Cookie Swap: Brown Sugar Praline Cookies

Though you may want to keep your batch of cookies made with pralines to yourself, why not consider hosting a cookie swap? Here's how to get started.

How to Host a Cookie Swap

1. Invite 4-6 friends to bake a variety of cookies.
2. Agree to two rules: no one is going to bake the same cookie and no one is going to bake common cookies such as oatmeal or chocolate chip.
3. In order to avoid this, write the names of 10 cookies on separate pieces of paper and place into a hat.
4. Have each participant pick one and those are the cookies they will bake and bring to the cookie swap.
5. At the party, everyone who participated swaps their cookies and returns home with a greater variety!

The following recipe is an appealing way of using New Orleans best pralines to wow them all at the cookie swap.

Brown Sugar Praline Cookies

INGREDIENTS

Dough

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Aunt Sally's Creamy Pralines or Original Pralines

Chocolate Drizzle (optional)

• 2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

DIRECTIONS
Makes 4-5 dozen cookies

• Cream the butter and the sugars in a large bowl. Add the vanilla, egg, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat this mixture until light and fluffy. Next, stir in the flour until the dough is stiff and well-blended.
• Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour. Dough may be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Separate dough into 4 pieces.
• Shape each piece into a smooth log about 12 inches long. Place logs lengthwise on an ungreased, rimless baking sheet about 5 inches apart. Using the palm of your hand, flatten each log.
• Using a rolling-pin, roll dough out to the length of the baking sheet up to about 3 inches in width. Trim the ends of each roll straight.
• With a straight-edged knife, score the dough into 1 1/2 inch squares. Drop 1/2 teaspoon of Aunt Sally's Pralines into the center of each square.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and while the cookies are warm cut along the score marks with the straight-edged knife.
• Place the chocolate in two separate bowls and melt in the microwave.
• Decoratively drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.
• Leave the cookies on the baking sheet to cool until the chocolate is set.

Share a photo of your delicious creations with us on our Facebook page or tweet us on Twitter! For more delicious recipes like this, visit our praline recipes blog. If you have a favorite praline recipe you'd like us to share, please submit it to us at marketing@auntsallys.com.