Love to Bake? Indulge Your Passion by Hosting a Cookie Exchange Party

A cookie exchange party can be fun and adds an interesting twist to any gathering or social event.  The cookie exchange happens when everyone that attends the party brings a dozen or more cookies that they have baked themselves to share.  The idea behind the party is that everyone will bake and bring one type of cookie, and end up bringing home many different types of cookies.

Plan the Cookie Exchange

A cookie exchange makes a great holiday gathering, but it can be enjoyed at any time of the year.  The planning part is the most difficult part of the gathering.  One of the first decisions to make is the guest list.  Once you have decided who to invite, you’ll need to determine the number of cookies that each participant should bring.  This will depend on the number of people attending the event and how many cookies each person wants to take home.

Assign each person a different type of cookie to bake and bring, like the standard chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, white chocolate, etc.  This ensures that you don’t end up with all the same type of cookie.  A good number of cookies to ask people to bring is two to three dozen.

Preparing for the Party

A day or two before the gathering, begin making your appetizers.  You’ll only need a few since many people will also be eating cookies.  You’ll also need to set up the tables.  Choose one table for cookies, one for appetizers and one for beverages.  Get some festive decorations and table coverings to create a fun atmosphere.  The tables will be used buffet style, so you won’t need to worry about table seating.

You’ll need to get some plates, utensils and napkins ready for the gathering.  The easiest thing to do is to run to the dollar store or party supply store and purchase plastic or paper goods.  You’ll also need to purchase cookie tins or boxes.  Each guest will use one of the boxes to fill up with cookies to take home.  Plastic cookie containers are perfect for this use.  Choose the size that best fits your needs, based on the number of guests.

Don’t Forget the Beverages

Make sure that you’re ready with some beverages to serve with the cookies.  A coffee bar is a great idea to try, since coffee and tea go great with cookies.  To set this up, choose several different types of specialty coffees, such as hazelnut or French vanilla.  Include a standard type of coffee, as well as a decaf version.  Use thermal carafes to serve the coffee and keep it hot.  Make name tags that describe the coffee and set up the various carafes on a table.

Set out coffee cups or mugs for the party, and allow people to choose from several options to add to their coffee such as cream and sugar.  You can also opt for specialty creamers that add more flavor to coffee.  Add some alternative beverages, as well.  If you prefer, you can simply create a wonderful punch.  And don’t forget to serve a big, cold and creamy jug of the #1 best beverage that goes with cookies – milk!