The Cookie (Flop) Exchange

For some reason I have lost my baking abilities. Not sure how, or why or where they went to, but they're gone. Maybe it's the pressure of the cookie exchange party. I don't know. I do know that two years in a row now, this is what happens the first batch or two....or three...

Here is example one:



Snickerdoodles gone terribly wrong


And here is example two:



Butter Cookies gone smooshed and *slimy*

You see? At least this year was better than last year. Last year, the first three batches of snickerdoodles were, well, just like the first picture above. I had to completely re-do the whole thing and start over. It. took. forever. I was supposed to show up to the "cookie exchange" by 7pm. That's when it started. I finally arrived there at 7:30, being that I had pulled the last batch out right at 7. Yeah, fun.

This year, the first batch looked like the picture above with the smooshed stars. At least I quickly realized I had forgotten to add the rest of the flour and it was quickly remedied. Although, my son saw them in the oven and said, "mom? they look kinda slimy!". Gee, thanks kiddo. I assured him it was just the butter melting all over the cookie sheet because I forgot the rest of the flour. The *slimy-ness* apparently didn't deter him from eating the smooshed and ultra buttery stars, since I caught him snitching a few "to taste test".

I am not sure why I put myself through this. I'm not even a major cookie person. Why do I go to cookie exchanges? I have no answer, other than that I enjoy the good company. And, there are some seriously good cookies that even I, the not so much on cookies person, does enjoy. And I even get the recipe for it! Although I have yet to make cookies from the recipes, but I sure do have some good ones when the occasion ever arises!


Anyone else have this kinda trouble with cookies? Or any other type of baking/cooking disaster that's happened to them this time of year?