The annual cookie exchange party is a big deal around here — huge! We are talking dozens of cookies, a lot of laughter, a very serious gift exchange and weeks of planning. It’s a tradition, it’s a lot of fun and everyone looks forward to it every year.
This is a sponsored post.
Wouldn’t you like to be the host of the party that is on everyone’s can’t-miss list?
Here are 5 tips for hosting the perfect holiday cookie exchange party.
Gather Ye Bakers – Just like Santa, you’ll want to make sure you check your list twice. You don’t want to miss any of the good little girls and boys, when it comes to cookies no one wants to be left out. And if the goal is to make it an annual tradition, then you want to make sure everyone is included so they want to come back for more.
Cookies For Everyone – While there should be cookies for everyone, even Betty Crocker herself would be worn out whipping up 30 dozen cookies! We tackle the more the merrier problem by limiting the cookies each guest brings to six dozen cookies. Then during the exchange, guests get 2 or 3 of each kind (depending on the number of attendees). Yes, six dozen seems like a lot, but you will be surprised how many recipes make two dozen or more without alterations.
Create A Cookbook – Since everyone only gets a taste of each cookie, gather recipes before the event to create a community cookbook. Print the recipes and bind in a simple pronged folder, and it becomes a fun take-home party gift for your guests. Plus no one has to worry about sharing the recipe of their awesome cookie everyone wants to make.
Give It A Cause – Even though the party is about the cookies, remembering the reason for the season and gathering everyone to support a cause is something guests will be happy to get behind. Ask guests to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. (More details about how to make this drive extra special below.)
Add A Little Friendly Competition – Invite an impartial judge to help you select the top cookie queens – best cookie, best presentation, even best attempt (I’ve won this one before). The first year guests will be pretty low key, but let a year or two pass and some people will get very serious about their baking skills.
Make It A Party – A little music, a lot of food and entertainment is the recipe for a successful party. For entertainment try an old-fashion gift exchange. We play ours with a steal. It’s funny to watch guests get feisty over a $10 gift – and they really do. It’s so simple, but it is bound to provide entertainment for all.
Make a Merry Difference
This holiday season, Betty Crocker is challenging cookie exchange hosts to organize a Toys for Tots drive alongside their cookie parties. To help make their parties a success, the first 1,000 people to sign up to host a Toys for Tots/Cookie Exchange Party will receive a free cookie-making kit from Betty Crocker that includes:
- “The Betty Crocker Big Book of Cookies” cookbook
- Betty Crocker apron
- Cookie mixes and frostings
- Mixing spoon
- Toys for Tots train cookie cutter
- Party-hosting information/toy donation forms
Have a very merry cookie exchange!
Giveaway
This giveaway has ended.
emily says
Totally awesome tips– I’m going to my first exchange on Sunday. My favorite cookies are good old-fashioned sugar cookies with fancy royal icing. They’re a pain to make but always so, so pretty!
Liza @ Views From the 'Ville says
My favorite Christmas cookie is my Grandmother’s candy cane cookies. I could eat just those all season!
KELLY MCGREW says
buckeye balls.
Kristen says
I love jam thumbprint cookies with walnuts.
keely hostetter says
Monster cookies are my favorite.
Jennifer Rote says
Sugar cookies are my favorite.
Marianna says
Peanut butter cups
Melissa M says
I like no bake oatmeal cookies
D SCHMIDT says
My favorite Christmas cookie is Snickerdoodle.
Samantha C. says
Love mint chocolate chip cookies.
janetfaye says
I like Greek Butter cookies.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Danielle Jones says
I like iced sugar cookies.
Christina says
I love molasses cookies.. not sure why, but I only make them around the holidays
Theresa M says
Raisin filled yum.
Heather B says
I always look forward to my Great Aunt’s Snickerdoodles
martha says
GINGERSNAPS
heather baker says
I love different ones but my ultimate favorite are chocolate chip.
Candice says
I love sugar cookies with frosting.
ET Pruitt says
I love Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies
debbie says
I like linzer torte cookies.
latanya says
oatmeal raisin cookie
Amy Honious says
My favorite cookie is an all butter snickerdoodle! So simple, yet very tasty 🙂 Thanks for such a nice giveaway!
Cindy Merrill says
My grandmothers Soft molasses cookies, no Christmas is complete until I make some.
David says
My favorite are oatmeal scotchies.
Debra Hall says
i love the thumb print cookies…i cant stop eating them
Happi Shopr says
I like peanut butter cookies.
Bonnigene says
I love Finish Ribbon Cookies
Betty Baez says
I love russian teacake cookies!
Sarah says
I love classic decorated sugar cookies and also ginger snaps!
Kortney Nelson says
Sugar cookies!
