Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza 2012

Teresa Ambra

Teresa’s Bake Shop – Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2012

Christmas cookie baking is finally finished for our family for 2012. I thought I would take you through the process of how we bake, package, and ship off cookies all over the country. We baked 35 different cookies in the past five to six weeks– all of which have already been posted. This is a labor of love for our family. It is also one way we take our  hospitality ministry to others.

Follow Me On Instagram!

We’ve been baking Christmas cookies for family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, church friends, seminary staff, doctors and other service providers since the first year of our marriage when we couldn’t afford to do anything else for family but bake cookies! It has expanded to what it is now. I think we baked about 7,000 or 8,000 cookies packed in 140-150 containers (trays, popcorn tins, and buckets) in 2012.

This year we included a couple thousand cookies for delivery at one of the prisons in Texas and for our church’s holiday fine arts and music gala in addition to our regular deliveries. Anyway, I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the pictures. It is quite a spectacle. I will tell you that after baking all this stuff every day for almost six straight weeks I am exhausted and resting for the rest of the year! Enjoy!

I apologize in advance for the graininess of the pictures. When I originally published this post in December 2012 I had a low resolution iPhone that I took pictures with. While I can upgrade some of the pictures in our 2014 Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, some pictures including the four from the fine arts gala can never be reproduced.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza Production

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza is a huge event in our home every Christmas season. Here are some of the tins and buckets we filled with Christmas cookies and bars this year. 

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s one of my work tables set up in the dining room. We use  a lot of really large mixing bowls and baker-style cookie sheets. In the background is our heat-sealer and the roll of poly bags we use to bag all our cookies.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a close up of our heat sealer and the roll of bags. I used over 5,000 bags and we had at least a thousand cookies that we didn’t bag.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

I have two other 8 foot tables in my dining room set up with racks to bring in all the trays after baking.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

This is my dining room table laden down with all the baking goods. This doesn’t include everything we used because eggs, butter, cream cheese, etc., had to be refrigerated. Plus we had to purchase a whole lot more sugar, flour, nuts, and other stuff. But this gives you an idea of what goes into our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza every year. We go through a lot of supplies baking this much stuff.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here, I’ve placed one of the Orange Creamsicle Cookies in a poly bag.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here I’ve started to stack the bagged cookies on a tray.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here the tray is loaded with Orange Creamsicle Cookies and ready for each one to be individually sealed.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

I press the poly bag under the heat sealer and wait a few seconds until the light goes off indicating that the bag is sealed.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a sealed bag.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a large roaster pan filled with Orange Creamsicle Cookies.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

This was packing day. I froze the first 15 of the 35 cookies I baked and then pulled them all out on this day to pack. These are Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here I’ve got a lot of the cookies stacked on my island and counters around the kitchen. The cookies closest to us are the Chocolate Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies. Opposite them are Peanut Blossoms.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a look at some of the cookies on one of my counters. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are the closest.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s another view. Snickers Bar Blondies are on the right. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are on the left.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Pack the popcorn tins. They can hold 80-100 cookies and brownies. I usually back brownies on the bottom because they absorb the weight best without cracking. The tins are filled with the 15 different kinds of cookies I baked for this part of our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. You can see the Coconut Date Balls and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies on top. I took the whoopie pies to several parties. Everybody loved them.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a look at some of the buckets and trays. We put a copy of all our recipes in the buckets, tins, and cookie trays.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here are some more of the cookie trays.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s another look. I filled another 30 buckets for our prison ministry.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a look at the trays after John has added a strong cellophane wrap. We included the recipes for all the cookies so people with nut and food allergies could check the ingredients list.

