Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Last Day Of The Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Blog Hop

What a week it has been! My brain has been filled with so many amazing ideas to sew and bake...great way to start the Christmas holidays! Please take the time to visit each blog and leave a comment. It's always a joy to hear from other quilters.


It's my day to share a project along with some incredibly gifted quilters. 
I had a ton of fun creating "Decorating for Christmas."


The Nutcracker


The presents


The bird and star for the tree


A mischievous hand decorating the tree


Decorated homes


Fabrics: Riley Blake Designs "Painter's Watercolor Swirl" by J. Wecker Frisch


You can find "Decorating for Christmas in my Etsy Store HERE.


When we moved into this house, we were excited to have a Meyers lemon tree in our backyard. It was loaded with lemons the first year, but no thanks to a big windstorm, there are fewer this year. There was still enough to make some Lemon Snowball Cookies!


Lemon Snowball Cookies

1 cup butter at room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
*1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 3 teaspoons lemon zest (for rolling the cookies in)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set the aside.
Mix the butter until creamy.
 Mix in 2/3 cup of the powdered sugar. 
Mix in lemon juice, lemon extract, and 3 teaspoons lemon zest. 
Gradually add in flour/cornstarch/salt mixture and mix just until combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough into tablespoon sized balls. 
Place balls on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2-inches apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. 
Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool.
Roll them in the mixed 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 3 Tablespoons lemon zest.
Place on wire rack to cool. 
Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar again, generously coating the snowballs. 
Store cookies in an airtight container.

More of this year's stitching of Christmas projects...

Santa and His Dog
Free pattern HERE


Wreath of Joy
Free pattern HERE


Treats for Santa mug rug
Free pattern HERE


It's such a pleasure to blog hop with all of these quilters...check them out!

December 6

There's a Pinterest page for this year's Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange HERE.

There's a giveaway, too!
I love the Quilt Taffy store and one winner will get $20 to shop there...fun!



Christmas 1956...can you guess which one is me?


Thank you for stopping by!
Merry Christmas!

38 comments:

  1. Where to start, I love lemon flavoured cookies and the snowballs looks yummy! The wreath of Joy is so pretty! Thank You! And a huge thanks for running another very successful blog hop!

    ReplyDelete
  2. All of your projects are amazing, Carol! I love the Wreath of Joy--I think that's my favorite, if I were to pick one... The lemon cookies look and sound amazing. I think I'm going to have to make those. Thanks for sharing and for hosting this hop.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your lemon snowball cookies sound amazing! Can’t wait to make some for Christmas 🎄

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a beautiful parade of projects! I love all your quilts and the mug rug. I wish my Mom was still around for me to make her those lemon cookies, but I love lemon too. I miss our Meyer lemon tree - they are SO good aren't they!
    I just downloaded your Decorating for Christmas pattern! You had me at the "mischievous hand" - lol! I've not made an applique quilt in years, but I have you "nearby" in Blogland to help me if I get stuck, right?
    Wonderful post, Carol, and thank you for letting me participate - it was so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, and I'm not sure, but are you the little one in the photo?

    ReplyDelete
  6. All your Christmas makes are wonderful! Your lemon snowball cookies sound so delicious. Thank you for hosting another wonderful blog hop! I have added several cookies to my baking list this year.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my goodness, "Decorating for Christmas" is so awesome. I love those fabulous watercolor fabrics, but even better is all the favorites in the quilt. Even the Grinch hand! LOL I love snowball cookies, and lemon bars, so I am definitely going to have to give your lemon snowball cookies a try. They sound incredible. Thanks for hosting this fun hop, once again. It really is the start of my holiday season.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love all your Christmas projects! Those lemon yummy delights would be gone in a few minutes if I could eat those (but I cannot eat baked goods anymore, which is one reason I didn't participate in this hop). I love lemon, but my daughter is even more of a lemon fanatic. I am going to guess you were the youngest in the photo with your sisters?

    ReplyDelete
  9. All of your projects are so festive, Carol! Those lemon cookies look so good, I may have to add them to my list of ones to make. Your photo reminds me of one I have tucked away of me and my cousins with our dolls in front of the tree - fun memories! Thanks for hosting yet another fun Hop!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful quilts! I love lemon cookies. No lemon trees in my backyard, snow today! Thanks for the recipe and for hosting this yummy blog hop ... <3 Pat

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those cookies sound amazing and I LOVE the nutcracker!! What a great quilt - as are they all, Carol!

