The 12 Days of Cookies

When I joined the training department at my company, I was able to wear regular clothes, makeup, jewelry, and inherited a captive audience for anything food related.  This couldn't have come at a better time for me as I was still adjusting to my gluten free lifestyle and still wanting to satisfy my love of cooking and baking.  So I decided to try the 12 days of cookies last year....Each day for 12 business days, I would bake different batch of cookies for the folks in our area to enjoy.  I used this opportunity to bake all the cookie recipes I practiced baking all the time as a kid, but also to travel down memory lane to relive fond memories in my kitchen baking with mom.  It was kind of therapy for me, as the winter holidays tend to be very sad for me since it was mom's favorite time.  It was something that I could feel good about during a time when I am exceptionally lonely.  I didn't know what to expect from my coworkers from this, but I did receive many different reactions to this odd gesture ranging from:

• "Wow....that is so nice!"
• "Why are you torturing us with all this temptation?"
• "This is my favorite time of day!"
• "Would you make ones with peanut butter? They're my favorite."
• "Why don't you make something you can eat too?"
• "Where's the cookie today?"--on the 13th day
• "You should make cookies everyday!"

Actually, I found the comments fun and enjoyable.  All-in-all I thought everyone found a cookie in the bunch that they liked.

This year, I was wondering if I should repeat my efforts from last year.  Fully knowing, I was staying at home this holiday, I was looking for projects to keep me busy during the holidays.  Right before Thanksgiving I was approached by two folks in the area which solidified my decision to repeat the 12 days of Cookies this year.  Both folks, at completely different times and at completely unrelated times asked me "are you doing the cookies this year"- insert giddy little smile here.  I couldn't say no.  Honestly, I was glad my efforts the previous year were appreciated.  I think for me, it isn't about eating the cookies, or anything I make.  I feel I was put on this earth to create and watch others enjoy.  It is a bonus for me to be able to enjoy what I create as well....and one thing I have learned is that I can enjoy the foods I cannot eat anymore by the smell.  I know that isn't conventional, but since we taste mainly by smell anyways, I am enjoying 80% of everything I make anyways.  Again, more therapy for this broken foodie.

So this year, I wanted to give myself a project.  Last year, I focused on recipes I knew....I had made all of them before and knew what to expect from the dough, how long to cook them, and all the tricks to make them delicious.  This year, I didn't want a home-court advantage, so I embarked on a different challenge: to make cookies from recipes I had never made before.  This is risky since I cannot taste test them, but a good challenge for a baker to utilize the other senses to determine quality of their product.  I had fun scouring Pinterest for recipes with unusual cookie concoctions or recipe instructions.  

The result: A success!  Obviously there were some that were favored over others, but all in all, the cookies were enjoyed by lots of people.  I loved the looks on the folks that would get that giddy smile as I walked in with my green tupperware containers filled with freshly baked goodies.   I loved the folks that would lurk around the table as I set each batch out waiting for me to finish so they could grab a treat.  I loved walking by the table throughout the day to see how popular that day's cookie was with the folks in the area.  And, I loved the different methods of feedback from my taste testers: hugs, smiles, begging for me to make more, different rating systems (narwhales, thumbs up, food gasms)...all helping me fulfill that need I have to please others with my food.

Thank you to everyone who took time to taste one of my cookies.  Thank you for the feedback (all methods)...it made my heart happy and full.  Thank you for helping me get through another holiday without my mom.  Happy Holidays to everyone!  As promised, the links to all my recipes this year:

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies from lemontreedwelling.com

Meltaway Pecan Balls  from worthingcourtblog.com

Thick and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies from bakerbynature.com

Macadamia Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies from crazyforcrust.com

White Chocolate Pumpkin Snickerdoodles from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies from gimmesomeoven.com

Lemon Crinkle Cookies from livinglocurto.com

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Sea Salt Butterscotch Pretzel Cookies from cookiesandcups.com

Chocolate Mint Crinkles  from BettyCrocker.com

Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies from savingdessert.com

Strawberry Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks  from OMGChocolateDesserts.com