If you’ve ever spent countless hours in the kitchen baking for the holidays, then you know that it’s hard work. Wouldn’t it be so much easier to just buy the ingredients for, and bake just one type of cookie? A Cookie Swap is a fun way to do just that, and still get a delicious variety of freshly baked homemade goodies! Each guest simply bakes their favorite holiday cookie (in bulk) to bring to the exchange, and goes home with amazing assortment of any and every cookie imaginable! Sounds wonderful, right?

 

Today’s kitchen designs are made for hosting, and a holiday cookie swap is the perfect opportunity to showcase your beautiful new kitchen and get in the holiday spirit! And just like the Cookie Swap itself, hosting one takes very little effort. Here, we’ll cover the basics, and offer some tips for hosting a Holiday Cookie Swap.

 

• Start by creating your guest list. Ideally, you should invite people who would be willing to, and enjoy baking from scratch.

 

• Create an invitation with clear instructions on the exchange. Cookies must be homemade and freshly baked for the party. Each guest should also bring copies of the recipe to share, and a label card to place on the table or kitchen island where the cookies will be stationed.

 

• Based on the size of the party, figure out how many cookies each guest should bring. The goal is for every guest to bring home a dozen of each cookie variety, so for a party of five, each guest should bring five dozen, plus an extra dozen for sampling. For larger parties, you could reduce the number by half, so that each guest takes home a half dozen of each cookie variety.

 

• As the host, it’s a good idea to approve the cookies in advance. Ask your guests for recipe submissions at least two weeks before the event, to ensure a good variety and no duplicates. It’s also important to know of any food allergies.

 

• As the host, you may want to supply bakery boxes or cookie tins for each participant. Or feel free to simply ask your guests to bring an extra tray or platter to take home their treats.

 

• An hour before the party, brew up some coffee and put out drinks. A festive holiday punch is always nice, or a crock-pot filled with hot cocoa or spiced cider. Also have water and soft drinks on hand, or wine for an evening party.  

• Before your guests arrive, set out your cookies with a clear label and recipe cards to share. Then have your guests do the same. A kitchen island is the perfect place to set up your display, offering a natural flow for guests to swap cookies.

 

• Create a sampling station for participants to taste the cookies at the kitchen or dining room table. We mentioned earlier that each guest should bring an extra dozen for tasting.

 

• Welcome your guests. Once everyone has arrived, go over the rules of the exchange, and enjoy!

 

 

 

At The RTA Store we help make your dream kitchen a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled kitchen cabinets, and accessories with the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your kitchen dreams come true with the help of our free kitchen design tool!