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Friday, November 4, 2016

Book Review and Giveaway: "Christmas Cookie Swap!"

The holiday hostess in me has had a wonderfully "sweet" time reviewing this holiday cookie resource book. "Christmas Cookie Swap!", published by Oxmoor House, is a 256 page book featuring over 100 recipes and beautiful photography in six chapters covering a variety of sizes and shapes of cookies, including cookie bars, decorated cookies and a confectioners chapter abounding with fudge and truffle recipes. 




One of my favorite aspects of the book is that rather that showcasing only the cookie recipes, they include an entire chapter on "Christmas Cookie Basics" that focuses on the how-to aspect of getting ready for cookie swap. Besides ideas on how to host a cookie swap, there are tips on how to display your cookies to look their best, baking tips, packaging tips, the best frosting recipes to use for decorating cookies and cookie decorating tips. I love that they include a metric equivalents page at the back of the book for a handy measurement resource. My two favorite chapters are "Cookies for Santa" and "Christmas Classics", which both have an abundance of beloved cookie recipes.

I tried the recipe for Java-Toffee Cookies and served them at a neighborhood gathering.    

They were well-received at the gathering and they have become one of my husband's favorite cookies. I love the flavor combination of English toffee and java with instant coffee crystals.

This makes such a wonderful addition to any holiday cookbook collection.

Giveaway:

One of you will win a copy of "Christmas Cookie Swap!", valued at 19.95! To enter, please leave a comment below to let me know if you have a favorite Christmas cookie tradition or cookie. Giveaway closes Sunday,  November 6 at 5:00 pm EST. Open to US residents only. 

If you are not able to leave a comment on this blog post, please e-mail me at angelaskitchen@rocketmail.com with "Giveaway Entry" in the subject line and that will count as your entry.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book for the purpose of my honest review and a copy will be provided to the giveaway winner. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

16 comments:

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    1. I love to do a Cookie Swap for the holidays!

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  2. I love to make cut outs at Christmas time!

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  3. My mom always makes cream cheese sugar cookies and they are amazing!

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  4. Java Toffee cookies sounds amazing! It Would be so much fun to make all of those cookies with my little one!

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  5. My girls and I spend hours decorating cutout cookies every year! Cherished memories.

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  6. We always make a bunch of cookie to have a nice sampler platter for Santa. I make sure to use at least one family recipe from one of my grandmothers. :)

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  7. Every year I bake cookies with my children! Cj loves Hershey's chocolate with Reese's peanut butter chips my girls Kristen Jennifer and Lexi love to bake and decorate homemade sugar cookies and build a large gingerbread house, My William and husband Ron love To bake abuse cookies with blue anise icing. We also started inviting the neighborhood kids over to bake with us on their days off so they bring some ingredients of their favorite cookies and we make big containers full for their homes too. Our first day baking will be Tuesday Election Day after I vote in the morning and then on Veterans Day we will bake cookies and crafting thank you cards to hand deliver them to the veterans at our local VA hospital. And then every snow day or day off we will bake for the holidays!!

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    1. Anise cookies not abuse, lol. I don't know how to correct that!! 😊

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  8. My daughter and I bake cookies every year to give as gifts to our family. I love spending time with her and trying new recipes.

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  9. I love the green Christmas tree spritz cookies.

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  10. I love baking cookies with my kids for our neighbor goodie boxes we hand out for the holidays. Our favorite cookie is definitely peppermint bark sugar cookies.

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  11. My daughter and I make cookies and take them to a local hospice center! We also make tons of other treats for them as well! Always we have to pick up some Krispy Kreme doughnuts too!

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  12. I make gingerbread men every year !!!

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  13. I make gingerbread men every year !!!

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  14. We've been a pretty terrible cookie tradition family. I want to try to stay it in my life and make comes for my neighbors.

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