Where I live, there are quite a few women who love organizing food hampers for Christmas, and I normally donate bags of various cookies.

I love it when December comes as I get to bake a lot ^_^

Step 1: Minty Malt Cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup ovaltine powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 375° F

Chocolate chip/bar for melting

Crushed minty candies

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.

Beat granulated sugar, Ovaltine and butter in large mixer bowl until combined.

Beat in egg.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Scoop by rounded teaspoon and roll into balls, slightly flat them.

Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until firm around edges.

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Once cookies are cooled, spread melted chocolate on each cookie and sprinkle with crushed mint candies

Step 2: Gingersnap Cookies

1/2 c butter (at room temperature) or margarine or shortening butter flavored

1 c sugar

1/2 c pumpkin pure (from can or homemade)

1 large egg

1/4 c molasses

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 1/3 c flour

2 tsp each Bsoda and cinnamon powder

1 1/2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp clove powder

1/2 tsp salt

Additional sugar, for rolling

Cream butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add in pumpkin, molasses, egg and vanilla essence, until well combined

Combine flour, baking soda, spices (if you don't have cinnamon powder nor clove powder, subs them with allspice powder!) and salt

Add in dry ingredients into butter mixture and mix until combined

Chill dough for an hour

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a sheet with parchment paper

Take about a tbsp of dough, shape into ball and roll in sugar

Place balls into baking sheet (give space) and bake for 10-12 minutes

Let stand for 2-3 mins on the sheet, then transfer to cooling rack

Step 3: Butterscotch and Chocolate Chips Cookies

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp each bSoda and salt

2 eggs

1 c brown sugar, packed

1/2 c sugar

2/3 c plain yogurt (Greek preferably)

2 tsp vanilla essence

1 c chocolate chips

1 c butterscotch chips

Combine dry ingredients, set aside

Beat eggs, brown sugar, regular sugar until smooth then beat in yogurt and vanilla essence

Gradually stir in dry ingredients

Add in chips, mix to combine

Take a tbsp dough and place on lined baking sheet

Bake on preheated 375 F for 8-10 mins

Cool cookies on rack

Step 4: Licorice Cookies

I forgot to take individual picture for the licorice cookies. On this picture, they are the very front cookies.

2/3 c butter or shortening

1 1/2 c sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 tbsp vanilla essence

1 tsp lime juice and 1 tsp grated lime rind

1 tsp almond extract

3 c flour

3 tsp BP

1/2 tsp salt

1 c chopped licorice strings

Cream butter, add sugar, eggs, juice, rind and extract.

Sift dry ingredients and mix all together.

Add in chopped licorice. Drop by a tbsp on greased cookie sheet, flatten a lil with fork, and bake in preheated 400 F for 10-12 mins

Step 5: Decorating the Bags

The hampers usually in a big box mixed with canned foods, dry goods, turkey etc and I normally bag my cookies not just inside cellophane bags with Christmas themed, but also into brown lunch bags.

Sometimes I let my 5 yo write Happy Christmas on the bags or draw as he pleased (as long as nice lol), but the bags on the picture, I drew them (yes, don't laugh, am not artistic haha)

Happy Christmas!