from A Healthy Balance

Erin from Currently Coveting

Happy Holidays to all of you!  I do hope you enjoyed the cookies as much as I enjoyed making them and eating them.

I received super delicious cookies from these talented ladies…

Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil, “Malted Chocolate Sammie’s”.  These cookies are absolutely divine! Thank you for pairing me with Lindsay.

Britne of Shabbott’s Healthy Habits, “Nut Horn Cookies”.  I ate one immediately upon opening.  I have been craving them every day  since my first taste…  I’m eating one right now!

Margaret Farmer sent me “Honey Ginger Cookies”.  Obviously, I ate one right away, though with this batch I ate 5 in a row… they were really – really good.

I had an incredibly fun time making cookies and receiving them during “The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap”.  It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, make & taste new recipes while sharing awesome #cookie love.  Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!

If you would  like to learn more about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, check out this link.