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\n\t<\/picture>\nTaste of Home<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Taste of Home<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Published on<\/strong> Dec. 16, 2024<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Three hundred bakers brought handmade treats to a cookie exchange hosted by Taste of Home<\/em> and Instagram star Kelsey Elizabeth. These six recipes took the cake.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n We\u2019re delighted to announce the winners of the 2024 Cookie Exchange, hosted by Taste of Home<\/em> and Kelsey Elizabeth! Back in October, Ohio bakery owner Kelsey Shepard invited her Instagram followers to join us in Cleveland on December 5. The 300 tickets sold out in three minutes!<\/p>\n On the night of the Cookie Exchange<\/a>, talented bakers from across the Midwest\u2014and even one from Washington State\u2014braved snowy roads to attend the party with their six dozen carefully crafted cookies in tow. Everyone nibbled their way through countless snickerdoodles, spritz, gingerbread, rugelach and more, then filled a box with their favorites to take home.<\/p>\n While guests mingled and munched, judges (aka the hosts) scouted out the tastiest, most beautiful cookies in the bunch. It was clear that every cookie and bar was made with love, making it a difficult job. These are the treats they couldn\u2019t stop thinking about, in no particular order.<\/p>\n These mini meringue nests were crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, just like a pavlova<\/a> should be. The judges were smitten with the adorable little jars of homemade cranberry-orange sauce included in Devin\u2019s interactive display.<\/p>\n Melissa describes herself as a decorator first, but her buttery sugar cookies tasted as divine as they looked. She flooded her cutout Christmas trees<\/a> with royal icing, and scattered edible beads and more icing over the top for a polished design.<\/p>\n For this year\u2019s cookie exchange, Alex was inspired by a latte at Lekko, her favorite local coffee shop (and \u201chappy place\u201d). She infused a classic shortbread recipe<\/a> with maple and rosemary flavors, then piped a big ribbon of espresso buttercream on each cookie.<\/p>\n Tracy started off on the Cookie Exchange waitlist, and we\u2019re so glad a spot opened up for her! Her dark chocolate cookies were based on a family recipe for Texas sheet cake<\/a>. Just like their full-size namesake, Tracy\u2019s moist and chewy cookies were slathered with crackly chocolate icing.<\/p>\n While most cookies at the exchange were round, Lance\u2019s initially stood out to judges because they were cigar-shaped. The tender, flaky cookies were filled with walnuts, making a wonderful combination of textures.<\/p>\n Elizabeth elevated a classic oatmeal cookie recipe by browning the butter<\/a>. The result: a rich, nutty flavor. Her iced cookies were some of the biggest at the exchange, but judges ate every crumb.<\/p>\n A giant congratulations to all the winners!<\/p>\n \t<\/main>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/picture>\nNow Trending<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
Recipes The Top Cookies<\/h2>\n
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Taste of Home<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nMini Cranberry Pavlovas<\/h3>\n
Baked by Devin Trout from Lorain, Ohio<\/h4>\n
Decorated Sugar Cookie Cutouts<\/h3>\n
Baked by Melissa Falk from Avon, Ohio<\/h4>\n
An Ode to Lekko Shortbread Cookies<\/h3>\n
Baked by Alex Welch from Euclid, Ohio<\/h4>\n
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Taste of Home<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTexas Sheet Cake Cookies<\/h3>\n
Baked by Tracy Pesho from North Royalton, Ohio<\/h4>\n
Hungarian Nut Roll Cookies<\/h3>\n
Baked by Lance Jendrusik from Lorain, Ohio<\/h4>\n
Iced Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies<\/h3>\n
Baked by Elizabeth Tittle from Cleveland, Ohio<\/h4>\n
Cookie Exchange 101<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n