The Ultimate Baker’s Dozen & Clothespin Cookies…

by Jamie on December 10, 2009

Welcome to the Baker’s Dozen Ultimate Cookie Exchange! Today I’ve united with twelve other incredible 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 bloggers, and to learn more about the valuable giveaways, please visit the Baker’s Dozen home site at www.13CookieChristmas.info.

Now for my cookie…
I love the winter months…I am a big fan of snow, decorated trees and cookies. Baking during the holidays is filled with all different varieties of cookies. It’s the time of year to share and savor your favorite goodies with friends and family. It’s also the time to build memories and traditions that will last a lifetime.

When I was invited to participate in The Ultimate Baker’s Dozen, I knew that I wanted to provide you with a cookie that was delicious, but also steeped in tradition. It is my hope that you will take this recipe, prepare it with someone dear to you and then share the cookies with the special people in your lives. This recipe takes a little time and patience, but it’s a great way to spend some much needed quality time in the kitchen with friends and family.

I chose to make “Clothespin Cookies” because these are the cookies that I look forward to every year when visiting my dad and step mom for the holidays. My step mom orders these every year from a friend and let me tell you, I eat A LOT of them! These are essentially strips of pastry dough made into a tube shape and filled with buttercream frosting. Although I was unable to get the recipe that my step mom’s friend uses, I did get my hands on an amazing recipe from The Funny Farm Bakery in Wakeman, Ohio. The owners of the bakery happen to be friends with my mom and they graciously provided me with their recipe and it worked out beautifully! I chose to fill these with my go to recipe for buttercream frosting and the end result was a delicious and truly addictive holiday cookie.

A tidbit of history for you…”Clothespin Cookies” got their name because they were originally formed on round clothespins. You can purchase metal forms like these, but I chose to go old school and use clothespins that I purchased from Michaels.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Please take some time to check out the other fabulous bloggers participating in this event! Have a delectable day and thanks so much for visiting!

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Clothespin Cookies
from: The Funny Farm Bakery

yield: this makes A LOT of cookies I halved the recipe and made over 80…keep in mind they are small!

Ingredients
For the Dough
1 pound of margarine
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons Crisco
1 tablespoon sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp Butter Flavoring
4 1/2 cups flour

Method
1. Place margarine, Crisco, sugar, egg yolks, butter flavoring and flour into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Slowly mix in the water until fully incorporated and dough forms a ball in the bowl of your processor.
2. Remove the dough from the processor and place into the freezer for 45 minutes.
3. Cut dough into fourths. Wrap each quarter in plastic wrap. Chill.
4. Take out one quarter at a time and allow to stand at room temperature long enough that it softens enough that the dough can be rolled.
5. Roll dough out on floured pastry sheet/ board about 1/8 inch thick (or as thin as you can get it). Cut dough into 3/4 inch wide by 3 inch long strips. Wrap around clothes pins or metal forms.
6. Bake (seam side down) at 375 degrees F (200 degrees C) for approximately 9-10 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned. Slide off forms while still very warm and then cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1 stick salted butter – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – room temperature
1 cup shortening
1 tablespoon Clear Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
2 pounds confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
6-8 tablespoons very cold milk

Method
Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the clear vanilla extract and butter flavoring and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency.

Fill cooled pastry tubes with filling using a pastry and sprinkle the cookies with confectioners’ sugar before serving.


{ 129 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Becky December 10, 2009 at 7:19 am

The Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies sound amazing!
I love your blog! I just recently started my own baking blog and you have provided lots of inspiration!!

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2 Emily December 10, 2009 at 7:48 am

I would have to choose the Creamy Peanut Butter Cookies —- they look divine!!
emily8463@gmail.com

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3 Hoosier Homemade December 10, 2009 at 7:58 am

Those cookies look amazing! I'm so glad I found you! I bake all the time too, and blog about it (among other things) I'll definately be back.
~Liz

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4 Katherine December 10, 2009 at 8:02 am

My favorite cookie would have to be the Snickerdoodle! The White Chocolate chunk look good, but I will never turn down a snickerdoodle cookie. They all look so classic and who doesn't love a homemade cookie! Thanks for providing an outlet to find all these great and different sites!
kate.l.ham@gmail.com

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5 Hoosier Homemade December 10, 2009 at 8:09 am

It's me again. I can't seem to find where to Subscribe in Email. The subscribe button doesn't seem to work, and the Feedburner doesn't have an option for email. Do you have one? Thanks :)
~Liz

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6 heather December 10, 2009 at 8:17 am

oh my the clothespin cookies are so cute, i think i'll add these to my list to make for goodie boxes. i like to have some that aren't the normal round cookie.
and i think the sugar cookies sound yummy.

