cookie calendar - day 21: almond crescent cookies

Amanda is awesome. I can't remember how we first connected, but we did and she is like a burst of energy whenever we're talking online. She has a lot of varied interests and her blog is always lots of fun, offering some great ideas and inspiration on food, beauty and fashion!

This is also Amanda's second year taking part in the Cookie Advent Calendar! Last year she introduced us to spiced butter shortbread bites and I'm happy to have her back with us again.

You can connect with Amanda by visiting:
Website: www.heartlessgirl.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartlessgirlblog
Twitter: @hrtlesgirl

cookie calendar - day 20: minty dark chocolate crinkle cookies

As you'll read in her introduction, Steph and I have bonded through our shared names, love of food, and many eerie similarities that we are still discovering every time we chat.

This is Steph's second time taking part in my Cookie Advent Calendar and I'm so glad she was able to make it! I'm not a super-huge fan of chocolate and mint but Paul is so I'm definitely going to be whipping up a batch of these crinkle cookies soon!

cookie calendar - day 19: deviant rosemary cornmeal cookies with raspberry jelly

I am so excited to be able to include Beth in this year's Cookie Advent Calendar! Not only is Beth the Senior Test Kitchen Manager at Wilton (whose decorating tools, especially the frosting tips, I swear by!), but she is also a past winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars!

We only recently "met" on Twitter, but she's definitely (for obvious reasons) someone I hope to learn a lot of baking tips from to help me on my way to becoming a better baker!

cookie calendar - day 18: chocolate, orange and cranberry cookies

Another brilliant blogger suggestion by Stuart (@MrCakeyBoi), Ros is an extremely talented baker who was so enthusiastic about being invited to take part in the Cookie Advent Calendar that I'm disappointed I haven't discovered her blog sooner!

One of the fun things about Ros is that she's always up for a baking challenge - check out her blog to see her results. It takes a certain amount of creativity to constantly come up with answers to these challenges, and Ros never seems to run out of ideas.

cookie calendar - day 17: oolong tea cookies

Linda is another blogger friend with an exceptionally beautiful blog. If you've never visited her at The Urban Mrs, you definitely need to get over there as soon as posslble!

This is also Linda's second year taking part in the Cookie Advent Calendar (you can check out her delicious Cranberry Lime Shortbread Cookies here).

I was really excited when Linda submitted this recipe. I'm a huge tea fan and have been trying to incorporate it more into my baking and cooking (ie. Earl Grey cupcakes, green tea ice cream) but I've never used Oolong tea as an ingredient, so I'm definitely going to be trying this recipe!

Besides her blog, you can also connect with Linda by visiting:
Facebook: The Urban Mrs
Twitter: @TheUrbanMrs

cookie calendar - day 16: whipped shortbread

When I was first introduced to Elizabeth, I was a little nervous about asking her to take part in my Cookie Advent Calendar. Not because she's not amazingly friendly (she is) but because her blog is BEAUTIFUL. Like, professional and stunning and everything I aspire for kitchen frolic to be. I'm always nervous about asking these great bloggers to guest post on my little blog.

But, I had nothing to worry about. Elizabeth is, besides being super-talented, also amazingly sweet and friendly. Having grown up in Eastern Canada, she now lives over in Britain. I not only love her recipe for whipped shortbread, but also the story behind it.

cookie calendar - day 15: brown sugar shortbread

Laura's adorable blog, I'd Much Rather Bake Than, is full of fun, beautiful baking ideas and everyone know how much I love to bake! LOL.

Seriously though, I love her recipe for brown sugar shortbread. I love the taste brown sugar adds to any baked good, but have never tried putting it into shortbread, so I can't wait to give this recipe a go!