I thought it was about time I jumped on the surprise-inside cookie bandwagon. Sandra Denneler is the original creator of that fantastic pinata cookie idea (and so many more, for that matter)! Though Sandra contributes to a couple of popular sites, HERE is her home blog. My stocking cookies are part of a Christmas Cookie Exchange, organized by Liz of Hoosier Homemade. I appreciate all of her hard work! 
The Cookie exchange features 17 cookie recipes from 17 bloggers! Links and photo collage are at the end of this post.
When the stocking cookies came out of the oven (before I bake the cookies, I place them, while on the baking sheet, in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to help them keep their shape), I used a small, sharp knife and cut out the treat cavities while the cookies were still warm. If you cut the opening beforehand, it may close up too much while baking, though I haven’t tried it that way yet.
Christmas stockings seemed like the obvious choice for the surprise-inside cookies since they actually do have treats inside. 🙂
I tinted the SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH (with “super red” AmeriColor gel paste) so that they’d be uniform, with the added bonus of coming together pretty quickly without royal icing drying time. 
Add red (or whatever matches, in case it shows) royal icing to the middle cookie and line it up on the bottom cookie, and gently press it on top.
If you make these cookies, keep in mind that they’re a 3-in-1, so you probably don’t want to use a large cookie cutter. Besides, there’s also treats to be had inside the stocking. 🙂
This is what it looks like after that last step. Next is the fun part…
Fill the cookie with tiny treats!
I used mini m&m candies, and threw in some Christmas sprinkles (candy canes and ginger men) for a festive appeal.
Next, add royal icing around the inner edge of the middle cookie and place the last cookie on top.
Add the white trim with royal icing. When it dries completely, use a food marker to personalize the stockings by adding the names. As you can see, I also added holly berry and leaf sprinkles. (If you’d prefer, the details can be added to the top cookie before it is adhered to the middle one.)
These would make great classroom treats or as place markers for Christmas dinner.
Of course, you can modify these cookies for any other holiday being celebrated.
HAVE FUN and enjoy the rest of the cookies!
Thanks again, Liz!
Caramel Filled Chewy Ginger Cookies from 365 Days of Slow Cooking
Italian Anisette Cookies from A Family Feast
Cranberry Orange Nut Cookies from Apron Strings
Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Stuffed Cookies from Barbara Bakes
Soft Pumpkin Cookies + Pumpkin Spice Kisses from Bless this Mess
Soft Maple Sugar Cookies from Crumbs and Chaos
Graham Cracker Log from Hoosier Homemade
Rugelach Bars from Let’s Dish
Pepper Jelly Cornmeal Thumbprints from Letty’s Kitchen
Christmas Cookie Exchange from Love from the Oven
Linzer Cookies from Mandy’s Recipe Box
Surprise-inside Christmas Stocking from Munchkin Munchies
Chocolate M&M Cookies from Oh, Sweet Basil
White Chocolate Pecan Snowball Cookies from Rose Bakes
Chocolate Toffee Cranberry Cookies from Taste and Tell
White Chocolate Cherry Almond Bars from Your Homebased Mom
Spiced Eggnog Cookies from Will Cook for Smiles © 2014 Microsoft Terms Privacy & cookies
