Yesterday I said Holidailies was not all about cookie-baking moms. Today I’m singing a different tune because I am part hypocrite and I have no shame. Besides, this is also about cookie baking dads and cookie baking people who have no children yet.
Today was Michelle B’s infamous Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. This is her fourth or fifth year and it is crazy competitive. The word is contestants practice and perfect their recipes for months before the actual party.
Blane and I and the girls were not in the competition, so we got to be judges along with a few other lucky cookie tasters.
The tasting part was easy. Scoring the cookies was excruciating. They were all beautiful and delicious. It looked like they all belonged in a fancy glassed in bakery case.
The “Singing Snowmen” cookies, by husband and wife team (Cindy and Mark) scored best in three categories: prettiest; most Christmasy, and most non-cookie-looking cookie.
Did you notice the little snowdog? 
Or was that a snowcat?
Since one cookie was not allowed to win more than one category, the snowmen got the prize for the prettiest.
Other winners (click on link for recipe): Ginga’s “Rolo Surprise” for most non-cookie-looking cookie; Julie and Rick’s “sugar cookie candy canes” for most Christmasy; Katie’s “S’mores” for most professional looking; Mel’s “Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies” for best tasting; This is Mel’s second year in a row as a winner at Michele’s annual cookie shindig. Cindy’s Singing Snowmen recipe is here.
So what are all the kids doing with a belly full of cookies?
BOUNCE HOUSE!
This little dude is learning to breakdance.
This Dudette is practicing to become an astronaut.
No one leaves Michelle’s empty handed. Everyone got to bring home some goodies.
This is one of the best Christmas parties I’ve ever attended. I really loved it that my teenage daughters thought it was cool and wanted to go.
Peace Out.
The Show Must Go On 
I have GOT to get involved in community activities things that involve food…
YUM!!!
I should have worked off some of the calories in that bounce house.
I want to know what was in the snowmen.
Let me deconstruct him as I remember. Starting with the hat. That is a miniature Reeses.
The head is a marshmallow.
The belly is vanilla cake rollied in coconut.
The base is some sort of cookie.
Wow, that looked good!!! A brilliant idea, one that really start the Christmas feeling.
Hope you’re all feeling better.
We are, Liv thanks. Nothing like a cookie party to cure “seasons beatings.”
I like that little snow dog [cat]. Too cute to eat.
That little cat/dog was the first cookie on that plate to disappear.
Ack! You ate It?
No, not me. LOL. I just noticed that once the judging was done and people were allowed to eat the cookies, that cat/dog vanished. It was quick and painless.
Wow — tough job, but somebody had to do it!
There were 18 different types of cookies and I tried every one of them. We didn’t have to taste them all, if there was a cookie we knew we wouldn’t like or had allergies to, we could give it an average score.
I’d never been a food judge before, but man, this would be a fun way to make a living, huh?
As the host of the party….let me just say it is a lot of fun. This year we had 54 people here with more than half of that being kids, hence the bounce house to work out the sugar. This party has GROWN over the years and we all look forward to it every year. Thanks to Kitty for putting it on her blog.
Hey Michelle B, thanks for having us! It’s always great to see you and the gang as well your family.
Well I imagine the girls had to be cool with a cookie party!!! We need taste o web. Those cookies look so darn delicious. Great idea.
Taste o web, LOL.
Those cookies did have my house smelling like a bakery.
In the molasses cookie recipe it says that the Heath bar chips are “optional”…did she use them in her winning recipe? I have a cookie exchange this weekend and would like to make these since everyone found them so tasty! I am Michelle’s husband Reed’s cousin from North Carolina by the way!
Hello Terri. No, she did not use the Heath bar chips. Have fun at your cookie exchange, and thanks for stopping by.
Hey Michelle…
How did this all start, and how are people invited? Do your guests invite other guests, etc….how does it grow to 50-some people? I’d like to start this with some of my friends next year…what do I need to know to do this? Gimme some background history and advice on “how to” when you get a chance! Thanks! Terri : )