    ReplyDelete
  12. love lemon and these cookies looks delicious - Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your lemon cookies look yummy. Thanks for the freebies. I had to buy the nutcracker one, because I have a thing for nutcrackers. Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your projects are all so cute and the cookies sound amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Those cookies sound amazing. I like lemon and my husband doesn't so I can see making a batch and freezing some for treats for me, and only me. :)

    Those quilts are fun. Thankyou for sharing the patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think the tallest girl is you. Love all of your projects, plus the Lemon cookies. They look so yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Mmmmmm!!! I love all things Lemon! Thanks for all the great patterns too!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love the taste of lemons, and thank you for the downloads. I have been on a mug rug craze lately so will be making yours next.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love your nutcracker quilt. Alway have lemons in the house. They sound delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love the pictures of the sisters - youngest? Thank you for recipe and cute santa mug rug!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Carol! Wonderful Christmas wall hanging! I just love the birdie with the star, and even more, that adorable trio of houses. The whole thing is just FAB. Meyers lemons in your BACKYARD!!! How cool is that?!! Thanks so much for gathering all of the great ideas on one Pinterest page. That is awesome! On that picture from 1956. You have to be the youngest. Look at the real tinsel on the tree!! We used to have a real tree with some of that tinsel, too. I wish I had kept some of it. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh lemon cookies! Yum! Cute quilt as always, and thanks for hosting an awesome blog hop once again! You are awesome. Of course you are the youngest, in that pic, and such pretty ladies.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hmmm, the one in the middle? Another great end to the best blog hop of the year. Thank you so very much. Gonna have to try these cookies, and not just the online version. I love your nutcracker and the grinch pinch. Fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  24. The details in your quilt are amazing. I can see you had fun making a colorful and festive finish. My brother has a meyer lemon tree...lucky guy!! I will gladly try this recipe next time I'm in L.A. where he lives. Of course, I may just have to try it here with regular lemons as well. I love your blog hops, your blog posts and all the inspiration and good fun you bring. The photo of you little girls with dolls...just too precious for words! I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks for sharing these Christmas projects and the lemon cookie recipe. Cute vintage photo. Are you the youngest?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Meyer lemons are such a treat to bake with! Thanks for sharing such great projects along with that yummy recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I can't wait to open my box of lemon cookies, when will they arrive? lol They look so tasty. How fun to have your own lemon tree.
    Your newest quilt is adorable and has so many fun details. Love the hand decorating the tree!

    ReplyDelete
  28. All your projects are amazing, I especially love the Santa mug rug and also the decorated houses in the first quilt. What a great idea without having too much detail.

    Lemon cookies/cake are my son's favourite, I'll show him the recipe when he comes home and see if I can get him to make a batch.

    Thank you so much for organizing my favourite blog hop again, Carol. Always so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Carol your Decorating for Christmas is just the sweetest little quilt. You must have had so much fun designing and making it. Who doesn’t love a Nutcracker. Thank you for sharing the lemon snowball recipe. Anything lemon is my favourite. You must be the littlest girl in the photo. This just has to be my favourite hop of the year! ⛄️

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks for hosting another wonderful Blog Hop, Carol!! Thanks for offering a giveaway, too! Best of luck to all who enter.

    ReplyDelete
  31. That is special to have your own lemon tree. Glad you were able to get some lemons and I look forward to making some lemon snowball cookies. Thanks for all you share. Very cute patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  32. That quilt is darling. So much great detail! The cookies sound delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Thank you once again for hosting this hop Carla! I love the quilt you made, so many fun things happening on it! The cookies sound yummy! I hope to plant a lemon tree here soon, there is nothing like getting a fresh lemon off the tree! xx

    ReplyDelete
  34. I love anything with lemon. Thanks so much for that cookie recipe. I think I will be trying these this year. Thanks also for all those great quilt patterns and the giveaway. I love the Christmas photo.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love any treat that's lemon-flavored. Thank you for sharing, and for so many gorgeous quilt patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Carol. I am late to the party, but I have enjoyed my visit. We just might give the lemon cookie recipe a roll. It's always fun to try something new. And thank you for the sweet patterns. The first up for me will be Santa and his dog. Have a wonderful Christmas.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are always appreciated!

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange 2024

It's time for the yearly Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange! This is always such a fun one so I'm glad it's the one that ends my ...