Disclosure: I received compensation and the products below in exchange for sharing this information and my honest opinions.
Did you know that more than 16 million U.S. children currently live in poverty and may not receive any toys this holiday season? I know I had no clue the number was that high, but really not even one child should go without a Christmas present. Well this year Betty Crocker has teamed up with Toys for Tots by doing what they do best – bake! You may wonder how baking is going to get Christmas presents in the hands of kids but it is really quite simple. Betty Crocker is encouraging people to host cookie exchanges and along with those cookies for people to bring a toy for Toys for Tots! I think that is an awesome idea! Then the cookie exchange host can run all the presents to their local Toys for Tots donation center or collect money to send to them. (In case your wondering, yes all the money sent does go to buy presents.)
Betty Crocker is giving $50,000 to help Toys for Tots deliver more than 3,500 toys to families in need (which comes out to be two $20 value toys per child for more than 2,000 children.) So if you take into account Betty Crocker’s donation plus everything received at the cookie exchanges, there will be a lot more smiles on Christmas day.
This year I made up three different kinds and headed to my moms house for a Cookie Exchange. There were a few hiccups but everyone had a great time and hopefully some new cookie recipes will be shared. Next year I hope to include more people and communicate better about bringing a toy for Toys for Tots. I really think that is a great idea and who could say no to bringing a small toy to a Cookie Exchange Party!
Need help to host your own Cookie Exchange? Betty Crocker is actually sending the first 1,000 hosts a special cookie making kit including a Toys for Tots train-shaped cookie cutter! After you sign up you’ll receive a special e-invitation you can use to send to your own guests to invite to your Cookie Exchange! Even if your not one of the first 1,000 though there are some great resources on Betty Crocker such as decorating ideas and printables as well as recipes of course!
Here are some pictures from my Cookie Exchange. I think the best part though was honestly when I was at home making cookies for the cookie exchange with my family. My kids are young still and don’t quite grasp the concept yet but I was explaining to them how so many kids their age won’t be getting any presents this year from Santa and how important it is to give to others. I am trying to instill in them about helping others while they are young so they can grow up believing it is just the right thing to do!
First off I want to say how amazing this Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix is, from this one bag you can make so many different varieties of cookies that its amazing! I ended up not being able to use it because it contains egg and my youngest son has an egg allergy but I have tried these cookies before and they melt in your mouth! I ended up using ingredients from scratch which of course took longer and was messier in my kitchen!
DONATE: You can donate to Toys for Toys online, via cash and checks to send in, or find a local Toys for Tots drop-off location.
VISIT: Sign up to host your own Betty Crocker Cookie Exchange to make a difference!
WIN IT: (1) US winner will receive their own Betty Crocker Cookie Exchange Kit
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Giveaway Ends December 27, 2013.
julie cutshaw says
my favorite holiday cookie would be peanut butter kiss cookies thanks
Heather B says
I love snickerdoodles!
Melanie C says
My favorite holiday cookies are simple butter spritz cookies.
Ryan Harris says
Mmm gingerbread,
Breanne says
I like sugar cookies
Trisha McKee says
Sugar cookies are my favorite holiday cookie- they are so much fun to decorate!
trixx says
My favorite are Gingerbread cookies!
Beverly Metcalf says
It looks like the children had fun decorating and eating those cookies. My favorite Christmas cookie is the decorated sugar ones. Thanks for having this contest.
Calli says
I love chocolate chip cookies!
Karen says
The Peanut Butter Thumb cookies with the Hershey Kisses in them.
Nicole C. says
My favorite are gingerbread cookies!
Carrie Phelps says
I love chocolate cake cookies, my daughter made me a big plate of them for Christmas.
Candie L says
I love peanut butter (any kind). Thank you
Laura says
I love to make apple butter cookies from fresh apple butter canned in the fall!
Vikki Billings says
My favorite is Sugar cookies!
laurie says
I love sugar cookies with sprinkles
Robin Abrams says
Frosted Sugar cookies are my favorite.
abedabun dawn says
My favorite holiday cookie? I love the basic sugar cookies.
