Tags: DigIn, DigIn21, Magazine, DigInMagazine, NovDec, holiday recipes, cookies

The Delicious Divide:
Hosting a Holiday Cookie Swap

It’s easy, it’s fun and it’s a great way to end up with a delicious variety of holiday treats without all the fuss: a holiday cookie swap. Host a cookie party and with just a little bit of planning, you and your guests will take home an assortment of sweets and share some holiday cheer at the same time.

The basic idea: Invite friends and family and ask each of them to choose one of their favorite holiday cookie recipes to bake. Gather your group (and their goodies) for a day of treat trading. Since it’s easier to make one big batch of a single type of cookie rather than single batches of a bunch of different cookies, you’re sure to get a lot of takers to this idea – Think: a cookie collection without the chaos. Make it cozy – serve your favorite holiday beverages; encourage your guests to relax for a while and you have the recipe for an instant holiday party.

We’ve put together some of our favorite, tried-and-true holiday cookie recipes. Any one of them is guaranteed to be a hit at your holiday cookie swap.

Plan Ahead

When you’re inviting your fellow bakers to come and share goodies, be specific about expectations. Here are the ground rules:

• Bring enough cookies. A good rule of thumb is one dozen cookies per guest – plus extras for sampling.

• RSVP in time. Know many people to expect so your guests know how many cookies to bake. Ask your guests what types of cookies they plan to bake – if more than two people plan to bring the same kind, consider asking one of them to bake an alternative.

• Come with empty containers. Food storage containers lined with wax paper or foil or a large paper or plastic dish with plastic wrap as a cover all work to fill with delicious treats to collect.

• Bring a copy of your recipe. Display recipes next to each cookie with blank recipe cards available so guests can copy other recipes they might want to take home.

Tip: If you have time, ask guests to provide their recipe ahead of time. Gather them together, make enough copies for everyone and assemble into keepsake booklets for all.