7 Tips To Host A Cookie Swap Party
If there's a dessert that speaks most to the holiday season, it's cookies. That's why cookie swaps are so popular this time of the year. Not only is sharing and swapping cookies with friends and family fun, but you get to leave with a selection of treats to enjoy and new recipes to try. Instead of getting invited to a cookie swap this season, consider hosting your own. Hosting a cookie swap can be as simple as inviting a few friends over for snacks, drinks, and some cookie exchanging—and tasting. Here are 7 tips to host a cookie swap party.
1.Set The Menu
Some cookie swap hosts assign each guest a specific cookie (sugar, iced, or butter, for example) or category (brownies, bars, no-bake)—which prevents accidental duplicates; others set no guidelines at all, assuming the surprise is part of the fun. You can compromise by asking guests to sign up for a certain treat, which gives you more control over the menu, but still offers them the freedom to choose something they enjoy making.
2.Table Dressing
A cookie swap doesn't usually include a sit-down meal, so you won't need formal seating arrangements. But you do need a long table—or several smaller ones—with enough space to display all the cookies. Create a cohesive look by showing off the treats on coordinating white dishes, or create a cozy, vintage atmosphere by using mismatched holiday serving platters and cake stands.
3.Packaging
Holiday treat bags, inexpensive tins, pretty paper sleeves, and ribbons or bows add a seasonal touch to your party—and are cheerful alternatives to the plastic zipper bags and Tupperware containers most hosts send their guests home with. Order a set of custom stickers that include the date of your party and the name of each cookie to keep guests organized.
4.Guest List
Experienced cookie swap hosts generally cap their guest list at around eight people. That's enough for a satisfying variety of treats to enjoy at the party as well as a manageable amount for everyone to take home at the end of the night. Most cookie swap hosts ask guests to bring one dozen cookies for each person at the party, but scaling down would be fine, too.
5.Theme
While "cookie swap" is an appropriate theme for your party, you can put a personal spin on your swap by asking guests to bring treats that all have something in common. That might mean asking everyone to use the same main ingredient (chocolate or peppermint), bake cookies in the same color (red or green only!), or give everyone a more general guideline to follow.
6.Send Invitations
Emails and texts don't have the same festive feel as a paper invitation, which cuts through holiday calendar clutter to earn your party a spot on your friends' full schedules. Download editable files online or buy pre-printed invites with your party details.
7.Snacks And Drinks
Balance out the sweets with a selection of light bites, like a cheese and charcuterie board, a platter of fresh fruit and cheese, or other hors d'oeuvres. Offer favorite winter beverages—think cider, cocoa, and hot toddies—or more celebratory drinks, like eggnog.