Final 2011 Cookie Baking Weekend

I'm done baking Christmas cookies! I made 12 varieties, 405 total. And I'm officially sick of cookies.

I decided to keep the Orange Pecan Squares in the roster because I've had a few and actually really like them. The dense texture is still a turn-off, but the taste is good. And honestly...I can't bear to make any more. I bought ingredients for no-bake Swedish Chocolate Balls but then hit my cookie-baking limit. So the Orange Pecan Squares will have their day on my cookie trays after all.

This past weekend I made Chocolate Chocolate Chip Walnut from Veganomicon. I'd made the Orange Chocolate Chocolate Chip variety this summer, and the walnut version was just as delicious. They're chocolaty, chewy, and full of chocolate chips, with a slightly salty, nutty taste from the toasted walnuts. A winner!

Next I made Hazelnut Fudge Dreamies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. Oh...these really are dreamy. The puffy shortbread cookies made of hazelnut liquor and toasted hazelnuts are fabulous on their own, as was the dough I couldn't stop eating.

The fudge filling is a rich ganache made of semisweet chocolate chips, soymilk, extract, margarine, and more hazelnut liquor. The finished little sandwich cookies are somewhat difficult to eat but fancy and absolutely amazing. These might be my favorite cookies this year.

I also made Chewy Chocolate Raspberry Cookies from Veganomicon. These have a pretty crackle on top when they're baked and are soft, chewy, and full of chocolaty raspberry goodness. Another winner!

Finally, I made Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. The peanut butter oatmeal cookie is good enough, but the salty peanut topping makes these really great.

My final list is

1. Peppermint Chocolate Chip
2. Citrus Glitters
3. Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles
4. Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
5. Lazy Samoas
6. Frosted Sugar Cookies
7. Gingerbread Men
8. Hazelnut Fudge Dreamies
9. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Walnut
10. Chocolate Raspberry
11. Peanut Butter Oatmeal
12. Orange Pecan Squares

This week I'll be packaging them up as gifts before putting the rest on cookie trays for family meals on Christmas Eve and Day. I hope by then I'll have my cookie appetite back so I can enjoy some too!