I’m not a cookie person.

I’m picky with the types of cookies that I do like. I tend to like the classic cookie. Give me a good chocolate chip (with nuts), or a good peanut butter one will do the trick too. Shortbread cookies tend to make the cut, but only if they are nice and buttery.

Tom on the other hand likes all types of cookies. I call him the adventurous cookie man because he will try them all.

So when Christmas rolls around he is a very happy man, because I tend to bake a couple of batches of my go-to cookie recipe and put them in pretty packages to gift to friends and co-workers.

And he gets to eat a few.

Ok, lots, if he is good.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading my usual blog list when I came across my fellow blogger, Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil announcing that along with Julie of The Little Kitchen they were going to host The first annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.

I had the fortune of meeting both of these ladies personally and I know the greatness that comes from each of them individually. So putting these two together, I knew this was going to be a huge event to be part of. And let me tell you…it was huge. You can read more about it here

It took me less than a minute to join. It’s pretty simple: You sign up, you get matched with three other food bloggers, receive their addresses, bake 1 dozen cookies for each, pack them up in a pretty package (my favorite part) and send them away. Sit back and wait for your 3 dozen cookies to arrive. EAT LOTS OF COOKIES. Then on a specific date (today) reveal the recipe and your experience.

That was the easy part.

The hard part?

Which cookie recipe to bake.

I wanted something buttery, and I wanted to do a dough cookie. So after many searches in my cookbooks, I settled on these Almond Orange Ginger Filled Cookies.

The hardest part of the recipe is building the cookies. Using your food processor will help you make the dough in minutes. Then after some chilling time in the refrigerator you are ready to roll.

The results were a great tasting cookie. Not too sweet, buttery and with the right amount of crunch.

We liked them so much, that I decided to use the same recipe for my very own Cookie Exchange party that took place today (that post is coming up later in the week).

I have not heard back from my matches to see if they like them as much as we do.

ALMOND ORANGE GINGER COOKIES
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

dough

325gr all purpose flour
125gr sugar
1 pinch salt
150gr butter, cold, cut into small cubes
zest of one lime
1 egg
50gr candied ginger

filling

75gr candied ginger, finely chopped
75gr almond paste
1 tablespoon orange preserve
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1 teaspoon of rum (optional, but highly recommended)

In a food processor, combine sugar, ginger and lime zest and pulse to mix and chop the ginger up. Add the flour and salt and pulse again. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and process until mixture resembles wet sand. Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface; knead several times until dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours.

Prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients with an electric mixer or food processor.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat®.

Roll the dough disk to about 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of parchment paper that has been lightly dusted with powder sugar. Using your favorite cookie cutter cut the cookies. With a knife spread filling on one cookie and cover with another one. You can press them a bit together so they stick to each other tightly. Place in your baking sheet and then back in the refrigerator or freezer for about 5 minutes to firm up a bit.

Bake for about 10 to 20 minutes. They should barely become golden - beware of over baking!

Remove from oven and place in a cookie cooling rack. They are delicious slightly warm, but will keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Next up, make a pretty package and gift your cookies to everyone you know.

Make sure to look for the full round up of all the participating bloggers which will be posted by Lindsay and Julie in the next couple of days.

In the next few days I will be posting about my own Cookie Exchange Party, which was a total success.