With the holiday season approaching quickly, everybody is in a rush for time. Hardly anyone has time to bake all of those delicious cookies for their families anymore. I have the perfect solution – host a Cookie Exchange!
The premise is simple enough; everyone bakes one big batch of cookies, but ends up with a large assortment of delicious homemade treats, making it an ideal opportunity for a cookie exchange. With a bit of planning, the party is pretty easy to put together. A few decorations, some savory appetizers, and festive drinks (even coffee and tea are good) are all you need to get started. You can plan other activities, but the cookies can be the star of the show.
Determine a date and time
It might be nice to plan a weeknight party for just adults, or a weekend get-together for adults and
kids. A couple of hours after work one night or a few hours on a weekend – it’s all up to you. Organizing a cookie exchange can be a delightful addition.
Decide on refreshments
You can make a casual party or plan some activities such as cookie decorating, treat box embellishments,
etc. Plan a simple food menu, since there will be a lot of cookie sampling going on in the cookie exchange. If children will be in attendance, plan some activities for them that are separate from the activities for adults. These can be making a simple ornament or even simple cookie decorating.
Send out invitations and RSVP dates
Since you want to have around a dozen cookies for each guest, consider limiting your guest list to six or eight people. I would plan on each person bringing a minimum of six dozen cookies to share through the cookie exchange, and they will go
home with six assorted dozens. When guests RSVP, they will need to specify the type of cookies they will be making to ensure no duplicates. You can also require that guests provide copies of their recipe for each attendee.
Cookie Rules
No store-bought cookies are a given, but must be stated (the old adage – ‘if there’s a rule, it must have been an issue’ plays well here). Bakery cookies are acceptable, so long as they bring the appropriate amount. The main rule is that the cookies can’t be so fragile that they don’t make it to each guest’s home; they must be able to last for a week (most cookies are freezeable), and they should be festive. Guests should bring their cookies in a nice basket or platter, especially for the cookie exchange.
Decide who provides boxes for guests’ cookie haul
Each guest may bring their own, or you can provide boxes for them. White bakery boxes are inexpensive and can be easily decorated with ribbon and stickers to create a more festive look. Guests may want to load up the container they brought with their assorted cookies from the exchange.
Have fun! Sample cookies, share some holiday cheer with friends, and enjoy yourself! A cookie exchange party can be as simple or elaborate as you want to make it. Plan, be prepared, and make the most of the holiday season.