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7 RecipeGirl December 10, 2009 at 8:25 am

These are so, so cute! Can you freeze them? I'm thinking they'd be great to make for a cookie exchange since the recipe makes so many AND they're unique and fun and yummy-looking!

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8 Debbie December 10, 2009 at 8:34 am

I choose the snickerdoodles. YUM!

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9 Goiahawks December 10, 2009 at 8:37 am

Thanks for posting so many great recipes. We've tried several so far! Hmmm…picking a favorite cookie…if I were picking from the Monthly Features I'd select the Blueberry Cobbler cookies and from the classics, it would be the Old-Fashioned Vanilla.

goiahawks@gmail.com

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10 Jamie December 10, 2009 at 8:46 am

Hoosier Homemade-

Thanks for stopping by, you can subscribe here: http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyBakingAddiction

-Jamie

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11 Judson Family December 10, 2009 at 8:47 am

chocolate chunk!

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12 Allison December 10, 2009 at 8:49 am

these cookies look like so much fun to make! i love the idea of using clothespins :) i would have to choose the white chocolate chunk pecan cookies… YUM

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13 Sarah December 10, 2009 at 8:55 am

Walnut Chocolate Chip. I am so going to bake this weekend!

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14 Mireya December 10, 2009 at 9:06 am

Super Chocolate Chunk!

Thanks for the giveaway!

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15 Kristine December 10, 2009 at 9:06 am

Ginger spice! I've been on a ginger kick lately. I think it's my new favorite spice.

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16 Wonder Woman December 10, 2009 at 9:31 am

Walnut Chocolate Chip – yum, yum, yum! http://wonderwomanconfessions.blogspot.com

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17 Ms. K.I.M. December 10, 2009 at 9:38 am

They all look wonderful, but the Double Chocolate Fudge cookie looks sinfully delicious!!!

mskmincey@gmail.com

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18 Nancy December 10, 2009 at 9:46 am

Yum, Toffee chocolate chip. That sounds very tasty to me!
neh05 at fsu dot edu

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19 Christine December 10, 2009 at 9:58 am

Something about those Cherry Chocolate Chunk cookies makes my mouth water… I'd love to get my hands on any of those cookies though!
[ mailckim@gmail.com ]

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20 Veggie Virginia December 10, 2009 at 10:06 am

I'll always go for a good snickerdoodle!

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21 Anne December 10, 2009 at 10:07 am

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut all the way!! Love the Mac nuts!!
Thanks for sharing these amazing recipes!!
– Anne
http://www.everlastingink.blogspot.com

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22 Shannon December 10, 2009 at 10:14 am

Definitely the White Chocolate Chunk Pecan…..two of my favorite things….and your cookie recipe looks yummy….buttercream frosting….can't wait to try these
Thanks

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23 Ingrid December 10, 2009 at 10:19 am

I love the delicate and wintery look of your cookies.
~ingrid

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24 Melynda Tetpon December 10, 2009 at 10:21 am

Snickerdoodles for me. YUM!

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25 Jenny December 10, 2009 at 10:30 am

Snickerdoodles are always my favorite!

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26 Mama JJ December 10, 2009 at 10:32 am

The sampler, of course, because I can NOT choose. Well, maybe the cranberry orange pecan…

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27 Erika December 10, 2009 at 10:33 am

The cranberry orange pecan sounds very tasty.

Your clothespin cookies sound really good too, I think I'll have to put them in my To Try folder.

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28 Beth December 10, 2009 at 10:44 am

The Triple Chocolate Chunk sounds INCREDIBLE!!

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29 Caitlin December 10, 2009 at 11:01 am

The oatmeal walnut raisin look fantastic. Not as cute as yours though.

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30 lauren December 10, 2009 at 11:20 am

Double chocolate fudge all the way!!

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31 Rachel December 10, 2009 at 11:51 am

Gingerspice would have to be the winner.

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32 Heidi December 10, 2009 at 11:56 am

White chocolate macademia nut!

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33 american girl primitives December 10, 2009 at 12:04 pm

I would love the toffee choc. chip but the cranberry white choc. sound wonderful!

Carey

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34 Lisanne December 10, 2009 at 12:13 pm

Definitely the peanut butter chocolate chip!

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35 teresa December 10, 2009 at 12:13 pm

these are just fantastic, i've never seen anything like it. gorgeous!

