New cookie swap recipes: Cranberry Pistachio & Nut ball cookies

The annual Smart Shopper Cookie Swap, Coupon Swap and Food Drive was tons of fun this year!

Here are even more of the recipes from the swap. These are two of my favorites!

Thanks to those who attended and all the goodies you brought. I am already looking forward to the 2016 swap!

These are the recipes I have received so far. If you have sent your recipe, but you don't see it here, please send it again via e-mail to saving@smartspendingresources.com.

8 ounces (about 2 cups) finely chopped walnuts (toast walnuts first in oven, then cool, then chop)

In a stand mixer, beat together butter,1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla until very fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low just until combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put oven rack in center of oven. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out about a teaspoon or so of dough for each cookie, rolling it in your hands to form a ball. Bake 15 - 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Your cookies should be very fragrant and just starting to turn a pale golden color. Remove from oven, let cool about 15 minutes.

In a one-gallon ziploc-type bag, put in about 1-1/2 cups or so of 10X sugar. Add cookies to bag, seal, and very gently turn bag over several times to coat cookies in sugar. You may need more than one bag -- don't overcrowd the cookies. You may also need to add more sugar. They should look like snowballs.

I usually double this recipe, but you can only fit one batch at a time in a 5 quart stand mixer bowl.

You can see a photo of the cookies above.

Adapted and modified from Martha Stewart.com.

White Sparkling Sugar to coat dough logs and to sprinkle on top of cookies before baking

In stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until very fluffy, at least five minutes. Beat in egg, oranges zest, and OJ concentrate until combined.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and combine on low speed just till flour is incorporated. Add in pistachios and dried cranberries.

Form dough into logs about 1 1/2 inch in diameter and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm enough to slice cleanly -- at least two hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and put oven rack in center of oven. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough logs in sparkling sugar. Slice about 1/8 inch thick and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a little more sugar. Bake about 10-14 minutes. The bottom of the cookies will brown lightly, but you don't want the tops to brown much. Cool and enjoy!

You can see a photo of the cookies above.

3 cups flour

for about 10-12 minutes or until it slightly turns color.

creaming the butter.

5 c. all-purpose flour

2 Tblsp. baking powder

3 ¾ c. sugar

2 ½ tsp. salt (or less)

3 ½ tsp. cinnamon

3 ½ Tblsp. grated orange rind

1 ½ c. + 2 Tblsp. shortening

3 lg. eggs, beaten

3 c. cranberries (1 pkg.)

chopped 2 ½ c. pecans, chopped

messy to handle; expect to stop to wash your hands frequently.

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 c. butter

2 tsp. baking powder

2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

confectioner's (powdered) sugar

sheets. Bake at 300 degrees F. for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool. Makes 48 to 54 cookies.