Through Facebook, Twitter, and the blog on my own webpage, I learned about clubs baking cookies for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and churches in Chicago committed to donating fresh cookies to the homeless, echoing our club’s donation of cookies to charity. Cookie exchanges posted photos on my Facebook wall and exchanged recipes. In 2010, I had a cookie contest on my Facebook fan page and received enough wonderful recipes for many more years of cookie parties! I asked my readers to vote for their favorites and here, from Florida, Missouri, and North Carolina, are the prizewinning recipes in three different categories, presented in their own words:

The Yummiest: La Quinta Blackmon’s Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped

2 cups peanut butter

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Scoop the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets (I use a small ice cream scoop). Bake until brown.

This makes a lot.

The Most Creative: Ina Esquivel Konieczny’s Semi-Homemade Chocolate Cookies

These are easy to make, no mess, and everyone loves them!

1 box devil’s food cake mix

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 12-ounce package white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or use ungreased cookie sheets.

Mix first 4 ingredients until moistened. Cookie dough will be thick. Fold in chips until well distributed.

Drop heaping teaspoons of the dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies have set but are still a little soft in the center. Remove pans from the oven. Let cookies rest on the cookie sheets for about 1 minute. Remove cookies from the sheets with a metal spatula and transfer to wire racks to cool.

The Most Traditional: Paula Broshar’s Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup hot water

4 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening (vegetable oil, butter, or mixed)

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 cup molasses

3/4 cup cold black coffee

In a small bowl, dissolve soda in hot water and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix and sift together the flour, spices, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in egg. Mix well. Add molasses. Mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with coffee, beating well after each addition.

Stir in baking soda and water mixture.

Refrigerate for dough 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut gingerbread men or any cookie shape that you prefer. Place on a cookie sheet and bake until golden.

Store in an airtight container. Freezes well.