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36 i heart cake December 10, 2009 at 12:17 pm

Double chocolate fudge… or maybe the white chocolate brownies… :-)

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37 Fruit December 10, 2009 at 12:27 pm

Cranberry Orange Pecan!

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38 nutmegnanny December 10, 2009 at 12:32 pm

First can I say that I love clothespin cookies! There is this bakery in Fremont, OH (where I was born and raised) that always has them stocked. When I got home I always get those, coconut logs and maple sticks…yum!

Now onto the giveaway. How fun! I'm totally digging the old fashioned vanilla cookies…delicious!

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39 Jennifer McNichols December 10, 2009 at 12:35 pm

I lurve Snickerdoodles!

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40 The Mickelsens December 10, 2009 at 1:02 pm

The second I saw blueberry cobbler cookies I didn't need to look any furthur. Why haven't I ever seen those before! Yum! casidyanne at hot mail dot com

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41 multiplydelicious.com December 10, 2009 at 1:49 pm

The clothespin cookies look yummy! I can see why you love them.
I'm a basic girl so I would have to stay true to chocolate chip. The snickerdoodle cookies are a very close 2nd though.
Happy Holidays!!

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42 Wehaf December 10, 2009 at 1:55 pm

The old fashioned vanilla cookies are calling my name.

urchiken at gmail dot com

P.S. Can I substitute butter for margarine in your cookie recipe?

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43 Elsisi December 10, 2009 at 1:56 pm

The Cranberry White Chocolate sound delish!

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44 Whisk-At-Hand December 10, 2009 at 2:05 pm

The Oatmeal Raisin Walnut looks sooo good! whisk-at-hand.blogspot.com

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45 Rachael December 10, 2009 at 2:13 pm

I would choose ginger chocolate chunk! Yum!!

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46 Keeping up with the Freitas' December 10, 2009 at 2:17 pm

These look so pretty and are delicious!

On the cookie giveway, I would opt for M&M chocolate chip!

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47 Thao December 10, 2009 at 2:49 pm

Peanut butter white chocolate is my fave

member (dot) thao (at) gmail.com

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48 Amber December 10, 2009 at 2:51 pm

Cranberry white chocolate are one of my all time favorites! Yum, Yum, Yum!

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49 Jenna H. December 10, 2009 at 3:07 pm

I would have to go with Double Chocolate Fudge – wow! Thanks for the giveaway!
jmhamlin826 AT yahoo DOT com

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50 Jelli Bean December 10, 2009 at 3:08 pm

I'd love to try their cranberry shortbread cookies! How festivally delicious. Thanks for another great giveaway!

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51 chapman family December 10, 2009 at 3:08 pm

The Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies sound divine.
wendyc06@gmail.com

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52 Heather December 10, 2009 at 3:13 pm

My favorite would be the double chocolate fudge. Yummy!

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53 alison December 10, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Yum! The PB chocolate chip cookies look amazing!

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54 Stacey December 10, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Your cookies look amazing! I would choose the ginger spice cookies.

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55 livetoread December 10, 2009 at 4:13 pm

I would have to choose the Double chocolate Fudge.

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56 Philip December 10, 2009 at 4:14 pm

I like the fall decorated cookies
Thanks!

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57 Jit December 10, 2009 at 4:28 pm

Decadent Triple Chocolate Chunk, for sure!

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58 Stephen & Jill Williams December 10, 2009 at 4:29 pm

How about Double Chocolate Fudge! I love Country Cupboard Cookies! I've ordered Christmas Gifts from them in the past.

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59 Karen December 10, 2009 at 4:31 pm

The blueberry cobbler cookie looks really good!

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60 Corynn December 10, 2009 at 4:34 pm

The sugar heart cut-out looks too cute!

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61 The Sugar Queen December 10, 2009 at 4:44 pm

The classic Chocolate Chip cookies look awfully good!

momladyof4@gmail.com

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62 Wrongtree09 December 10, 2009 at 4:50 pm

Ginger spice sound yummy! Thanks for the origin trivia about clothespin cookies.

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63 Emma Kelsey December 10, 2009 at 4:51 pm

the gingerspice cookies look yummy!

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64 Sarah December 10, 2009 at 4:51 pm

White Chocolate Chunk Pecan!

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65 foodie ffanatic December 10, 2009 at 4:58 pm

The Ginger Spice look good. (Probably because of the recipe you posted recently.) Thanks for a chance at the giveaway.

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66 Mel December 10, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Favorite?!
You mean I have to choose between Cranberry White Chocolate and Gingerspice?! Impossible.