Athena S says
I like pumpkin cookies with walnuts
Jan Hall says
The best holiday cookies are decorated sugar cookies.
Tanya Holland says
I love sugar cookies and gingerbread man cookies.
Francine Anchondo says
Sugar cookies
Jessica Kaufman says
sugar cookies with frosting are my favorite holiday cookie
Teresa Thompson says
No bake cookies.
Brett says
I love my wife’s ginger cookies
melina r says
My favorite holiday cookies are the butter cookies that come in a metal tin.
susan smoaks says
Sugar cookies are my favorite holiday cookies, i like them with frosting on them.
e michelle says
i love just making cookies with the kids! my fav is the choco and mint yummy!
Sherry Conrad says
I love snowballs- making them and eating them.
Kathleen S. says
Thumbprint cookies are my fave!
kelly willis says
i love homemade peanut butter cookies
Erica C. says
Chocolate chip for me!
kelley roach says
’m a sugar cookie fan.
Karrie Millheim says
I love sugar cookies
Gale McCarron says
My Daughter just made these adorable reindeer sugar cookies with dipped chocolate pretzels on them for antlers. So cute, and delicious too!
Rebecca Lock says
chocolate caramel thumbprints are my daughter’s favorite cookie
Lisa P. says
I like chocolate chip cookies
Misha Estrada says
I like chocolate chip cookies.
tina reynolds says
I love snickerdoodles
Lisa L says
My fave are Linzer Cookies
dawn k says
old fashioned cut out cookies are my favorite.
Rebecca Peters says
I am a chocolate chip cookie fan
Gayle S says
The cookie I look forward to at the holidays is Snickerdoodles.
Tara O. says
Anything with peanut butter in it is my favorite.
Susan Smith says
I enjoy sugar cookies during Christmas.
Paula Tavernie says
My favorite Holiday cookie is Gingerbread Cookies!!
Tim Bowers says
My fav holiday cookie? Snickerdoodles!
Peggy Rydzewski says
We like thumbprint cookies.
Jennifer Reed says
My favorite holiday cookie is iced sugar cookies.
april yedinak says
My favorite Christmas cookie is my aunt’s recipe for Italian Chocolate Christmas Balls.
Nicole Newby says
I love no-bake peanut butter & chocolate cookies! My Auntie makes the most delicious ones! (And I ate all of them at the family Christmas party yesterday, shhh)
Laura @ Frugal Follies says
I love triple chocolate chip cookies! Thanks for the great giveaway!
Andrina G says
I love frosted sugar cookies!
Sarah Cass says
Well my favorite holiday cookies are my own cutouts…the recipe is on my blog and pinterest…the best ever cutouts of course 😀
terry maigi says
I love sugar cookies!!
Paula Michele Hafner says
I love iced sugar cookies the best.
Laur a DeLuca says
I live peanut butter cookies
Terra Heck says
My favorite are peanut butter cookies with a Hershey’s kiss in the middle. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Tamar says
I like sugar cookies.
Jennifer T. says
I love gingerbread men.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
Desiree Dunbar says
I love Peanut Butter Blossoms!!
Natalie yeoman says
Mine is sugar cookies
Cori Westphal says
I think it’s not Christmas without Spritz cookies! And Russian Tea Cakes! Yum!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Jim Weaver says
My favorite holiday cookie is Peanut Butter Blossoms.
Brittney House says
I love sugar cookies.
Megan Cromes says
i love sugar cookies!
molly says
I love peanut butter blossoms.
denise says
I like the spritz cookies.
Claire Rheinheimer says
My favorite holiday cookie would be a perfectly decorated sugar cookie. Unfortunately I have yet to make a good sugar cookie, but my snickerdoodles are awesome!
Mary Anderson says
My favorite cookie is chocolate chip with icing.
melissaandkeith miller says
no bake cookies
Anthony says
Sugar cookies are my favorite
jennifer cervantes says
gingerbread cookies are my favorite!
sylvia says
I love mincemeat cookies
kristy thiel says
I love frosted sugar cookies!
