It’s New York Times Cookie Week. This means seven days of seven delicious cookie recipes. In celebration of NYT Cookie Week, I would like to share with you a Midwest tradition: the cookie swap.
This is one of those things I didn’t know was distinctly Midwestern, but after a week of conversational research, I have uncovered that every one of my friends with a Midwestern connection has a woman in their life who participates in a cookie swap. Around the holidays, she bakes several batches of “her” cookie. Maybe she chooses her favorite cookie of the season, but there is a chance that she chooses her second best cookie — you know it’s a good cookie swap when she brings out her best cookie.
She then gathers with a group of friends (a Bible study, a prayer circle, some ladies from church or simply her friends) to swap not only cookies, but recipes. A recipe book comes out of this meeting, as well as a beautiful evening with friends. My mother still combs through her cookie swap recipes from previous holiday seasons.
This concept came up in conversation recently, and I have committed myself to throwing a cookie swap. As the holiday season approaches and everyone is looking for some means of procrastination, baking four dozen cookies feels like a worthwhile endeavor.
For the college seniors in the crowd, I highly recommend this as a wholesome way to end an evening of studying (or more likely, applying to jobs). A year from now, I’ll be in another place and I know I will treasure the cookie recipes shared by my college friends.
In terms of cooking techniques: Chances are you do not have a stand mixer available at your college apartment. As such, it is imperative that you incorporate as much air as you can into the dough via a whisk or fork. Good luck.
- Peanut Butter-Miso Cookies
This has been my go-to cookie recipe of the season. She does not miss. This is probably the only cookie I can make twice and have it turn out the same way both times. While mashing the butter into the sugar with a fork, I really took the time to contemplate my impending post-grad crisis. In early November, I made a batch, packed them in a Tupperware and handed them out to friends I ran into throughout the day.
- Matcha Latte Cookies
These are Eric Kim’s gift to us this Christmas. I began making these because I had all of the ingredients on hand, but I failed to incorporate enough air into the batter. The result was a slightly cakey texture and not enough dispersion on the cookie sheet. However, because these were cakey enough, I successfully put birthday candles into them. I’d recommend making these with a hand mixer and serving with a glass of milk.
- Rainbow Rave Cookies
Sohla El-Waylly makes these cookies WITHOUT a mixer. After my (relative) failure on Saturday evening with the matcha latte cookies, I’ve been on the hunt for mixer-less recipes — and this one takes the cake (or rather, avoids becoming cake).
