A cookie exchange is no ordinary party. Recipe swapping, snacking and socializing abound with the spirit of Christmas in the air. No one comes in the door empty handed and no one goes home empty handed.
If you are so fortunate as to participate in a cookie exchange, you will bake one kind of cookie but come home with one or two dozen different kinds. What a great way to maximize preciously guarded time during the Christmas season! When I host my cookie exchange, I also ask every guest to bring non-perishable food items for donation to our local food pantry. In the very least, it’s easy enough to throw a few cans in your bag along with the cookies.
Hot Hints for Hosting:
If you are interested in hosting your own cookie exchange and food drive, here are a few key tips:
No Store-Bought Cookies.
I’m not a purist or anything, but at least give baking a go. My friends and I laugh over our baking efforts. Others do not bake but come just for the fun. It all works out and most of the cookies are delicious.
Communicate the Event.
I set up the exchange as a Facebook event so all the details and instructions are easily accessed. I ask everyone to post their cookie of choice so we avoid overlap. I also ask everyone to print copies of their recipe along with any special recipe history to share with the group. I have an RSVP cut-off so we loosely know how much to bake. I usually say 6 dozen cookies for a swap of 20 or so people, that way everyone goes home with 3 or 4 of each kind. I also ask guests to set aside a half dozen or so for our snack/sample table. Anything left over is fair game.
Savory Snacks and Beverages.
Don’t forget to provide some savory snack options for everyone. Most cookies are sweet, so you and your guests will want a little something savory to break up the sugar rush. Beer, wine, cocktails or sodas/juice will complete the celebration.
Pack It Up.
Some exchange hosts like to have festive packages in which guests may pack up their new cookies. If you don’t want to provide to-go containers, be sure to remind guests to bring an empty container for their newly obtained sweets.The cookies for exchanging go on the table in a container/on a plate, so another one is needed to gather the new ones. Have extras and foil on hand just in case.
Make It Fun.
We take as many passes around the table as there are cookies, scattering each pass throughout the evening. I also offer a door prize for all guests, and we vote for prizes (small gift card) in other categories, like best-presented cookie, best tasting or best effort. We even had a guest judge one year!
Think of Others.
The first year of the cookie exchange and food drive, we donated 26 pounds to our local food pantry on behalf of our neighborhood; the best year we donated 126 pounds! Not only did we feel great for turning a fun party into an effort for our community, but we knew truly needy families would benefit. I also put the food-drive request on our neighborhood Facebook page so that even if people don’t attend the exchange, they can drop off food.
Cookie exchanges are a lot of fun and worth the effort. People start asking me in early fall when the cookie exchange will be! Follow these tips and you’ll be off to a great start, making it your own through trial and error. Merry Christmas and happy baking!
More details on donating to your local food bank here.
