The holiday cookie exchange is, in our humble opinion, one of the brighter ideas to ever come along for the holidays. Instead of slaving away over four, five, ten sorts of cookies, just make one big batch of one sort then swap away with creative friends. Everyone’s work is multiplied to delicious effect.

If you’re headed to a cookie exchange, or just want some fresh inspiration for your cookie plate this year, here are ten terrific recipes. Five are classic — chocolate-dipped macaroons, soft snickerdoodles. Then we switch it up with five fresh picks, like a graham cracker and chocolate chunk cookie, and millionaire’s shortbread. Something for everyone, just as it should be, at the cookie exchange.

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Gift: Mauviel M’150s Copper & Stainless Steel Cookware Set
Store: Mauviel
Value: $1280

This is the season for giving and receiving, and every year we extend our thanks to you, our fabulous readers, with a set of giveaways. This year we narrowed the list of goodies down to just five of our all-time, hands-down favorites. First up, a glorious set of copper cookware from Mauviel, made in France out of 18/10 stainless steel for the interior, gorgeous copper on the exterior, and sporting stainless steel rivets and cast stainless steel handles. Who will the lucky reader be?

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Just when I thought I’d filled my arsenal with enough delicious homemade holiday treats, along came heavenly hash to sweep them all under the carpet. (Well, for today at least.) The combination of bittersweet chocolate, roasted almonds, and marshmallows is truly a gift from above!

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Last June my neighbors and I gathered buckets of green walnuts from the enormous old walnut tree that anchors the far southeast corner of our property. Armed with sharp sturdy knives and 3-liter cardboard boxes of Syrah and bottles of cheap vodka, we set out on a mission for the future: to bring warmth and cheer to our winter’s hibernation by shoring up our supplies of homemade vin de noix and nocino. The process is simple but it takes a while for the walnuts to infuse in the alcohol and the flavors to mellow and deepen, so these tipples really don’t come into their own until December. Until now.

As the frigid winds of the north swept in through the cracks and gaps of my apartment’s old windows, I raised a full-to-the-brim glass of vin de noix and gave a hearty thanks to the wisdom and enthusiasm of our summer selves.

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