Do you love baking? Christmas tends to be my favourite time of year for baking and being creative. That being said, it also gets very expensive to buy all the supplies to create all these little nuggets of goodness!
Wouldn’t you rather be spending the money on having fun with your friends and family? I know I would. So let’s chat about a fun way to spend time with those you love and share some goodies to use over the holidays.
Cookie Swaps or Cookie Exchanges have been popular for decades, but honestly, I have only participated in a couple. One through a workplace and one with friends. It is a fabulous way to try new cookies and treats and to grow your recipe list as well.
Here are some tips for hosting a successful cookie swap:
Have a theme
Perhaps you want to host an Ugly Sweater Party, Fancy Dresses, or Slippers & PJs! You can get very creative with a theme and it will take the cookie exchange to another level of fun for the evening.
Pick a type of cookie or treat to exchange
Simply pick a type of cookies/treat to share, such as No-Bake Treats, or Sugar Cookies. Trust me, there will be a variety no matter what type of cookie or treat you choose. If you select sugar cookies, gingerbread or shortbread, ask that they are decorated in some way with icing or candies.
Send out an invitation
Send an invitation to your friends and family outlining the evening. Be specific with what you are requesting for # of cookies and what they need to bring. You can create the invites and send them via email or traditional mail. You could even create a facebook private group and invite the people you are having.
Ask what people are bringing (about a week in advance)
You don’t need to have the specifics, but knowing the types of cookies or treats that are coming will help you ensure there will be a variety for people to take home.
Ask guests to bring samples of the treats
In addition to the number of cookies required for the exchange, ask your guests to bring a few samples or smaller versions of the cookie they brought. Set this number according to # of guests attending. This will allow everyone to have a treat at the party and also try the cookies they will be taking home.
Notify guests of any food allergies
If anyone attending has a food allergy, be sure to request the treats are free of the food they are allergic to.
Share the Recipes
Ask guests to bring their recipe printed out for other guests to take home. If you are into being uniform, you could ask guests to send you the recipes and then print them out together. You can create a yearly Cookie Exchange Recipe Book! Wouldn’t that be fun?
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We all have our favourite cookies and holiday treats, participating in a cookie exchange allows us to have a larger variety on hand over the holidays, without having to do all the baking!
Need ideas for what to make? Here are a few of my favourites:
I want to try them all! 😀