Cookie Swap

Enjoy the ultimate goodie exchange with these yummy recipes.

This trio hosts a gem of a cookie swap in their Long Valley neighborhood in the not-so-Southern state of New Jersey. Diane Kent lived in North Carolina and Terry Holman in Florida before moving to this delightful town one hour west of New York City. One day, while talking about Southern holiday traditions with friend Lila Kosciolek, the three got the idea to host their neighborhood's first cookie exchange. This year marks the sixth event. These recipes just might inspire you to host your own. -SHIRLEY HARRINGTON

Fruit-Filled Cookies

MAKES 3 DOZEN

PREP: 30 MIN., STAND: 10 MIN., CHILL: 30 MIN., BAKE: 20 MIN. PER BATCH

We loved Sherry Sale's unique yeast cookie dough so much that we made a variation called Snow flake Cookies.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 cup butter, cut into pieces

1 (¼-oz.) envelope active dry yeast

½ cup warm milk (100° to 110°)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Powdered sugar

1 (12-oz.) can apricot or cherry dessert filling

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 forks until crumbly.

2. Whisk together yeast and warm milk. Let stand 10 minutes. (Mixture does not foam.) Stir in egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide dough into fourths; wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

3. Roll each portion of dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a flat surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Cut into 3-inch squares. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoonful of apricot or cherry dessert filling in center of each square.

4. Fold 2 opposite corners to center, slightly overlapping. Place on parchment paperlined baking sheets.

5. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks, and let cool completely. Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar before serving.

SHERRY SALO

LONG VALLEY, NEW JERSEY

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Solo Filling for Pastries, Cakes, and Desserts.

Snowflake Cookies: Omit dessert filling. Prepare and roll out dough as directed. Cut dough with a 3 ¾-inch snowflake-shaped cookie cutter. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool cookies as directed. Makes about 5 dozen. Prep: 20 min., Stand: 10 min., Chill: 30 min., Bake: 10 min. per batch.

ABOVE: Snowflake Cookies are made with the same dough as the Fruit-Filled Cookies. Gooey and decadent Oatmeal Carmelitas are quick-to-fix bars.

LEFT: "We've really worked out the process to make it easy on our guests," says Diane Kent (center) with party partners Terry Holman (left) and Lila Kosciolek (right), Each person gets a treat bag to tote home.

Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons

MAKES 2 DOZEN

PREP: 15 MIN., BAKE: 17 MIN. PER BATCH

For easy cleanup, put wax paper under the wire rack to catch the excess chocolate as you drizzle it on the cookies.

¾ cup sweetened condensed milk

1 (14-oz.) package sweetened flaked coconut

¼ to ½ tsp. almond extract

1/8 tsp. salt

24 whole unblanched almonds

½ cup dark chocolate morsels

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients. Drop dough by lightly greased tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press an almond into top of each cookie.

2. Bake at 350° for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. Microwave ½ cup chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute and 15 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals and at end. Transfer to a 1-qt. zip-top plastic freezer bag; cut a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag. Pipe melted chocolate over cooled cookies by gently squeezing bag. FRAN DEANGELO

LONG VALLEY, NEW JERSEY

ABOVE, LEFT: Diane arranged cookie bags an the staircase in a snowlike setting of tulle netting and twinkle lights. ABOVE, RIGHT: Dark chocolate drizzle adds extra richness and eye appeal to chewy Chocolate-and-Almond Macaroons.

Mom's Brown Sugar Bars

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN

PREP: 10 MIN., BAKE: 15 MIN., STAND: 5 MIN.

Press dough into the jelly-roll pan with lightly floured fingertips.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

1. Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.

3. Press dough into an ungreased 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

4. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Place pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over warm cookie. Let stand 5 minutes; spread chocolate evenly over top. Sprinkle evenly with almonds. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares. DIANE KENT