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Have you ever attended a holiday cookie swap? They are so much fun! Check out our easy tips for great ideas that you can use to host a holiday cookie swap of your own!
The cookies pictured in this post were actually made by someone I know and ohemGEE, is she ever talented! If you are at all local to the Bucks County, PA area – make sure you hit up Nikki’s Cake Pops for cookies and cake pops that look like ARTWORK. She never ceases to amaze me with her incredible talent!
Fun Ways to Host a Holiday Cookie Swap
I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t enjoy amazing holiday cookies and treats. They are a staple at pretty much EVERY holiday party and are basically expected to be there. Holiday cookie swaps have become a popular way of getting your friends together and for making sure that there are plenty of holiday cookies to go around! Here are some fun ways to host a Holiday Cookie Swap with your friends.
What is a Holiday Cookie Swap?
A cookie swap is really a way to get your friends together and also, to alleviate the hassle of having to bake umpteen million batches of different cookies. At a cookie swap, each participant is given a certain type of cookie/treat to make and they make enough batches of that recipe to swap with the other participants for their cookie/treat recipe. It’s a win-win! You get to spend time with friends and end up with tons of treats to take home!
When should you host a holiday cookie swap?
You will want to hold the actual cookie swap party the weekend before the holidays. This will give everyone plenty of time to bake their cookies, so no one is rushed, but not so early that the cookies get stale. I mean, come on, no one wants stale holiday cookies!
How to setup a holiday cookie swap:
- Invite 5-10 friends who are open to the task of baking dozens of homemade cookies. Send out the invitations about a month in advance!
- Allow your guests to submit their cookie choice or assign a specific holiday cookie to each guest. They will need to bake 1 dozen per each guest and an extra 1 dozen to sample at the party.
- Place a card next to each cookie to identify the type.
- Buy some cute holiday cookie boxes or provide bakery boxes and wrapping paper.
Cookie Tips: Choose recipes that look good, are relatively simple to make and travel well. You may also want to assign a nut-free recipe, a gluten-free recipe and perhaps, even a vegan recipe.
Here are some fun ways to host a Holiday Cookie Swap Party:
Coffee and Cookies: Set up a sweet little coffee bar alongside your cookie table and allow your guests to enjoy some coffee house style drinks while they sample and pack their cookies.
Kids and Cookies: If your guest have kids, set up a cute little ornament craft or play area to entertain the kids, while the adults swap cookies.
Brunchie Munchies: Make a couple of breakfast style casseroles, like this breakfast bagel casserole or our crock pot french toast, pour some mimosas and enjoy a little brunch while you swap your delectable desserts.
Cocktails and Cookies: Host an evening cookie swap party and serve up some cookie inspired cocktails! We all need to de-stress a little, especially during the holidays!
Hot Cocoa and Cookies: Serve hot cocoa (and don’t forget the toppings!) for your guests to enjoy while swapping cookies! We love setting up a simple hot cocoa bar at winter parties.
Cookie Swaps are a great way to take some of the hustle and bustle out of the holidays. They can also be a fun way to get together with some good friends during the holidays, without disturbing any family holiday events! And of course, the very best reason: you end up with a big variety of delicious Christmas cookies but only had to bake one variety!
Do you participate in holiday cookie swaps? What tips or ideas would you add to our article?
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