Your tradition of gifting homemade treats to your neighbors is thoughtful and generous, and it sounds like your neighbors truly appreciate the effort and love you put into these tins! Adding cookies to the mix this year is a great idea—especially since they already love your cowboy cookies. Here are some ideas and considerations to help balance your gifting tradition while being mindful of the cost of chocolate:
1. Adjust the Mix in the Tins
- Less PB Cups & Fudge, More Cookies: Reduce the quantity of peanut butter cups and fudge per tin and supplement with cookies. For example:
- 3-4 PB Cups
- 2 pieces of chocolate fudge
- 2 pieces of peanut butter fudge
- 4-6 cookies (e.g., cowboy cookies, peanut butter s’mores cookies, or another festive option).
This approach still includes your signature treats while giving a variety that feels abundant.
2. Add Affordable, Festive Cookie Options
Since chocolate prices are high, cookies can balance the cost. Options like the cowboy cookies or peanut butter s’mores cookies are great choices. You could also try festive varieties like:
- Sugar Cookies: Decorate with colored icing or festive sprinkles.
- Snickerdoodles: Cinnamon sugar makes them feel holiday-appropriate.
- Gingerbread Cookies: Add some holiday spice and decoration.
3. Highlight the Cookies in Your Presentation
To show that cookies are a featured part of the gift (not just filler), make them look festive:
- Use holiday-themed cupcake liners for PB cups.
- Arrange the cookies attractively around the fudge and PB cups.
- Add a small card with a note like:
« This year, I’m sharing a mix of my favorite holiday treats—classic PB cups and fudge alongside some festive cookies. I hope you enjoy! »
4. Prep and Stretch Chocolate
To reduce the cost of your PB cups:
- Make mini cups only: Minis use less chocolate per cup than regular-sized ones.
- Thin chocolate carefully: Use the minimum shortening required to thin the chocolate for easier spreading, stretching the chocolate further.
- Scale back on chocolate fudge: Since this uses the most chocolate, make smaller batches or alternate with other flavors like peanut butter fudge.
5. Use Your Neighbors’ Preferences as a Guide
It sounds like your neighbors would be thrilled with anything you give them—they already love your cowboy cookies. This reassures you that adding cookies to the mix won’t disappoint. The variety might even make the tins feel extra special this year.
6. Focus on the Joy of Gifting
The most important part of this tradition is the care and thought behind it. Whether you scale back or adjust the treats, your effort is what makes these tins meaningful. Your neighbors will likely be delighted by any combination you choose!
If you’d like, I can help you plan the quantities or include a detailed cowboy cookie recipe to add to the tins!