As you may remember, I’m currently in NYC – visiting my sister. In between meeting friends and bloggers for various meals (and hopefully working out… that’s yet to happen, but I’m seriously crossing my fingers for a sweat sesh tomorrow!), there has been quite a lot of cooking. I made a comforting traditional Russian cabbage soup for today’s lunch, tried a new breakfast recipe (to be shared in a separate post) and have quite a few more meals and snacks to create. The one thing we haven’t had a shortage of is cookies.
We were invited to a holiday party tonight and my sister and I decided to make little “favors” for all the guests. The mission? Bake as many cookies as humanly possible in 36 hours! Doesn’t that sound like the best mission ever? I sure thought so!
Scenes from the baking extravaganza…
Cookies made:
- Chocolate chip walnut cookies
- Buckwheat cookies
- Benne wafers (sesame cookies)
- Twisted “rice krispy” treats (recipe to come tomorrow with a special giveaway to help you recreate them)
- Lemon sugar cookies (I used the same sugar recipe as last year but this time we replaced 1/2T vanilla extract with lemon extract + added lemon zest of 1/2 lemon into the dough)
- Almond macaroons with bittersweet chocolate ganache (from the Flour Bakery cookbook)
A lot of work but also so much fun! Everything came out delicious (although we got way more macaroon cookies and not enough ganache… not to worry, we took care of that problem 
)
Cookie favors assembly line…
Everyone loved them and they looked delicious among the fabulous food we all enjoyed at the party!
… and yes, we even found room for a little more dessert.
How was your weekend? If you could only make one cookie this holiday season, what would it be? My vote would go for the lemon sugar cookies. This is the second year in a row I’m using this recipe and I think it’s going to be part of a new holiday tradition 
[Edited: after further, um, inspection, I decided that I'm addicted to the almond macaroons with chocolate ganache, so I'm switching my choice to them.]
PS – The Real Food Diet cookbook giveaway winner is #3. Congrats, Erin! Please email me your address (elina@healthyandsane.com) and I’ll send you a copy of the book.
I am so jealous!! Cookie baking extravaganzas are the best. That first batch of yours, the walnut chocolate chip look absolutely scrumptious.
Yay for cookies!!! I love your idea of making little favor bags for the guests. I’ve been whipping up so many other desserts lately that I haven’t even thought about making cookies. My mom always makes pecan slices around Christmas (pretty much pecan pie in bar form) that I absolutely love, so hopefully I’ll reap the benefits of her baking. We’ll be at John’s parent’s house for Christmas, and I’m sure there will be no shortage of cookies
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Your cookies look so great! I baked up some chocolate chip cookies and cranberry raspberry rugelach (to be posted on the blog later today) this weekend!
Your pictures look gorgeous! Glad you’re enjoying yourself in NYC! I made the Flour Chunky Lola cookies this weekend, and although they aren’t really holiday cookies – If I could only make one cookie, those would be it! Now I just have to find someone to give them all to – they’re dangerous!
I just looked at that recipe – sounds amazing. Totally making it for next week’s cookie swap party at work
i can’t believe you posted that photo of me without my permission!!!! that’s some embarrassing stuff
anyway, after all that i still think the buckwheat yummies are my faves
That is definitely an extravanganza! Hope you’re having a blast in the big apple.
I think I would agree that I would add those lemon sugar cookies to my Christmas tradition – most things I’ve made in the past involve chocolate in some way, and while there is nothing (NOTHING!) wrong with that, one needs an alternative…sometimes.
Seeya later!
Your cookie favors look so adorable and delicious!
Yum. That sounds like the kind of challenge I would like to take on although I have to admit, I like baking when it’s pretty leisurely, preferably with a glass of wine in hand.
Oh wow, I totally want to have a cookie baking extravaganza like that one. It looks like SO much fun!! Keep having a blast in NYC
Love your baking extravaganza! Cookie favors are the best.
looks like you and your sister were successful! by the way, those chocolate chip cookies look so perfect
Wowee girl! You two really went all out–glad it was a success. Looks delicious to me!
man, what fun!! looks like you guys had a blast
and made some awesome cookies!
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