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67 Christina December 10, 2009 at 6:19 pm

It has to be the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. That's the best flavor combination ever!

christinadey@gmail.com

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68 NikiTheo December 10, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Double Chocolate fudge!!!! Yum!

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69 Emily December 10, 2009 at 6:23 pm

Can I pick three!? The snickerdoodles, gingerspice and cherry chocolate chunk all sound delicious! If I could only try one – it would be the cherry chocolate since I've never had anything like that!

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70 Sherry G December 10, 2009 at 7:34 pm

White chocolate macadamia nut? Yeah, that sounds amazing!!

Volley_Chick23@msn.com

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71 Kelly December 10, 2009 at 7:57 pm

TOFFEE CHOCOLATE CHIP!!! Yum.

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72 Lori December 10, 2009 at 8:11 pm

The Double Chocolate Fudge!!
Those Clothespin cookies also look amazing, I'll take a dozen of those too!! :-)

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73 Jenny December 10, 2009 at 8:14 pm

I would love to try the shortbread cookies. I make them a lot & love trying new kinds.
Jen cjy5787@gmail.com

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74 Nina December 10, 2009 at 8:39 pm

The M&M chocolate chip cookies look so good!

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75 Andrea December 10, 2009 at 8:44 pm

Oh, I have to go with a classic, Oatmeal Walnut Raisin… mmmmm!

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76 Meghan December 10, 2009 at 8:57 pm

I would LOVE to try the peanut butter chocolate chip or the m&m

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77 Susan December 10, 2009 at 8:59 pm

Blueberry Cobbler cookies, all the way!

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78 Susan Beck December 10, 2009 at 9:52 pm

M&M Chocolate chip! YUMMMMMM

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79 sb December 10, 2009 at 9:53 pm

Toffee Chocolate Chip for me!

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80 Toni December 10, 2009 at 9:58 pm

BROWNIES…..I hope they count. Thanks for your inspiration.

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81 Jenni December 10, 2009 at 10:02 pm

Creamy Peanut Butter! Those clothespin cookies look amazing! I already have way too many goodies to make for the holidays so you should send me some. :)

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82 Tara December 10, 2009 at 11:42 pm

cranberry white chocolate, come to mama!!

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83 Bethie December 11, 2009 at 5:33 am

Good ol'sugar cookies, BUT I had rather have your clothespin cookies delivered to my door. YUM!!

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84 Molly December 11, 2009 at 8:05 am

I can't decide between good old fashioned chocolate chip or the chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. They both look fantastic!

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85 cindy December 11, 2009 at 8:18 am

Its hard to beat a good snickerdoodle!

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86 Connie December 11, 2009 at 9:03 am

I would choose the holiday shortbread and be reminded of Christmas!

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87 Sindy December 11, 2009 at 10:05 am

I thought the signature holiday cookies look scrumptious.

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88 Angie December 11, 2009 at 10:49 am

Blueberry Cobbler. Sounds amazing and something I've never had before!

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89 Laura December 11, 2009 at 10:51 am

Cranberry Orange pecan sounds awesome!

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90 Liz December 11, 2009 at 11:10 am

I love peanut butter cookies!

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91 Naomi December 11, 2009 at 11:56 am

Toffee chocolate chunk–YUM!!

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92 Elizabeth December 11, 2009 at 12:37 pm

I love the Cookie Art cookies!!! I love decorated cookies that are out of the ordinary!!!!

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93 Sara PDX December 11, 2009 at 2:03 pm

Cherry Chocolate Chunk sounds so good – I love the flavor combination.

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94 Jaykay December 11, 2009 at 2:21 pm

My favorite cookie would have to be the olf fashioned vanialla cookie. I love simole cookies with simple flavors! This one just sounds like it will melt in your mouth! Love the blog by the way!

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95 cupcake December 11, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Your cookies look so cute! I thought the creamy peanut butter cookies looked great!

nlarma@gmail.com

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96 Vix December 11, 2009 at 6:17 pm

Cherry Chocolate Chunk ( January)

They sound AMAZING!

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97 Maria December 11, 2009 at 6:43 pm

I have too many favorite cookies! But maybe toffee choc. chip.

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98 K8 December 11, 2009 at 6:45 pm

You can never go wrong with Ginger Spice!

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99 Wen December 11, 2009 at 6:54 pm

M&M chocolate chip!

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100 Zebbie December 11, 2009 at 7:13 pm

Toffee chocolate chip cookies look so yummy! And I think your clothespin cookies look delectable too! They remind me of cream horns!

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101 Suzy Q December 11, 2009 at 7:50 pm

Gingerspice!

