Cooking with Ease: Host a holiday cookie swap

Rockwall, TX (November 21, 2023) – “It’s the holiday season (the holiday season). So hoop-de-do and dickory dock.” Such a fun time of year. Celebrating, shopping, singing, and cooking all the holiday foods. One of my favorite events is a good old-fashioned cookie swap. They used to be so popular and have faded over the years. Can we bring them back? Can we?!

A cookie swap is a gathering where friends and family come together to swap and share their favorite recipes for homemade cookies. This delightful tradition allows participants to enjoy a diverse array of cookies without baking them all AND take a variety home!

Here are five steps to hosting a holiday cookie swap:

Plan the Date and Invitations:

Choose a convenient date and time for the cookie swap, typically a few weeks before the holiday.
Create a guest list and send out invitations, specifying the date, time, location, and any other details. You can use physical invitations, e-vites, or social media.

Set the Rules and Guidelines:

Decide on the number of guests and the quantity of cookies each person should bring. Typically, participants bring one dozen cookies for each guest.
Encourage creativity and variety by suggesting participants bring a mix of traditional and unique holiday cookies.

Prepare for the Swap:

Arrange a designated area for the cookies to be displayed during the event.

Provide containers or platters for each guest to place their cookies.
Have labels and markers for guests to name their cookies and indicate allergens.

Host the Cookie Swap:

Welcome your guests and provide a warm, festive atmosphere with holiday decorations, music, and refreshments.

Allow guests to sample the cookies and socialize before the official swap begins.
Use a random drawing to determine the order in which guests select cookies, ensuring fairness.

Enjoy and Share:

Once the swap begins, each guest selects cookies to take home. They can use the containers or bags provided.

Encourage participants to share their cookie recipes or stories behind their creations.
Provide take-home boxes or bags for guests to pack their chosen cookies.

Below is a Simple Spiced & Iced Cookie recipe. This one is amazingly simple and great for a swap!

Simple Spiced & Iced Cookies

Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie dough
1 (15.25 oz) box spice cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 Tbsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs. One at a time, roll the dough into 1 Tbsp balls. The dough will not be firm, but roll it anyway! Immediately coat the dough ball with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Place dough balls onto cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes. While baking, prepare icing by mixing all three ingredients until thoroughly combined. Drizzle cookies with icing. Let sit for 15 minutes and serve.