My Dessert Tables at our church’s Fine Arts and Music Gala

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Here’s a look at one of my dessert tables. My Chocolate Potato Chip Sandwiches were a real hit even though they were my “reject cookies!” When folks tasted the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Whoopie Pies  they started raving about how spectacular they were.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

The Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake dessert bars were also a real hot item. The Chocolate Crinkles and the Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies were also snapped up pretty quickly.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Everyone drooled over my Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies, Chocolate Layer Bars, and the Double Chocolate Oatmeal Sandwiches. In the background the Pecan Cheesecake Bars and Cranberry Lemon Sandwiches were also thought quite fantastic by those who stopped by my tables. Those who sampled the Chocolate Layer Bars had this huge smile come over their faces after tasting a bite of these amazing treats.

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Everyone who tried one of the Potato Chip Cookies, Mimi’s Potato Chip Cookies or Black Forest Cookies thought they were amazing! All of the leftovers went out to John’s place of employment where he took a few more trays to offices and left the rest in the break room where he made quite a few people smile!

Here are the 35 lovely cookies we made this year:

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies      

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #dessert is one of our favorite #holiday #cookies. #whitechocolatechips and #craisins make this #oatmealcookie spectacular. #chocolate

Cranberry Lemon Sandwiches

Cranberry Lemon Sandwiches | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these fantastic #cookies are perfect for the #holidays. They use #craisins & #lemon zest. The icing is heavenly. #dessert

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Orange Creamsicle Cookies Collage

Chocolate Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies

Chocolate Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these sensational #cookies are made with #ghirardelli #chocolate and #rainbowsprinkles. Amazing! #dessert

Peanut Blossoms

Peanut Blossoms | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fabulous #peanutbutter #cookies are stuffed with a #HersheysKiss and are great for #christmas parties. #dessert #chocolate

Cinnamon Cookies

Cinnamon Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these sensational #oatmeal #cookies have a delicious #cinnamon frosting to die for. We love this recipe. #dessert

Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies

Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these are some of our favorite #christmas #cookies. These thumbprint cookies have #apricot preserves in the center. #dessert

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Chocolate Drop Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | my favorite #cookie when I was growing up. These scrumptious goodies taste like #brownies in cookie form! #chocolate #dessert

Snickers Bar Blondies

Snickers Bar Blondies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

Cheery Cherry Cookies

Cheery Cherry Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these are one of our favorite #Christmas #cookies! They're full of candied #cherries and #coconut for spectacular flavor. #dessert

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen| these are the BEST #pumpkin #whoopiepies you've ever eaten. Rich, decadent and so scrumptious you won't be able to stop at just one! #cookie #dessert

Reese’s Peanut Butter Candy Chocolate Cookies

Reese's Peanut Butter Candy Chocolate Cookies - IMG_7831

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | #Starbucks copycat recipe. #cheesecake pudding mix takes these scrumptious #cookies to the next level. They are sensational! #whitechocolate #craisins #dessert

Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | an old-fashioned favorite #cookie filled with #raisins #oatmeal and #walnuts. Great for #holiday #baking. #dessert

Pecan Treats

Pecan Treats | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these miniature #pecanpies are our favorite #christmas #cookie. Everybody loves them. They have a cream cheese crust & #pecan & brown sugar filling to die for! #dessert

Coconut Date Balls

Coconut Date Balls | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | our most loved #Christmas #cookie! Everyone always raves over them. Perfect for #holiday baking & parties. #dessert

Cranberry Nut Swirls

Cranberry Nut Swirls | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these are our favorite #Christmas #cookies. They have a lovely #cranberry, pecan & orange zest filling in a shortbread crust. Heavenly. #dessert

Chocolate Layer Bars

Chocolate Layer Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Pecan Cheesecake Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these lovely #pecan #brownies have a wonderful #cheesecake layer that makes them spectacular. #dessert

Apricot Almond Bars

Apricot Almond Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these #cookie bars are fantastic. #Apricot preserves are layered on a shortbread crust and sprinkled with #almonds. We love to make these for the #holidays. #dessert

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | the lovely flavors of #chocolate and #mint work so well together in these amazing #cookies. Great for #holiday baking. #dessert

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these #chocolate #cookies are amazing. #Andes #peppermint baking chips add delightful flavor. Great for #holiday baking. #dessert