Your cookies sound intriguing…hope I have the patience to see these through.

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102 Deborah W December 11, 2009 at 8:33 pm

Snickerdoodles, definitely! LOVE these cookies; made them a lot when I was growing up and they always remind me of my childhood!

Deborah
deborah0523@yahoo.com

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103 Brenda December 11, 2009 at 9:15 pm

All the cookies look good, but my favorite would be the snickerdoodle and the cowboy cookies in August for my birthday. Happy Holidays and Happy Baking!

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104 Patricia P. December 11, 2009 at 9:34 pm

The cranberry white chocolate sound wonderful. I would love to try the clothespin cookies. They look delicious!

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105 Nicola December 12, 2009 at 9:31 am

Your cookies sound a lot like the lady fingers my room mate used to make!
The cranberry white chocolate cookies look just sweet enough; like the cranberry bliss bar at Starbucks without the toothache afterward!

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106 skeptical December 12, 2009 at 9:36 am

The Super Chocolate Chunk cookie looks great!

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107 Erin December 12, 2009 at 12:08 pm

I'd love the peanut butter chocolate chip!!! MMMMM!!!

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108 Shannah December 12, 2009 at 12:30 pm

The deep dish butterscotch blondies look sooooo good.

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109 Genevieve P December 12, 2009 at 2:58 pm

I'd love the gingerspice cookies. Ginger and molasses are so great!

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110 Simple Simon December 12, 2009 at 4:05 pm

Hands down, the Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies would be my favorite. I recently baked them and will have them on my blog soon.

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111 lauramil December 12, 2009 at 5:59 pm

ginger spice sounds super yummy in mah tummyyy

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112 Mormishmom December 12, 2009 at 7:05 pm

What a fun blog! I'm glad I found you. I think the snickerdoodles look tasty!

mormishmom at gmail dot com

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113 CortGirl December 12, 2009 at 7:49 pm

Cranberry white chocolate is my weakness! The flavors go together so amazingly :-) I think I'll have to place an order soon! cutecort@yahoo.com

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114 Jennifer December 12, 2009 at 8:14 pm

Super Chocolate Chunk. What? I like chocolate!

jmoore3333(at)gmail(dot)com

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115 Eryberry December 12, 2009 at 8:27 pm

Walnut Choc. Chip is def. my favorite.

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116 Owen's Mom December 13, 2009 at 9:28 am

They should warn readers to eat before viewing their blog… or maybe not.

They all looked so good, but the White Chocolate Chunk Pecan would be the biggest hit at my house. Thank you for your great contest!
andrea.kruse at gmail dot com

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117 edreyes7174 December 13, 2009 at 9:42 am

Julie my favorite cookies at Country Cupboard Cookies are the Homemade Christmas Sugar Cookies frosted in buttercream! They look so good! Thanks for the great posts. I love your site!!!

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118 Topher December 13, 2009 at 11:14 am

Tough call but I'd have to say my favorite are still snickerdoodles

Chris

zekks at yahoo dot com

Thanks!

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119 Ghadah December 13, 2009 at 11:15 am

Super Chocolate Chunk

And, your clothespin cookies look yummy!

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120 Sarah December 13, 2009 at 2:40 pm

Toffee chocolate chip!

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121 RachelJ December 13, 2009 at 6:55 pm

White Chocolate Chunk Pecan. Love your Closepin Cookies recipe—definitely on my must-try list.

mom0js (at) yahoo (dot) com

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122 brokenglass December 13, 2009 at 7:42 pm

mmmm creamy peanut butter for sure

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123 Jennifer December 13, 2009 at 9:45 pm

They all look so good! I think the Gingerspice looks best to me right now, though.

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124 ellipsis_abuser December 13, 2009 at 10:02 pm

mmm…gingerspice…

and btw I love your blog design!

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125 Karen December 14, 2009 at 3:20 am

Definitely the Cranbery White Chocolate ones! They look so good! It was a tough decision between that one and the Snickerdoodles =D

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126 bookworm0709 December 14, 2009 at 1:00 pm

My favorite is the Super Chocolate Chunk.

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127 Katie December 14, 2009 at 1:39 pm

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip!! But I just got done making PeanutButter Cupcakes, so maybe I still have PB on the brain! :)

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128 kimmie December 14, 2009 at 5:38 pm

Wow all of them look amazing. I would love to try the double chocolate fudge :)

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129 lcwhitty December 15, 2009 at 7:46 pm

who could choose?! Classic Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chip and Super Chocolate Chunk look like the way to go for now…until later, that is! YUM!

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