Categories: Cookie Swap | Cookies, Brownies & Bars | christmas
So…What’s a Cookie Swap?
The concept behind a cookie swap is simple, traditional and perfect for anyone who loves cookies as much as companionship. You just invite a few friends, ask each to make their favorite cookie recipe (or two) and then you all get together to sample, swap and package together. Everyone arrives with their own creation but leaves with an entire box of assorted goodness. Follow these steps to enjoy foolproof festivities this holiday season:
Gather Your Crew
Who you invite is entirely up to you. Make it a family gathering. Invite a few friends. Build camaraderie among co-workers. No matter who you choose, what’s important is to keep the number of attendees manageable and to invite them well ahead of time.
Round-Up the Recipes
The idea here is to share different shapes, flavors, and types of cookies, so diversity is key. (You don’t want 6 people showing up with Snickerdoodles, after all.) A sign-up sheet or online list is a great way to let everyone list what they’ll be bringing and makes it easy to share full recipes as well. No need to be a taskmaster, but you do want to guide your guests so you’ll have a pretty and plentiful collection of cookies when the big day arrives.
Crunch the Numbers
A good rule of thumb for a cookie swap is to ask each guest to bake a dozen cookies, multiplied by the number of guests who will be attending. (ie- If 10 guests will attend, each guest should bake 120 cookies) This assures that there will be plenty of cookies to mix, match, package and taste at your event.
Get Creative
Instead of just piling cookies in plastic bags or labeling them with markers, encourage your guests to flex their creative muscle. Unique containers, decorative place cards, and imaginative displays add a bit of whimsy to the occasion and let your guests express themselves as well. To really get their juices flowing, you can even award prizes for “Seasonal Spirit,” “Most Colorful” or “Most Unique” creations.
Another option is to theme the entire event around a singular idea that everyone can get behind. Make it Winter Wonderland, A Country Christmas, Sweets by the Seashore or another festive topic. Just think of all the fun you can have with themed décor, ingredients and even attire!
Have Fun
When the big day (or night) arrives, above all—enjoy yourselves. Spread all of the cookies out, take the sight of them all in and let the swapping and sampling commence. A packaging station stocked with extra bags, boxes, ribbon, labels and pens/markers makes it simple for guests to put together their assortments for the ride home. A photo wall, complete with seasonal props, makes for fun snapshots of the event that are sure to show up on social media.
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