Lemon Coconut Pecan Cookies

Lemon Coconut Pecan Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these lovely sugar #cookies are filled with #lemon zest, #coconut & #pecans. Great for #holidays or #tailgating. #dessert

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | the most spectacular #redvelvet #cookie ever! These #whoopiepies have a luscious cream cheese, coconut and pecan frosting. They're absolutely amazing. #dessert

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these sensational 6-ingredient #cookies are perfect for the #holidays & #Christmas #baking. They start with a #RedVelvet #cakemix making them so quick & easy. #Dessert #RedVelvetCookies #RedVelvetDessert #ChristmasDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these are one of our all-time favorite #christmas #cookies. These use #Ghirardelli #chocolate and are to die for! #dessert

Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | you will drool over every bite of these fantastic #brownies. They are ooey, gooey and delicious with a great twist by using #blueberries. #dessert #cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Whoopie Pies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Whoopie Pies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these outrageous #cookies are like a meal to themselves! Rich, decadent & so chocolaty. No eggs in the #cookiedough filling either. #chocolate #dessert #ChocolateChip #ChocolateChipCookieDough #WhoopiePies #ChocolateDessert #ChocolateCookie #ChristmasCookieExchange #ValentinesDay #ValentinesDayDessert #Holiday #Tailgating #HolidayDessert

Black Forest Cookies

Black Forest Cookies| Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these fabulous #cookies are reminiscent of #blackforestcake. They are incredibly delicious & a great #dessert for #holiday baking or #Valentine'sDay.

Mimi’s Potato Chip Cookies

Mimi's Potato Chip Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | You'll never believe the secret ingredient in these heavenly #cookies is #potatochips! #pecans #dessert

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Sandwiches

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these spectacular #OatmealCookies feature #ChocolateChips in the #cookies and a #chocolate #fudge frosting sandwiched between to die for! Amazing #dessert for #holiday #ChristmasCookie baking. #ChristmasCookieExchange #FallBaking #DoubleChocolateOatmealSandwiches #ChocolateFudgeFrosting #HolidayDessert

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #cookies are so scrumptious you won't be able to stop eating them! #chocolate #dessert

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these sensational #brownies combine the best of #chocolatechip #cookies with a luscious #cheesecake layer. We absolutely devoured them! #dessert #chocolate

Potato Chip Cookies

Potato Chip Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing 5-ingredient #cookies are divine! We make them every year at #Christmas time and everyone loves them. All are amazed that they have #PotatoChips in the batter! Mouthwatering & so delicious. #holiday #HolidayBaking #HolidayDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange #dessert #PotatoChipCookies

Chocolate Potato Chip Sandwiches

Chocolate Potato Chip Sandwiches | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these #cookies are awesome! They start with a #potatochip cookie & have a luscious #chocolate frosting between them. This dessert is terrific for #fall or #Halloween baking or #christmas cookie exchanges.

I hope you’ll consider trying out some of these delicious cookies and bars for your holiday baking this year!

You may also enjoy these helpful posts!

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2013

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza - 2013 - IMG_7522

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2014

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza - 2014 - IMG_5074

Tips for Baking Cookies

Tips for Baking Cookies - 81 - IMG_6106
Christmas Cookie Extravaganza | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | 35 of the most scrumptious #Christmas #cookie recipes with tips for packing and shipping. #dessert

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza 2012

Teresa Ambra
No ratings yet
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apricot, blueberries, blueberry dessert, brownie, Butterfingers, caramel, cherries, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate chips, chocolate dessert, dessert, peppermint, raspberries, red velvet, red velvet dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

81 Comments

  • Kimberly Andrew

    November 27, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    Here I am 6 years later, and I just found this. It’s your fault, Teresa, because you posted your Raspberry Almond Bar recipe on FB, and you have a link to this page … and here I am reading and drooling. What a great ministry. I hope you are still able to do it, at least on some scale. When I was a kid, my family did something similar — although not on the scale you have done. We baked as a family, wrapped as a family, and delivered as a family (nothing mailed). Many folks were watching for us, knowing we were coming on a certain date, and they were always so excited to have a small plate of goodies. Later on I learned that the plate of goodies was all they “got” for Christmas. It taught me to share out of God’s abundance to me with others. While I can’t bake on your scale, or even the scale my family did, I’m going to pray about how I can do this for Christmas 2019. God bless you Teresa.