Brynn says
I love Gingerbread cookies! They are my favorite Christmas tradition!
Jennifer Dunaway says
I love oatmeal raisin.
Monique Rizzo says
Peanut butter blossoms.
Thanks for the chance.
[email protected]
Stacy says
I love to make simple vegan sugar cookies and top them with holiday sprinkles. I brought two dozen into work the other day and they were all gone within the hour!
gail says
I love the sugar cookie! :]
Ingrid Jackson says
I enjoy sugar cookies during Christmas.
melody y says
Peppermint sugar cookies!
Gianna says
Soft sugar cookies.
Gina H. says
Peppermint sugar cookies
Pam O says
My favorite is gingerbread men
Dawn H says
Frosted sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, no bake cookies, too many favorites!!
jennifer wexler says
i love peanut butter blossoms
Vicky D says
I like decorated sugar cookies.
janetfaye says
I like butter cookies.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Sara S says
Chocolate chip- always my favorite!
Kitty Iecvan says
My favorite is dark chocolate chip cookies!
kim says
My favorite cookie is a Italian cookie we make called todalls
Marilyn Nawara says
No-bakes Chocolate, Oatmeal & Peanut butter. Also love the peanut blossoms
Jessica Jones says
chocolate chip and sugar. YUM!
Mandala says
Sugar cookies are my favorite. Thanks!
Jenny says
I like molasses and sugar cookies
Michele L. says
I love iced cutout sugar cookies. When I was a kid, I used to spend the night with my aunt and uncle right before Christmas and we’d bake them. Great memories
Shanda Enriquez says
I love snicker-doodles!
robyn donnelly says
There isn’t a cookie out there that I don’t like I think.
Merry says
I love chocolate crinkles
heather baker says
I love chocolate mint cookies, honestly I love all cookies.
Mi Webber says
Gingersnaps.
Jamie Brigham says
I love Snickerdoodle cookies.
Helga says
I like gingerbread cookies.
Amy Z. says
Gingerbread cookies are my favorite!
Irene C. says
My favorite cookies are peanut blossoms – yum!
Glenna F says
I like ginger snaps.
lissa crane says
My favorite holiday cookie to eat and to make is Italian Wedding Bell cookies! Had them ever since I was a child and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without them!
Sherri J says
Sugar cookies
Seyma Shabbir says
I love sugar cookies!
Vanessa says
I like snickerdoodles.
Katie Bellamy says
I love frosted sugar cookies!
Denise Davis says
My favorite is the classic chocolate chip.
beth shepherd says
sugar is my fave
Danalee Davis says
I like lemon sugar cookies with buttercream frosting!
Alisha Kostiuk says
I love gingerbread cookies.
annmarie says
baking cookies is one of my fav holiday traditions!
Katie O. says
I love no-bake cookies the most. My grandma made them every Christmas and I miss them!
Allie says
Love classic chocolate chip cookies!
Kyl Neusch says
gingerbread
Ani says
I like mint chocolate cookies for the holidays.
Shanon Meigel says
I love <3 peanut no bakes
Priscilla Benavides says
I love sugar cookies because they are fun to decorate!
priscillabenavides at yahoo dotcom
JenniferB says
I love cranberry pistachio biscotti
Miranda says
peanut butter cookies with hersheys kisses on top
Lesley F says
I love spritz cookies
ELIZABETH C. says
Sugar cookies are my favorite.
Anna-Leigh McClelland says
My Grandma’s snowball cookies, they have pecans and candied cherries inside…yummy!
sandra says
iced sugar cookies
Nicole Lancaster says
My favorite holiday cookies are Snicker doodles.
Allie says
I like chocolate chip
Candice H. says
I love peanut butter cookies!
Tari Lawson says
I love pecan balls.
Sara says
My favorite cookie is chocolate chip with caramel inside.
Becca says
I love chocolate crinkle cookies!
