Cookie Lover + Food Blogger = Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!
I am so excited that I got to participate in the 4th annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap this year. Hosted by Julie from The Little Kitchen and Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil, the cookie swap benefits Cookies For Kids’ Cancer, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer. Since 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has helped to fund 4 dozen childhood cancer research grants, leading to 9 promising new treatments now in clinical trial that available to children fighting cancer today. I’m happy to be a part of the food blogger community and baking cookies for a cause.
Each participant received the addresses of three bloggers from around the country and sent each a dozen delicious home baked cookies. In turn, each participant receives a dozen cookies from three different bloggers from around the country. This year there were 566 participants so that means — if my math is correct — a whopping 20,376 cookies were shipped all around the country! With contributions from participants and corporate sponsors, the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap raised in excess of $12,000 this year.
I received Russian Tea Cookies (aka Butterballs) from Julie at Sweet and Spicy Monkey, Mexican Wedding Cookies from Kristi at Inspiration Kitchen, and Allison at Sushi Day sent me a dozen of four different varieties — Pistachio Cookies, Date Nut Bars, Refrigerator Cookies with Chocolate Ganache, and Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. Check out their blogs for the recipes of their creations. Thank you ladies — we are in cookie heaven here!
I couldn’t decide what one kind to send so I settled on two — one sweet, one savory. I wanted to send cookies that would be just as good the day they came out of the oven as the day my recipients received them. But, I also needed a cookie that would ship well.
After a lot of deliberation, the winner would be shortbread. First up, buttery Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies. Shortbread cookies are great because you can make them in advance and slice and bake as desired. These were inspired by the ones I love at La Boulange Bakery in San Francisco.
It’s amazing that all this deliciousness is derived from just a few ingredients and they couldn’t be simpler to make:
- Slice the dough
- Dip the edges in an egg wash
- Roll the edges in turbinado sugar
- Brush the tops with the egg wash
Now it’s your turn, Get in the kitchen and bake a batch of these today!
- 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons water
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar together until well combined. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt and mix until crumbly. Add the vanilla and chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
- Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 2-inch diameter log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat oven to 350. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the egg wash, whisk egg with water; set aside.
- Slice cold dough into ⅓-inch thick rounds, roll edges in egg wash, and then roll edges in turbinado sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet. Finally, brush tops with egg wash.
- Bake 14-17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.
Interested in receiving notifications regarding next year’s Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap? Follow this link for updates on next year’s event!
The post Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies | Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap Part 1 appeared first on Green Thumb White Apron.
Hi Brett! I do so hope you enjoyed my Christmas Russian Tea Cakes (I renamed them) for the #fbcookieswap. Your Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies sound amazingly delicious! I was like you, as it was difficult to narrow the cookies down to just one because of shipping and if the cookies would remain intact and fresh. So glad I got you as a recipient of my cookies as now I have a new blog fav. Happy Holidays!
Thanks so much Julie! We loved them and I’m excited to have new blogging friends! 🙂