    1. Teresa

      November 27, 2018 at 7:36 pm

      Hi, Kimberly, so glad to hear from you. We baked cookies for everyone in our neighborhood last year (over 150 houses). But this year, my oldest son is getting married and we’ve been too busy to pull it off. I’m going to do something on a much smaller scale for select friends and co-workers. Thanks for your encouragement.

  • Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake Bars – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    July 13, 2016 at 11:49 am

    […] I initially published this recipe in December 2012 it was for my Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Most of my cookies were too busy with props, plus I was using an iPhone so the pictures […]

  • Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    June 29, 2016 at 10:58 am

    […] chips, oatmeal, and flavored with cinnamon. We have made this tasty cookie several times for our Christmas baking extravaganza when we bake 2,500 to 5,000 cookies (usually over a 3-day period) for friends, family, co-workers, […]

  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    February 26, 2016 at 11:04 pm

    […] I initially posted this recipe in December 2012 for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, I was still using an iPhone 3 camera so my pictures were not as clear as I would have preferred. […]

  • Chocolate Crinkles – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    January 19, 2016 at 12:10 pm

    […] chocolate and powdered sugar in every bite.  We have baked these cookies for years for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza because they are so simple and easy to put together, yet so scrumptious to the taste […]

  • Mimi's Potato Chip Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    January 18, 2016 at 10:59 am

    […] cookies from a coworker. Since then, we have made Potato Chip Cookies almost every year for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Everyone loves them even if they have a kooky name or kooky ingredients! These cookies are […]

  • Chocolate Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    January 17, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    […] cookies are simply wonderful.  We have included this great looking and great tasting cookie in our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this year. It is one of the 20-30 cookies I will be baking over the next month. Yee haw! I love […]

  • Pumpkin Whoopie Pies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    December 29, 2015 at 7:58 pm

    […] icing and WHOOPIE! We love these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and that’s why they are included in our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this year. After you try one, I’m sure you’ll agree that they are […]

  • Cheery Cherry Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    November 18, 2015 at 10:08 pm

    […] have made this cookie each year for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza for about 15 years. We started making this cookie because my former father-in-law, who is now […]

  • Pecan Cheesecake Bars – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    November 13, 2015 at 10:28 pm

    […] I initially posted this recipe as one of my Christmas cookies for 2012, the pictures were taken with a poor quality iPhone 3 camera. Not only that, but the photos were […]

  • Lemon Coconut Pecan Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    September 28, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    […] I initially published this recipe back in December 2012 for my Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, it was back in the early months of my blog and my pictures were too busy with Christmas […]

  • Chocolate Drop Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    August 22, 2015 at 3:28 pm

    […] family loves these cookies and they make a frequent appearance in our yearly Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Mom didn’t make these as often as chocolate chip or coconut oatmeal cookies, but when she […]

  • Orange Creamsicle Cookies – Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    April 24, 2015 at 7:44 pm

    […] delicious orange cream popsicles we used to eat as kids. I’m featuring these cookies in our cookie baking extravaganza this year. I hope you will enjoy […]

  • Caramel Oatmeal Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 29, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    […] – the same concept except they have a rich, caramel flavor. These wonderful cookies made our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza list this year. I was about a third of the way through my cookie baking when I made this batch […]

  • Pecan Treats – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 24, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    […] These miniature pecan pies are the BEST! The first time I tried these marvelous jewels was shortly after John and I were married and his mom had them displayed on a beautiful 3-tiered candy dish along with pralines and some other goodies for the Christmas holidays. They were A-W-E-S-O-M-E!! I quickly got the recipe and have made them every year since for our annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. […]

  • Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2014 – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 5, 2015 at 9:49 am

    […] I hope you will consider trying some of our cookies. I also have some excellent choices from 2012 or […]

  • Cherry Surprises – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 3, 2015 at 7:47 pm

    […] A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! We love these delicious cookies and have made them several times for our annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza where we bake 3,000 to 5,000 cookies to give away to friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, church […]

  • Peanut Butter Chip Oatmeal Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 3, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    […] chips to be fantastic but not to overdo it. I included Peanut Butter Chip Oatmeal Cookies in our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this year. Boy, is everyone in for a […]

  • Melt In Your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 3, 2015 at 3:06 pm

    […] you are having a blessed time with your family today. I saved the most raved over cookie from our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza for today. We made fifteen different cookies this year, and Melt In Your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies were […]

  • Butterfinger Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    December 10, 2014 at 7:22 am

    […] than heavenly! I LOVED these tasty cookies, and as you can see, we made them for this year’s Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, so all our grateful recipients will get a chance to enjoy these wonderful cookies, too. This […]

  • Redheadedrio

    November 22, 2014 at 7:03 am

    First off I have to just say WOW!! I have done a cookie extravaganza myself for the past 30+ years for Christmas gift giving but you and your crew put what I do to shame!! I’m definitely pinning this one for your assortment of cookie recipes! I’m forever on the hunt for different varieties and your entire set up is 1st class!

    1. Teresa

      November 22, 2014 at 10:46 am

      Thanks, I also have one for 2013 and I just finished my christmas cookie baking for this year so I’ll have one for 2014 out before the end of the year. I also have about 150-200 cookies on my blog. You’re welcome to browse the archives! 🙂

  • Toffee Almond Sandies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 11, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    […] of great recipes from their cookbooks and magazines. We have made this Taste of Home recipe for our Christmas cookie collection in years past.  I love the texture of Toffee Almond Sandies, they’re crispy on the outside […]

  • Reese's Peanut Butter Candy Chocolate Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 3, 2014 at 8:03 pm

    […] are extraordinarily delicious. We have made these wonderful cookies several times for our yearly Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Everybody loves them. You will […]

  • Tips for Baking Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    October 18, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    […] bake thousands of cookies every year for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. These extravaganza’s take countless hours in preparation, food buying, and baking, let alone […]

  • Teresa Steinberg

    September 27, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    What beautiful cookies! You have a wonderful project going on. Would you mind sharing what size bags you buy to put your cookies in? The one’s you have on the auto roller? Thank you.

    1. Teresa

      September 27, 2014 at 4:38 pm

      Thank you. We purchase 4.5 ml bags from U-Line in Fort Worth.

  • Chocolate Chip Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    September 24, 2014 at 6:46 am

    […] gift they weren’t used to getting. Baking a few batches of cookies that year kicked off our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza which we’ve done every year since. From a hundred cookies that first year we were married, […]

  • Sandy

    September 6, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Wow. That’s amazing!!! I love cookies.

    1. Teresa

      September 6, 2014 at 12:51 pm

      I hope you are able to try some of them, Sandy. They’re delicious!

  • Caramel Bars – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    September 4, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    […] Wow. They ooze, they’re gooey, they’re unbelievable. Because we made these for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza I froze the bars before cutting them so you don’t see all that gooey deliciousness  you […]

  • Apricot Shortbread Bars – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    September 4, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    […] with several different jellies–not just raspberry. I’ve also made them for our annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza before. I had all these jars of apricot preserves I wanted to clear out of my pantry so I decided […]

  • Date Squares – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    September 4, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    […] of those recipes our family has enjoyed for years and I’ve also made multiple times for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza including this year. A luscious date filling is sandwiched between a wonderful oatmeal streusel […]

  • Holiday Chocolate Mint Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    September 4, 2014 at 8:18 pm

    […] another delicious cookie that we baked for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this past year and one you should include in your holiday baking when you get the chance. I used […]

