How to Host a Cookie Exchange Party
Learn to host a hassle-free, budget-friendly cookie exchange party during the holidays, where friends share homemade cookies and create lasting memories. It's a sweet way to enjoy the season without the baking stress.
Instructions
Invitations and Preparations:
- Clear Invitation: When sending out invitations, make it clear that you're hosting a cookie exchange. Specify that each guest should arrive with a particular number of cookies to share and that they will betaking cookies home. This eliminates any confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.
- Cookie Count: To ensure a good variety of cookies, ask each guest to bring four dozen of one kind of cookie. This number works well in most cases. Feel free to adjust these numbers. You know the level of ambition and tolerance for baking of your friends.
- Plates for Enjoyment and Sharing: Suggest that each guest brings one dozen cookies on a plate to enjoy during the party. The remaining three dozen cookies should be ready for sharing. This way, no matter how many people attend, everyone goes home with three dozen cookies and a sugar coma.
- Claim your cookie: Ask each invitee to let you know what cookie they plan to bring to avoid duplications (and a potential showdown throw-down. Or is that just my friends?).
- Recipe Sharing: Ask guests to print the recipe for their cookies, noting any common allergens. Have them put their name on it, in case there are questions about the delicious creations.
- Beverages and Light Meals: Offer a variety of beverages, including coffee, tea, cocoa, and, of course, ice-cold milk. To balance the sweetness of the cookies, provide a light meal such as soup and sandwiches along with some savory snacks.
Family-Friendly Touches:
- For the Little Ones: If you're expecting children at the party, set up a cookie decorating station with sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles. Having a holiday movie ready will keep the little ones occupied.
- Kid-Friendly Snacks: Prepare a kid-friendly, protein-rich snack, such as chicken nuggets, to minimize the sugar-induced meltdowns.
The Cookie Exchange:
- Count Your Guests: Once all your guests have arrived, take ahead count. This is important to ensure that you have enough plates and that the cookie sharing is fair.
- Divide and Share: Divide the three dozen cookies (36 cookies) from each guest among the plates. For example, if you have 12 guests, you'll have three of each type of cookie on each plate.
- Wrap and Distribute: Wrap each plate in plastic wrap to keep the cookies fresh. Make sure each guest leaves with a plate of assorted cookies at the end of your frugal and fabulous party.
- Now you can cross cookies off your to-do list, keep calm and merry on!