What is a Cookie Exchange?
Think of it as the adult version of trading Pokémon cards, but infinitely more delicious. Everyone shows up with a dozen homemade cookies and leaves with a curated selection from the group. You put in the work for one recipe but walk away with 6-12 different treats. It's the holiday hack we all deserve—maximum cookie variety with minimum individual effort. Plus, you get to discover new recipes that might just become your signature move for next year's festivities.
How Many People Do I Invite?
Eight to ten people is the sweet spot. Any more and you'll be drowning in cookies (which sounds amazing, but there's a limit), and any fewer means you won't get that satisfying variety that makes the whole thing worthwhile. Choose your cookie crew wisely: you want guests who genuinely enjoy baking and won't show up with store-bought treats trying to pass them off as homemade.
When Should I Host A Cookie Exchange?
Timing is everything. Send those invitations at least a month ahead—the holidays are peak busy season, and people book up fast. You also want to give your guests enough time to plan and bake their cookies without adding more stress for a last minute event. This is supposed to be fun, after all.
I recommend hosting a cookie exchange in late November/early December as a holiday season kickoff. If you wait too close to Christmas day, everyone will be scrambling to fit in cookie baking with their overbooked schedule. This will give your event an excited anticipation energy instead of feeling like just one more thing someone has to attend. Let's be the friend who makes everyone's December easier.
How Many Cookies Does Everyone Bring?
The golden standard is one dozen per person, but feel free to adjust based on your crew size. Hosting more than twelve people? Scale down to six cookies each so nobody's eating cookies until Valentine's Day. The key is consistency—make sure everyone's bringing the same amount so no one is surprised when they arrive.
How Do You Avoid Duplicates?
Create a sign-up system to avoid duplicates. Let your guests know how to sign up when you send out your invitations and check in two weeks before the party. Think of yourself as the cookie coordinator. The whole point of the cookie exchange is for everyone to walk away with a variety of cookies. You'll want everything from decorated sugar cookies to spiced molasses cookies.
What Cookie Should I Bring to the Cookie Exchange?
If you’re hosting the event, look for an easy cookie recipe that fills in any flavours or textures you’re missing. You don’t want to commit to a highly detailed sugar cookie with a billion steps when you're also looking for your missing serving platters and cleaning the house. At Ampersand Bakehouse, I love a simple drop cookie in a holiday flavour. They are easy to bake, but look and taste amazing. Here's my recommendations:
Peppermint Crinkle Cookie: This cookie hits all the basics. We have a chocolate base with the classic holiday flavour of peppermint. The icing sugar coating gives vibes of a blustery snow day.
Ginger Chai Cookie: A remix of a holiday favourite, this spiced cookie is packed with flavour. Rolling the cookie in coarse sugar before baking gives them an eye-catching sparkle while providing a nice crunch.
Sprinkle Shortbread Cookie: This cookie adds a splash of colour with festive sprinkles. The holidays wouldn't be complete without the buttery crumble of shortbread.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie: Nothing is as cozy as oatmeal.
No matter what your guests bring, you’ll be prepared with a cookie that makes the assortment complete. The best part? All of your guests can enjoy them, even if they have dietary restrictions. These easy to bake cookies are egg-free and dairy-free, and full of flavour. Your friends will be asking you to bring them every year.
Can I Prepare my Cookies in Advance?
Yes! Most cookies you can bake and freeze in advance so you’re not stressing right before the party. This is especially smart if you’re trying a new cookie recipe so you still have time for a re-bake if anything goes wrong. Let’s not tempt Murphy’s Law by waiting until the last minute.
If you are hosting, I recommend you bake your cookies the weekend before, wrap them and throw them in the freezer. This way you can focus on getting your space ready for guests the weekend of the event. The night before the party, simply transfer the cookies to an airtight container on your kitchen counter to come to room temperature.
How Do I Set Up My Space?
Clear The Cookie Table
Clear your biggest surface—dining table, kitchen island, whatever works—since cookies are the main event. Push dining chairs and furniture aside so people can easily move through the space while they test and choose their favourites. Set up name cards for each cookie, including any dietary information and the baker's name for proper credit. You can print these in advance or leave them blank for guests to fill in as they arrive.
Gather Your Serving Trays
Your guests will likely bring their cookies in oversized Tupperware. If you’re looking for a low key gathering, you can totally keep the cookies in their original containers. If you want to create a more cohesive look, start collecting serving trays, plates and cake stands to deck out your table. You could do white ceramic dishware, or mismatched holiday platters depending on your aesthetic.
Pull out the Decorations
This is a holiday party, so lean into it. If your home is already decorated for Christmas, you're ready to go. If not, a festive tablecloth and some strategic decorations will do the trick. Queue up a Christmas playlist on Spotify for instant holiday cheer.
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Do I Need To Serve Refreshments?
The last thing you need at a cookie party is more dessert. However, the goal of the party is for your guests to take their cookies home, so having some savory options is genius. Think elegant but simple: a cheese and charcuterie board, vegetable dips, maybe some finger sandwiches. Hot chocolate or spiced cider are great for seasonal drinks.
What Info do I Include on the Invite?
We've covered a lot of information, and most of it your guests will need to know. So let's do a quick recap with what you should include on your invitations:
The basics: Date, time (including an end time if you're not planning an all-nighter), and your full address. Sorry, but "Sarah's place" isn't enough.
The cookie commitment: Specify exactly how many cookies each person should bring. We're talking numbers here—one dozen is standard.
Ground rules: Are we talking homemade only, or are elevated box mixes acceptable? Holiday-themed cookies or anything goes? Spell it out now to avoid awkward conversations later.
Allergy alerts: If anyone in your group has serious food allergies, make this crystal clear upfront. Nobody wants to spend their night in the emergency room.
Logistics: Let people know if they need to bring their own serving platters and take-home containers, or if you're providing them. Also clarify the drink situation—are we keeping it family-friendly or adding some holiday cheer to our hot chocolate?
The kids question: If some of your friends are parents, be explicit about whether little ones are invited. There's no wrong answer, but everyone needs to know the vibe.
RSVP details: Make it clear how to RSVP to the event and how to sign up for the cookie they are going to bring. Making it a first come, first service situation will get those RSVP's in quickly as guest claim their favourite cookie to bake.
Send out those invites sooner versus later so you can start a holiday tradition that people actually look forward to. In a world of obligatory office parties and awkward family gatherings, that's honestly a gift in itself.