  • Cranberry Lemon Sandwiches – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    September 1, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    […] and simply taste delicious. Everyone we serve them to loves them. We have included these in our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza in the past and they made it again this […]

  • Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies | Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    August 19, 2014 at 1:11 pm

    […] Walnuts and Oatmeal Cookies with a few minor adaptations. We made this cookie for our yearly Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this year. As far as cookies go it’s relatively easy to put together. I would recommend […]

  • Potato Chip Cookies | Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    July 24, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    […] are one of our very favorite cookies. We have made these almost every year for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza for the past 30+ years. People try them and ask us, “Potato chips? Seriously?” Yes, we […]

  • Chocaroons – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 29, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    […] have made Chocaroons for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza before and they are always well […]

  • Ranger Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    January 25, 2014 at 6:35 pm

    […] (a.k.a. my husband) to help since I made a lot of them! We’ve made these cookies for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza a couple of times as I always like to provide cookies with different textures, different fruits and […]

  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    December 19, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    […] cookies went out in our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza baskets this year and it’s been a favorite with […]

  • Cranberry Almond Bars – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    December 15, 2013 at 7:43 pm

    […] ago I snatched up a couple of jars just so I could make up several batches of this recipe for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza this […]

  • BEST Sugar Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    December 8, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    […] make these cookies frequently for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganzas, but they are very labor intensive–especially when you bake 5 or 6 batches at a time like we […]

  • Ginger Crinkles – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    December 5, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    […] made Ginger Crinkles for the first time several years ago for one of our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza’s and had a lot of people comment on how much they enjoyed them, so I decided to make this cookie […]

  • Fudge Frosted Brownies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 21, 2013 at 10:20 am

    […] served these delicious brownies to a lot of guests over the years and they have certainly made our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza baking list many times. While these brownies do have a rich, fudge icing, these brownies are not as […]

  • Coconut Oatmeal Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 16, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    […] Oatmeal Cookies has been one of the cookies I’ve made almost every year for our Christmas Cooking Baking Extravaganza where we bake between 4,000 and 5,000 cookies each year and give them away to family, friends, […]

  • Black and White Cookie S'mores – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 16, 2013 at 11:51 am

    […] turn out fabulous. In 2010 we used a couple of her recipes as part of our massive 5,000 Christmas cookies we bake every year to give to friends, family, co-workers, etc. This was one of those recipes we […]

  • Ultimate Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 16, 2013 at 11:45 am

    […] made Ultimate Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies several times for our yearly Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. They are always a big hit. I recommend you include these great cookies in your holiday baking, […]

  • Snickerdoodles – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 13, 2013 at 6:54 pm

    […] So I never really had a good recipe for them. But back in 2000 I wanted to make them for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza so I started asking around at work to see if anyone had a good recipe that didn’t flatten out […]

  • Soft Molasses Sandwich Cookies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 13, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    […] with sensory overload! Truly, these Soft Molasses Sandwich Cookies are some of our most requested Christmas cookies. I suppose you could call them whoopie pies but we always called them sandwich […]

  • Oatmeal Scotchies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    November 5, 2013 at 11:24 am

    […] made Oatmeal Scotchies as cookies or bars and they are delicious both ways. When we began our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza back in 1978 or 1979 these cookies were on the menu. I think that first year I only made 5 or 6 […]

  • Almond Brickle Coffee Cake – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    July 13, 2013 at 9:43 am

    […] and modified it from the back of a Land O Lakes unsalted butter package. I was in the middle of my Christmas Cookie Baking Extravaganza last year and I was getting ready to throw the butter packaging into our recycling bin. Then I […]

  • Heath Toffee Meltaways – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    June 8, 2013 at 4:28 pm

    […] going to have to include this cookie in this year’s Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Better grab yourself a glass of milk and come join me before they are all […]

  • Berry Shortbread Dreams – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    April 23, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    […] made this delightful Taste of Home cookie recipe a few years ago for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Raspberry preserves and almond extract are the primary flavors in this light […]

