The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013

I am so excited to participate in the Great Food Blogger 2013 Cookie Swap! This is an amazing event joining 619 Food Bloggers across in 8 countries to support Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease.  We have raised $2, 675 for Cookies for Kids' Cancer.  Thanks to these generous brand partners who matched donations, dollar for dollar, the contribution was quadrupled!!! Our total contribution was:

$13,778.40!

I was given the names and addresses of 3 fabulous Food Bloggers to ship a dozen cookies to.

Miss Stacy from The Baking Bandit @ http://bakingbandit.wordpress.com/

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Miss Sarah from Strawberry Plum @ http://www.strawberryplum.com/

Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Miss Deb from Cooking on the Front Burner @ http://www.cookingonthefrontburners.com/

Triple Ginger Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Then I received a dozen cookies from 3 different Food Bloggers. Thank you ladies! Your cookies were fabulous :) This was a fun event and I feel great knowing I had a contribution to a great cause!

Jennifer Graddy from Orlando Connections @ http://www.orlandoflconnections.com/

Karis from Karis' Kitchen A Food Blog @ http://www.karisann.com/

Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

Lisa from Life with Lisa @ http://www.lifewithlisa.com/

Here is what I made!

Print Recipe

Oatmeal Chocolate Toffee Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup bread flour
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups rice krispies cereal
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup Heath toffee bits
1/2 cup chopped pecan pieces

In a large bowl, beat the butter, shortening and the sugars together.  

Add the egg and vanilla and cream well for about 2 minutes. 

 In a separate bowl combine the flours, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  

Add the flour to the creamed mixture beating only until the flour is incorporated.  

Scrape the bowl.  Again in a separate bowl mix together the remaining ingredients.

 Add in two additions.  Mix until everything is incorporated in the cookie dough.  It will be crumbly.

Bake, or refrigerate the dough.  

Leave dough out on the counter for 20-30 minutes to bring back to room temperature while the oven is preheating to 350 F.  Using a medium scoop drop cookie dough about 2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  With the palm of your hand lightly flatten each cookie.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned and the centers are puffed.  

Let cool for 2-3 minutes on the pan, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 40 cookies

I have mailed numerous boxes of cookies and the best way I have found to keep them fresh is to use my FoodSaver bags.  If they are shipping a long ways (over seas) then I will even put a piece of bread in the bag before I seal it completely, but since these were only going to take a few days to ship I didn't worry about it.  You also want to make sure that the cookies are packed tightly.  The more wiggle room the more chance the cookies will break.