Holiday cookie season is upon us! Celebrate the sweet treats of the season by hosting a cookie swap party, where guests bring cookies and share with each other so everyone can discover new cookies.
0 Choose your cookie swap date. Consider if a weekend or a weekday is best for you and your potential guests.
1 Put together a guest list. I recommend having between 6-12 guests so everyone can bake 3-4 dozen cookies and still be able to come home with a big variety of treats.
2 Send your invitations. You can send out an email, a text message or a printed invitation, so do whatever works best for you. Be sure to include any swap rules (like if people can bring store-bought cookies, if candies/fudge/etc. are welcome, etc.) and the number of cookies each guest needs to bring. If you want guests to bring 6-12 recipe cards with their recipe on them, put it here, too.
3 Make a plan. You can ask guests to run their cookie idea by you before baking to confirm you don't have duplicates of the same recipe.
4 Plan what, if anything, you will serve alongside cookies. I like to involve a savory element, like a simple crostini (or another hand-held appetizer) or a cheese board, as well as a drink (whether it's of the alcoholic variety or a festive hot cocoa).
5 Plan where your cookies are going to go. Also plan how all these cookies will make it home after the swap is over. You can ask guests to bring their own tupperware, they can use the plates they brought their original cookies on, or you can have to-go containers, like bakery boxes or cookie tins, available.
6 Bake your cookies. Depending on what you're making, you can bake them in advance or make the batter and freeze it to bake off the morning of your shindig.
7 Optional: Decorate. You need to clear a space for the cookies to be on display, but other than that, you can add as many decorations as you want or leave your decor as it is. I've listed some of my favorite simple decoration options in the post above.
8 Optional: Plan to play a game. If your people are competitive, you can play a game involving the cookies! Have guests guess who baked what (just be sure that the cookies aren't labeled!) OR have a taste test (or a decorating award!) There are lots of fun options. Offer a little prize for the winner.
9 Take a deep breath, keep your cool and have fun! After all, this is supposed to be FUN, so don't let the stress of hosting make it unenjoyable for you.