Jessamine D. says
I like sugar cookies. 🙂
Susan C says
Big, soft ginger cookies.
april yedinak says
My favorite Christmas cookies are my Aunt Arlene’s Italian Chocolate balls.
Rhonda N says
My favorite Christmas cookie is Snickerdoodles or Cinnamon Stars.
Allison Downes says
My favorite Christmas cookie is gingerbread cookies.
Thank you for the nice giveaway!
Allison Downes says
Commented on this holiday gift guide post: http://www.thesuburbanmom.com/2013/12/03/disney-sofia-the-first-magical-tea-time-review/comment-page-2/#comment-99243
Cheryl F. says
My favorite Christmas cookies are Italian Wedding Cookies (aka Cocoa Wedding Cakes or Snowball Cookies).
stephanie says
i love sugar cookies
candy kratzer wenzel says
Peanut butter.
Realia M says
i love ginger bread cookies!
Vera K says
I really like the cookie cutter sugar cookies.
Tara says
I love sugar cookies!
Misty says
My favorite is the snow ball cookies “italian wedding cake”
darby says
oatmeal rasin
Jessica says
I love sugar cookies.
tammilee says
Ranger cookies
Ashley Pomykala says
I love peanut butter chocolate cookies
jenniferB says
my favorite cookie is cranberry pistachio biscotti
deana c says
My favorite Christmas cookie is a star shaped sugar cookie with icing!
Amber.M says
honestly, i just love a good chocolate chip cookie!
April M says
I like snowballs (AKA sandies, mexican wedding cookies, butterballs)
Billie Wilson says
I like the classic sugar cookie with frosting. So yummy!
Christine says
Easy Party cookies (made with M&M’s)
Sue Ellison says
I love Snickerdoodles.
McKim says
I like date pinwheel cookies.
Amy says
Red velvet with cheese cake filling!
tara darity says
thumbprint jelly cookies!!
chris z says
sugar cookies
Lisa says
I love sugar cookies. 🙂
CJ Godfrey says
My favorite Christmas cookie is good old chocolate chip!
Darlene Carbajal says
I love gingerbread cookies. 🙂
Tari Lawson says
I like pecan balls.
Lisa Weidknecht says
7 Layer Cookies
Beth W says
Gingersnaps are my favorite.
Natalie says
I love peanut butter blossoms!
Kyl Neusch says
frosted sugar
Connie Lee says
I like the sugar cookie with candy sprinkles.
soha molina says
Peppermint Sugar
Tram Le says
Gingerbread cookies are my favorite.
Joni Mitchell says
snickerdoodles are my holiday fave
Katie O. says
I really love peanut butter blossoms and no-bake cookies 🙂
Allie says
I like chocolate chip
Kim Pinch says
Candy cane cookies are my favorite.
Marti Tabora says
Sugar cookies are my favorite. Thank you.
Carly says
white chocolate candied cherry shortbread thins 🙂
heather eg kaufman says
Snickerdoodles
al says
Gingerbread
Pam O says
I love Gingerbread men
Tammie Venne says
sugar cookies
Kitty Iecvan says
I love mint dark chocolate chip cookies!
harolde says
A nice red and green Christmas Tree shaped Sugar cookie.
Pam Gurganus says
My favorite Christmas cookie is orange slice!
Karin A says
I like cut out sugar cookies.
sara wood says
soft gingerbread cookies
Miranda G says
Peanut Butter Cookies with a hersheys kiss on top
Brittney House says
I love sugar cookies.
liz l says
Snickerdoodle
Leann V says
My favorite are frosted sugar cookies.
Natalie yeoman says
I’d have to say mine is sugar cookies
Kathy S says
Spritz Cookies
Lauren E. says
I like gingerbread
Francine Anchondo says
I like sugar cookies
Susan Smith says
Gingerbread cookies are my favorite
Erica C. says
I like chocolate chip.
Karrie Millheim says
I love sugar cookies
Paula Michele Hafner says
My favorite is iced sugar cookies.
Kate Newton says
I think I’ve got to go with sugar cookies because you can decorate them and have fun! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Kathleen S. says
I make awesome sour cream cut out cookies with homemade frosting for Christmas.
Ella Brooks says
Sugar Cookies
tina reynolds says
I love snickerdoodles
Teresa Thompson says
Gingerbread cookies.
Candie L says
I love peanut butter (not very Christmassy but I love them anywya). Thankyou
Tamar says
I love sugar cookies.
Stephanie Larison says
Mint chocolate chip cookies
Julie Harris says
I like chocolate chip cookies
laurie says
I love sugar cookies with sprinkles
susan smoaks says
i like the chocolate chip cookies the best
Laurie Emerson says
I like sugar cookies with frosting on top.
Breanne says
Sugar cookies
Susan Chester says
I love Peanut Butter Blossoms!
melikegarfield says
My favorite Christmas cookies are grandmas’s frosted sugar cookies.