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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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