Merry And Bright Button Cookies

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Welcome to the Baker's Dozen Ultimate Cookie Exchange!

Today I've united with twelve favorite food bloggers to bring you a holiday cookie celebration so big, it's being monitored by the North Pole! To see all of the participating blogsites, and to discover seven sweet giveaways, please visit the Baker's Dozen Event Site at http://www.13cookiechristmas.info/
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Ten degrees below zero on Tuesday.

And school was called off for the day.

Hooray.

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John took the boys outside to do a bit of this.

While the littlest boy did a bit of this.

(This is not, technically, helping.)

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The girls and I stayed inside and worked up a sweat.

After all, someone needed to keep the homefires a'baking.

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We conjured butter cookies. Wondrous, tender cookies which held a secret withinst their little butter bosoms....

A molten middle. Nada on the inside. Nothing in the center.

Nary a bit of oomph within those little bumps.

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Which suddenly sounds vexingly autobiographical

(types their creator, as she straightens her very-roomy size AAA brassiere.)

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Please forgive the above personal moment of self awareness. I sometimes forget how much there is to be learned in one's kitchen.

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Now...back to the sub-zero cookie making.

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The butter cookies begged for a fine and shiny frosting.

Seeking something akin to a Victoria's Secret push-up bra

(oh heck, there I go dropping my own issues again),

they were anxious to don some salute-the-sky, high-falutin' fashion.

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How could we gals resist granting them such humble desires?

There was a horde of hungry shovelers to feed, and we did so want our butter babies to look nice for the menfolk.

Like the long-nailed gals at the beauty parlor, we got them purtied up.

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The boys burst inside from their snow white shoveling,

gratefully greeted by a plate of eye-popping, jaw-dropping button cookies.

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It was cold outside.

But, we were warm on the insides.

And that, my friends, was a very merry thing to be on such a day as it was.

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Very merry, indeed.

Merry & Bright Brown Sugar Butter Buttons

When it comes to a cookie exchange, do you ever feel the kid in you sneaking a peek at the offerings? Scanning a table full of goodies, aren't your eyeballs always grabbed by the colorfullest of cookies? The frosted. The fluffy. The frilly.

Wanting to create the very type of cookie that children of all ages might adore, I attempted a butter cookie four times. Some were flat. Some were bloppy. Not a one held their shape through cooking, coming out of the oven like little mini-mounds of holiday happiness.

Until this recipe. This adorable little button of a cookie.

Then...imagine my surprise when I bit into one and discovered the cookies were not only flaky but surprisingly hollowed. Or is that hallowed? Somehow this trait makes them even more perfect for the cookie exchange table. A extra-unique recipe which holds a magical secret. Topped with a glimmering icing, I think you'll find these button cookies are among the first to be snapped up and swallowed down this Christmas. From my kitchen to yours. Merry, Merry Holidays!

1 stick butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

1 c. flour

In a large bowl, use a fork to combine butter, sugars, vanilla and salt. Slowly add the flour, combining thoroughly until a thick dough is formed. Turn out onto countertop. Begin kneading until dough forms a ball. Roll until about 1/2" thick, cut into 1-inch circles. Bake at 300 degrees for 11-13 minutes, or just until the tops of cookies are firm to the touch. Remove. Cool. Frost with Sheeny Butter Icing.

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Sheeny Butter Icing

Created to be the type of frosting which holds it place, and dries with shine, while still offering a mouthful of incredible flavor. Mission accomplished. You're going to love this frosting.

2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1 T. corn syrup

1 tsp. heavy cream

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed. If a thicker consistency is needed, add powdered sugar by the tablespoon. If a thinner consistency is desired, add corn syrup by the teaspoon. Color with your favorite icing colors, pipe, and enjoy!

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Make This Holiday Season the Merriest of All...*

The {mouthwateringly wondrous} Carolina Cookie Company is gifting one lucky commenter with a
12 month Cookie-Of-The-Month membership
Retail value, $293.64

Just imagine. Twelve consecutive months of Carolina Cookie's gourmet, fresh baked cookies in the flavor for the month, arriving at your doorstep. The very thought makes my knees week. It makes my heart flutter. It makes...oh! Why are you listening to my musings, when you could be leaving the winning comment right.now.

To enter, CLICK HERE to peruse the lip-smacking selection of Carolina Cookie's products. Pick your favorite, then come back here and tell me which one most tickled your tastebuds via comment (it's going to be hard to choose just one. Holy cow, they are gorgeous!).

One winner will be chosen at random on 12.14.09. Open to US residents only.

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WANT EVEN MORE CHANCES TO WIN INCREDIBLE COOKIES?!

Visit the Baker's Dozen event site by clicking HERE to find more incredible Cookie-Of-The-Month giveaways! Six other Baker's Dozen bloggers are offering prizes donated by some of America's BEST bakeries. Be especially sure to catch the incredible giveaway right there, on that main event site! (BIG HINT...scroll to the bottom of THIS PAGE and look to the right! Yummarum!)