  • Mississippi Mud Bars – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    April 11, 2013 at 9:15 am

    […] and have a lot of steps but they’re worth it. We made Mississippi Mud Bars during our Christmas 2009 cookie baking extravaganza and they was a hit with all those who received our cookie baskets that […]

  • Raspberry Almond Bars – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    March 28, 2013 at 7:02 pm

    […] made these amazing bars several times for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza  and everyone always loves them. These spectacular bars take a little extra work but they are so […]

  • chocolate chip meltawaysCan't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    March 6, 2013 at 10:54 am

    […] recipes. As I was combing through the recipes I found several that I wanted to try and make for my Christmas Cookie Extravaganza sometime. I have made several of them–all of which turned out to be great hits with our […]

  • chocolate pecan pie barsCan't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    March 5, 2013 at 7:08 pm

    […] everyone else! They are great for holiday baking. I’ve made them several times for our yearly Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, and everyone usually raves over […]

  • Candice’s Cracked Sugar Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    February 16, 2013 at 8:56 am

    […] made Candice’s Cracked Sugar Cookies for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza about 3 years ago but made them as sandwiches with my famous icing in the middle. They were SOOOOOO […]

  • Red Velvet Peppermint Kisses | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen

    January 23, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    […] looking for a way to use up all these candies I used for decoration for the cookies I made for my Christmas Cookie Extravaganza last November and December. I found a couple of recipes I wanted to try but this particular one is […]

  • Service With A Smile « CindySuzann

    December 28, 2012 at 4:19 am

    […] Christmas Cookie Extravaganza 2012 (cantstayoutofthekitchen.com) […]

  • dianeroark

    December 24, 2012 at 10:40 am

    Teresa, WOW! You are amazing. I also do baking but it does not hold a candle to you. I may have missed the details but How much helped did you have? When did you get started? Did you freeze all the cookies? If so, did all of them freeze well? Again, you are amazing and encouraging to all of us. I know so many people were blessed this Christmas by your hard work and kind heart. Blessings and Enjoy your Christmas, Diane Roark (I posted about my blog award today.)

    1. Teresa

      December 24, 2012 at 2:05 pm

      Okay, I will try to answer in order of your questions.

      1) I did 95% of the baking myself.
      2) John made the Pecan Treats, Cranberry Nut Swirls, and rolled the Coconut Date Balls in the coconut for me. I did EVERYTHING else this year. (Normally he does at least 50%, but he was busy with work and I decided to do a little bit every day for about 6 weeks).
      3) I froze all of the cookies except the Chocolate Potato Chip Cookies and the Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies. I refrigerated them instead because I was going to use them a day or two after baking but they would have frozen well.
      4) Remember we bag most of the cookies and freeze them but about 12-15 of the cookies I stacked on trays, wrapped in plastic wrap and froze without being bagged first.
      5) all the cookies do really well freezing them first. I have a large upright freezer and two garage refrigerators with freezers plus my freezer in the kitchen. I barely had room for the first 15 cookies we made that we were packing off for family and friends. Then after that was emptied out I had room to freeze all the stuff for the prison ministry and our fine arts music gala at church.
      6) baking cookies and giving them away is our way to say thanks to friends, family, coworkers, etc. and it usually is an encouragement to them.

      I know this sounds kooky but I consider food (hospitality) my ministry. A lot of people would be freaked out by cooking or baking on the scale that I do, but God has given me the capacity (with his help) to do this without getting too stressed out most of the time. I had one melt down during Christmas cookie baking but after talking it through with my husband everything was better after that! 🙂

      P.S. I read your kind words posted in your blog today. Thank you so much. I know you have a full plate but I hope you don’t get so discouraged that you stop blogging. You really are a blessing to others whether you realize it or not.

