Raspberry Thumbprints for my first #SundaySupper!

Admittedly, the holidays make me a little emotional. When I hear Perry Como sing “There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays,” I can’t help but get a tad bit weepy. Ever since moving to Pennsylvania, I’ve had a tough time not feeling left out in December because I’m four hours from home and can’t always partake in my family’s traditions. If I do get to particpate in things like decorating the tree, it has to be done before I leave for Philly the day after Thanksgiving or as soon as I get back to CT a few days before Christmas. I don’t have the luxury of taking a ton of time off, so holiday traditions seem to be a little rushed.

One of the hardest traditions to be without was baking cookies with my mom. Though my sister, mom and I bake Hungarian cookies together every year, because they’re so time consuming, we don’t bake nearly as many other varieties as we did when I lived closer. This year as I set out to bake Christmas cookies to send to friends, I called my mom to tell her how baking them without her just wasn’t the same.

Luckily for me, I found the #SundaySupper community, where each week the members cook or bake around a specific theme and gather Around the Family Table via Twitter chat on Sunday nights at 7pm. I had seen my friend Carla posting and tweeting about them for a while, but hadn’t thought to reach out until recently. I fell in at the perfect time. As I stood alone in front of a flour-dusted butcher block, I knew it was time to get involved. Isabel began #SundaySupper as a way to bring families back to the table after her own daughter went off to college and said that, being away from home, she would miss family dinners most. For me, joining this group of talented and supportive bloggers made me feel like I was back in my mom’s kitchen baking along side her. And this was the perfect week to join, as #SundaySupper was participating in a Virtual Cookie Swap. I’m glad to be a part of this amazing community and happy that I can share one of my family’s favorite holiday cookie recipes with you this week!

Make sure you check out all of the other cookies from the other #SundaySupper Ultimate Cookie Exchange participants. After reading this list, something tells me Santa is going to have a good Christmas Eve this year and I’m going to need to buy a gallon of milk!

• Turtle Thumbprint Cookies by Cravings of a Lunatic 
• #glutenfree Almond Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Cooking Underwriter
• Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies by The Foodie Army Wife
• M & M Cookies by Damn Delicious 
• Snowball Cookies by Small Wallet Big Appetite 
• Mocha Thumbprint Cookies by The Meltaways
• Cardamom-Walnut Cookies by Home Cooking Memories 
• Polish Chrusciki (Bow Ties) by Comfy Cuisine 
• Cherry Blossom Cookies by Flour on my Face
• Rosettes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake 
• Millionaire’s Shortbread by Gotta Get Baked 
• Double-the-Mint Chocolate Kiss Cookies by The Weekend Gourmet 
• Whole Wheat Cereal Cookies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings 
• Chocolate Dipped Potato Chip Shortbread Cookies by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen 
• Scories De Vulcan | Lava Stones Cookies by The Daily Dish Recipes
• Zimtsterne {Cinamon Stars} #Dairyfree by Galactosemia in PDX
• S’mores Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Book and Cooks
• Chocolate Whoppers by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Ricotta Cookies with White Chocolate Glaze Country Girl in the Village
• Turtles by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts 
• Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies! by I Run For Wine
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Toffee Cookies by The Urban Mrs.
• Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles 
• Amaretto Almond Biscotti by Noshing With The Nolands
• Mexican Chocolate Cookies by Generation Y Foodie 
• Double Chocolate Peppermin Biscotti by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Ice Cream Kolaczki by Cookistry
• Amoniaczki by What Smells So Good?
• Fruit and Nut Ice Box Cookies by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Ginger Bourbon Balls by girlichef
• Candy Cane Blossom Cookies by Mommas Meals 
• Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies by Lovely Pantry
• Ninja Bread Men by Diabetic Foodie 
• Peppermint Sugar Cookies by In The Kitchen With KP
• Christmas Crunchies by Magnolia Days
• Cream Cheese Swirled Red Velvet Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Double Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies and Tips on Mailing Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
• Congo Bars by Supper for a Steal 
• Mint Surprise Cookies by The Cookie A Day Challenge
• Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies by Midlife Road Trip
• Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars by Shockingly Delicious
• Oreo Cheesecake Cookies by Baker Street 
• Biscoff Pillow Cookies by by The Messy Baker Blog
• Mexican Hot Cocoa Cookies by Juanita’s Cocina
• Raspberry Thumbprints for my first #SundaySupper!  by Kelly Bakes 
• Tea Biscuits by My Cute Bride
• Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies by Mama Mommy Mom 
• Lebanese Butter Cookies for the Christmas Season by The Catholic Foodie
• Almond Joy Macaroons by Cupcakes and Kale Chips 
• Gluten Free Coconut Fruit Nut Cookies by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz 
• Snowball Surprise Cookies by Family Foodie

Be sure to check out Cookielicious by Food Editor Janet K. Keeler from The Tampa Bay Times now while there is a special… Buy One Cookielicious Cookbook and get one for a friend!

Do you have a favorite cookie to take to a Cookie Exchange? Please join us on Twitter throughout the day for #SundaySupper. In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our #SundaySupper Ultimate Cookie Exchange live chat.  All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat (I’m learning so much from this group already!).  We’d also love to feature your recipes for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board, and share them with all of our followers!