Cookie Exchange- Chewy Chestnut Chocolate & Ginger cookies

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I know you’re probably expecting a cocktail today, but I’m doing something different.  I participated in a Blogger Cookie Exchange with the Food Blogger Love group (the same group that did Choctoberfest!). Every blogger that signed up got 3 other blogger names and we sent a dozen cookies to each of them.  Then we got 3 dozen cookies in return.  It was pretty fun sending off my cookies to a new friend and exciting awaiting my cookies in the mail!  I’m really glad I did it!  I received these cookies:

• Soft Gingerbread cookies with White Chocolate from Lisa at Bloghetti
• Double Chocolate Buckeyes from Nicole at the 4 the Love of Food blog
• Butterscotch Oatmeal cookies from Lauren at Hall Nesting

I definitely need to up my packaging game next year, but it was really fun hearing from fellow bloggers when they received my cookies in the mail. 🙂  I wanted to make cookies that had something a little different in them, so I used chestnuts (maybe some you saw that coming).  These chewy ginger cookies with chocolate and chestnuts are perfect for the holidays!  They have chestnuts, which are a lovely seasonal ingredient and the molasses and ginger in these cookies taste like Christmas.

Before making these cookies, you may want to check out my chestnuts post if you’ve never used them before.

Ok, let’s get to the cookies already!

Start by preheating the oven.

Now cream together the butter and sugar using the paddle attachment on a mixer until light and fluffy.

Then you’ll add the egg and vanilla and mix until it’s completely combined.  Add the molasses and mix again until it’s fully incorporated. The molasses give the cookies their brown color and add a rich sweetness (similar to gingerbread) that I always enjoy.

Now mix the flour, ground ginger, and salt together in a smaller bowl (if you like a spicy cookie, add half again as much ginger) and add to the batter.

Beat only until the flour is just mixed in.  Now pour in the chestnuts and chocolate and mix them in by hand.

Because these cookies have a good amount of butter in them, they need to be chilled in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  This will firm up the dough and will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much when baked.

Roll about 2 tablespoons at a time into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  They will still spread a little, so don’t put more than 9 to a sheet.  You may have to bake multiple batches.  Bake them for 15-18 minutes until golden around the edges and set in the center.

Let them cool on the cookie sheets at least 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.  These cookies are the perfect blend of crispy and chewy with a little bit of texture added from the chestnuts and gooeyness from the melted chocolate.  They are so good!

They will keep up to 4 days in a sealed container but I recommend eating them fresh, while still warm.  This recipe should make 18-24 cookies.

Don’t forget to check out the other blogs participating in the cookie exchange.  You can search for #FBLCookieExchange to find them all on social media.

What are some of your holiday favorites?  Do you participate in a regular cookie exchange?