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Hola.

A few weeks ago, Hershey’s via MyBlogSpark, reached out to me with an opportuity to host a cookie exchange. I have heard of cookie exchanges. I have seen blogs about cookie exchanges but I have never myself been apart of a cookie exchange. I thought, why the heck not? I mean i love baking during the holidays! When the landlord is being stingy with the heat, i bake. It not only makes me sweat…but it makes the apartment smell fantastic.

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Upon agreeing to host my own cookie exchange, I was sent a prize pack containing:

1 bag of Hershey’s Kisses

1 can of Hershey’s cocoa

$10 Visa Gift Card for extra recipe ingredients

Apron

Mixing Bowl

Like it? Hope so because at the end of this post, you can enter to win your very own prize pack and host your very own Cookie Exchange! Its a great opportunity to get your friends and family in the kitchen to bake together!

My ideal of the perfect baking “date”, someone measures. Someone mixes. Someone does dishes (this is my favorite person). And then at the end of the day, you all taste the fruits of your labor!

Also, baked goods can make really nice gifts, providing that your baking skills won’t make anyone sick… I’m pretty good now. But a few years ago, i wouldnt feed my dog half the disasters that came out of my kitchen! (have an honest taster!)

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I decided to make the most of my prize pack and utilize my Hershey Kisses in some Peanut Butter Blossoms. It was my first time attempting these cookies and I was a little anxious over it. I was worried about how they would come out and if my recipients would enjoy them.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to add in that my scheduled cookie exchange didn’t really go over so much as an exchange but more like a cookie recieving party… Must be inability to be assertive. Or get my point across clearly. One of those.

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(please excuse my cookie sheet…it has seen better days!)

I got the recipe for the peanut butter blossoms right from the Hershey’s website.

Taken right from the website:

  • 48 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
  • 1/2 cup shortening vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup REESE’S Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Granulated sugar

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Using my mixer, i whipped up the cookie dough and set my oven to heat at 375. I then rolled the very greasy cookie dough (AKA deliciousness) into small 1 inch balls. Then i rolled them in sugar and placed them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

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While the cookies baked, i pain stakingly unwrapped my kisses… which is annoying. 

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I set them aside and as soon as the cookies were done about 9 minutes later, i pressed the kiss into the still warm cookie and let it cool on a cooling rack.

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They looked like absolute perfection.

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They took a while to cool so i ended up placing them in the fridge for about an hour just so i could pack them away (the chocolate takes the longest to cool). But once they were okay, i used wax paper to wrap them up and take them to my cookie receiving party.

They were a big hit. If you have any intentions of making holiday cookies, these not only taste great- but they look pretty fancy, no?

SO, want your own prize pack? Im sure you do! There are several ways to win!

- leave  a comment telling me your favorite Holiday Cookie

- cookie recipe…2 bonus entries!

- follow @iarethefoodsnob on twitter

- tweet the giveaway and link back …2 bonus Entries! “@iarethefoodsnob is giving away a Hershey’s prizepack! http://tinyurl.com/6rg6tbh“ 

- Like my facebook page

- post your favorite holiday cookie on the facebook page wall…2 bonus entries!

Get all the chances you can to win in before 11:59pm on Wednesday, December 14th and i will notify the winner via email.

Good luck everybody!!!

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