Julie B. says
I love gingerbread cookies!
Katrina J says
At Christmastime I’m all about the sugar cookies!
Denise welch says
Gingerbread
Darlene Carbajal says
I love gingerbread cookies!
April M says
Pecan sandies/snowballs are my favorite.
Melissa Moore says
I love sugar cookies decorated as Christmas trees
Kelly Nicholson says
Leave a blog post on your favorite holiday cookie!
i like sprinkled sugar cookies the best
Virginia Rowell says
My favorite holiday cookis is Reese’s Peanut Butter kisses. So yummy.
Barrie says
Russian tea cakes have always been my favorite Christmas cookie!
Cathy French says
my favorite holiday cookie is a sugar cookie with icing
Kathy Davis says
My favorite holiday cookie is the iced sugar cookie. Love to bake them, love to eat them.
Amanda Kinder says
I love both sugar and gingerbread cookies!
Sue Ellison says
I love Snickerdoodles!
Lisa Weidknecht says
7 Layer Cookies are my favorite
KV says
I like sugar cookies.
Kristi C says
My favorite are Snickerdoodles.
Darlene Sullins says
Would rum balls count as a cookie? ^^; If not, than good old chocolate chip cookies! 😀
Melanie Montgomery says
M&M Cookies with festive M&MS.
Allison Downes says
I love gingerbread cookies!
Thank you for the great giveaway!
Just Another Modest Mom says
Love Gingerbread!!
Kimberly Schotz says
I like Frosted Sugar Cookies
Sacha Schroeder says
I love the peanut butter kiss cookies!
kim burnett says
I love peanut butter blossoms!
Alexis K. says
I love spritz cookies!
Jen says
gingerbread men 🙂
Jan Lee says
I don’t know what they are called but I like the cookie that is a round ball with nuts, and rolled in powdered sugar 🙂
Debra Hall says
my favorite is the thumb print cookie
Cindy Merrill says
My favorite Holiday cookie is Soft Molasses cookies!
Marj M. says
My favorite holiday cookie is the Sugar Cookie.
Debra F says
I love Russian Tea Cookies. It is the first recipe I make at Christmas time.
Patti Hess says
My favorite holiday cookie is Snickerdoodles
pattifritz2000 at yahoo dot com
thank you
Melissa says
chocolate chip is my all time favorite
Natalie U says
Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting
Patricia Wojnar Crowley says
I love sugar cookie cut outs with homemade buttercream icing!
Sheryl says
My favorite are Glazed Lemon Hearts.
Jackie says
I like spritz cookies.
Thank you!
melikegarfield says
I’m a fan of sugar cookie with xmas color toppings!
Trisha Burgess says
I love snicker doodles!!
cheryl s says
my fave cookie is chocolate chips – yummm
Rosemarie says
I love making cookies!
Dana Rodriguez says
I love holiday sugar cookies
DEBIJOT says
My favorite cookies to bake are the Mexican Wedding Cookies.
Tiffany Dustin says
I love sugar cookies!
carly l says
My favorite christmas cookie is the buckeye and peppermint bark.
Patricia says
Snickerdoodles are my favorite.
Melissa M says
I love oatmeal no bake cookies
Jennifer Rote says
I’m a sugar cookie fan.
D SCHMIDT says
My favorite holiday cookie is Snickerdoodle
Vera S says
I like Sugar Cookies for the holidays.
Emilie Proctor says
My favorite holiday cookie is chocolate chip cookies!!
Amy W. says
I like Pecan Tarts.
Em Ma says
My favorite holiday cookies are the plain cut-out cookies with frosting and sprinkles. Spritz cookies are another favorite.
Candice says
I love sugar cookies with frosting.
Jammie says
I love peanut butter kisses, simple to make and taste so yummy,
Maralea says
I love old fashioned sugar cookies!
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
I love to sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles made in Christmas shapes of course.
Cheryl F. says
My favorite are snowballs.
Marti Tabora says
My favorite holiday cookies are definitely frosted sugar cookies. I love them. Thank you.