Around here, cookies are gold. They’re our favorite, our showstoppers, and everyone has a favorite (we don’t discriminate). So the holiday cookie exchange? That’s basically our Super Bowl. It’s the one time of year when all the cookies get to shine.
We love gathering our friends to bring their best in show and carry home a box full of treats to share with their household (or not, we won’t tell). Whether it’s with coworkers, friends, neighbors or a group of your kid’s friends, no one complains about a cookie exchange. Well, maybe about the baking part. But no one said you couldn’t pick some up, bring them and call them homemade. Wink.
Need easy cookie inspiration to bring to your next one and get voted best cookie? We’ve got you. And if you’re the one hosting, the trick is a little planning up front, so the party itself is pure fun. Here’s exactly how we do it.
Step 1: Send the Invites 2 to 3 Weeks Ahead
December calendars fill up fast, so get your invite out early. Include the date, time, place and how to RSVP, and tell guests how many cookies to bring. Our rule of thumb: each guest bakes half a dozen cookies for every guest, plus one extra dozen for tasting at the party. With 9 guests, that’s 5½ dozen per baker (66 cookies), and everyone takes home 6 of each kind.
Collecting RSVPs online through something like SignUpGenius, Partiful or Evite makes life easier, because you can see the guest list in one place.
Step 2: Ask Every Guest One Question
When guests RSVP, ask them what cookie they’re bringing. That one question saves you from ending up with five batches of chocolate chip. When you see a double, gently nudge the second guest toward something different.
Step 3: Set Up the Cookie Table
On party day, clear a long table and give every guest a spot for their cookies. Set out:
- Plates or platters for displaying cookies
- Cookie cards for each guest to label their cookie with its name, the baker and any allergens (nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten)
- Take-home boxes or tins, already tagged
- Pens and a ballot box for voting
Allergen labels matter more than you’d think. A guest with a nut allergy can fill their box with confidence instead of guessing.
Step 4: Vote for the Cookie Champion
This is where it gets competitive in the best way. Give every guest one ballot to vote for their favorite cookie (not their own). Tally the votes and crown the winner with a Cookie Champion card. Bonus points for a small prize like a new cookie scoop or a fancy vanilla.
Step 5: Fill the Boxes and Send Everyone Home Happy
Once the votes are in, let guests walk the table and fill their boxes. Go in rounds so everyone gets a fair shot at the favorites.
🍪 Crumbs of Knowledge
- Tag the take-home boxes before the party. It’s one less thing to do while guests are arriving.
- Ask guests to bring cookies that travel well. Sturdy cookies like chocolate chip, snickerdoodles and shortbread hold up better in a box than delicate frosted ones.
- Have a few extra boxes. Someone always forgets theirs.
- Plan a couple of savory snacks. After an hour of sampling, everyone will want something salty.
Want to take home the Cookie Champion crown? These are our go-to cookie exchange bakes:
- The Best Damn Chocolate Chip Cookie: the classic, and our most-requested recipe.
- Classic Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies: easy to dress up with holiday sprinkles.
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: chewy, cozy and always a crowd-pleaser.
- Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies: for the peanut butter lovers (just mark the nuts on your cookie card).
- Crinkle Fudge Cookies: fudgy chocolate rolled in powdered sugar, so they look like a fresh snowfall.
- Glazed Gingerbread Cookies: holiday spice in every bite.
- Cookies & Cream Cookies: loaded with chopped Oreos.
Everything You Need, Ready to Print
Our Cookie Exchange Party Kit has everything from this post in one download: a fillable digital invite you can text or email, cookie cards with a spot for allergens, favorite-cookie ballots, a Cookie Champion card, take-home tags in three designs, and a step-by-step host guide with a printing and supply list. Download it, print at home and you’re ready to host.
Wrapping up extra cookies for neighbors and teachers? Our Baked with Love Gift Tags & Labels have hang tags, bag toppers and tin labels for every treat you share.
Happy baking and happy swapping!