      1. dianeroark

        December 24, 2012 at 2:34 pm

        God really has given you a ministry and you are great at it. I really pray that he continues to bless you, your ministry, and your blog RICHLY this coming year. I am very organized so I really enjoyed you talking about the details. I know you have to be organized to pull off such a huge ministry. Blessings, Diane http://www.recipesforourdailybread.com

        1. Teresa

          December 25, 2012 at 8:12 am

          Thanks for your kind and generous words. I appreciate you.

  • lovinghomemade

    December 24, 2012 at 10:22 am

    Wow, what you have managed to do is amazing. All the people that receive these cookies are very lucky, you clearly have a big heart! Happy Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful time, you deserve a rest!

    1. Teresa

      December 24, 2012 at 2:08 pm

      Thank you. We love doing it every year, and yes, we are enjoying a great rest!

      P.S. It’s been almost a week since I’ve baked cookies so I’m ready to get back in there again! Only no one to bake for now! But I am enjoying making Christmas desserts!

  • petit4chocolatier

    December 23, 2012 at 3:26 pm

    Wow!! You are definitely the Super Woman Baker!! Very impressive my dear 🙂
    You are spectacular!!

    Merry Christmas! And I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday 🙂

    1. Teresa

      December 23, 2012 at 5:06 pm

      Well, I don’t think I’m “super woman” but thanks so much for the compliments. You have been such a strong supporter. I really appreciate your encouragement so much.

      I love making desserts and especially making them for others. I’m making two right now at my mother-in-laws! Posts to follow later! Yee haw!

  • Teresa’s Husband John

    December 23, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Just in case you are interested, we get our bags from Uline (www.uline.com). We use the Autobag 4″x5″ 1.5 mil bags on a roll and use an 8″ impulse sealer. The bags are perforated and we have a rack that holds the spool of bags. Makes it very quick and easy to bag most items. We also keep some larger flat bags for some of those cookies that morph into irregular shapes or sizes that don’t fit.

    I used to work for an arts and crafts distributor many years ago and these are the same sealers and bags we would use for bagging beads and jewelry supplies.

    As Teresa has said, individual bagging allows us lots of flexibility in preparation, freezing and shipping. The people on the receiving end love the concept and we always get great feedback.

  • DellaCucinaPovera

    December 23, 2012 at 5:39 am

    Cookie machine! Job well done.

    1. Teresa

      December 23, 2012 at 2:27 pm

      Thanks! It was fun while it lasted but I’m glad to be done!

  • Terri at Time To Be Inspired

    December 22, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    I love it! Now this is my kind of baking – BIG! The individually wrapped cookies are brilliant, as I tend to skip soft cookies that will dry out, but this is genius. I’ll be going through your recipes more closely after Christmas and will give some a try. Thanks for your great documentation of this fantastic project! Well done!

    1. Teresa

      December 23, 2012 at 2:32 pm

      You’re welcome. We hoped it would be helpful to others.The bags really help protect the cookies from drying out, getting spoiled, or crumbling too much.

  • Urban Farm Foodista

    December 22, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    Reblogged this on Urban Farm Foodista.

  • midatlanticcooking

    December 22, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    That is a lot of cookies. wow. How well does the heat sealer work? I was looking at buying one of those, but they had mixed reviews on-line.

    1. Teresa

      December 22, 2012 at 7:11 pm

      Ours works great and the cookies stay fresh for a long time.

  • Tamara Leigh: The Kitchen Novelist

    December 22, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    Oh. My. Goodness. I am in awe, oh-queen-of-the-kitchen! I feel kind of tiny right now–actually, really tiny…teensy tiny…itty bitty…microscopic…invisible to the eye 🙂

    1. Teresa

      December 22, 2012 at 7:12 pm

      Why? You do such amazing gourmet-type stuff I could never do! But thank you for the compliment.

      1. Tamara Leigh: The Kitchen Novelist

        December 22, 2012 at 7:16 pm

        Well deserved compliment, Teresa. And what a blessing you are. I hope your Christmas is as beautiful as you’ve made others’.

        1. Teresa

          December 22, 2012 at 8:20 pm

          Thanks!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Previous Post Next Post