23 Delicious and Impressive Recipes to Make for Your Next Cookie Swap (2025)

FAQs

How to do a fun cookie exchange? ›

Sampling: Provide a large platter or basket and ask each guest to place 12 cookies in/on it for sharing. Give it a Name: Ask guests to label the outside of their disposable containers for easy identification. Refreshments: Let the party take over while your friends sample the treats.

A good rule to follow is for every guest to bake a half dozen cookies per each attendee. So, if 10 people attend, each guest would bring five dozen cookies to share. We've put together a chart to help you figure out just how many cookies to ask your guests to make.

Have some simple appetizers and beverages on hand during the cookie swap. Consider non-sweet dishes like vegetable dips or finger sandwiches since you'll probably be nibbling on cookies.

Cookie exchanges are a centuries-old tradition dating back to medieval times. The classic idea is of a holiday party in which guests bring a selection of homemade cookies to trade with one another. While the festive holiday has sweet beginnings, the etiquette associated with them has become elaborate and strict.

Many simple cookies sell for between $2.00 and $5.00 each, but it's not uncommon to see a dozen cookies cost $55 or more depending on the time and ingredients that went into making them. Some people charge $10 or more per cookie because of their decorative, custom designs.

Pack your cookies carefully inside your chosen container. Whether that means layering parchment or waxed paper between them so the cookies don't stick together (if they are frosted, for example), or bagging them individually, or arranging them just right so they don't shift in transit.

Bring something homemade.

We never show up to a party empty-handed, and we always try to bring something homemade—but especially at a cookie swap, store-bought just won't cut it.

How does a “cookie walk” work? Visitors usually pay a set price for an empty box, are handed gloves and then walk around various tables in church halls, filling boxes with cookies usually made by parishioners. (Some churches will charge by the weight of the cookies, while others have set fees.)

And remember to ask each guest to bring copies of their recipe to share with everyone. It's a great way to discover new cookie recipes to add to your holiday baking! Tip: Guests attending a cookie exchange should bring a gift for the party host.

What to give instead of cookies? ›

You place a Swedish pepparkakor in the palm of your hand. Then make a wish, using the index finger of your free hand, tap the cookie in the middle. Swedish tradition states that if the pepparkakor breaks into three pieces, your wish will come true.

Experienced cookie swap hosts generally cap their guest list at around eight people. That's enough for a satisfying variety of treats to enjoy at the party as well as a manageable amount for everyone to take home at the end of the night.

Stack up several cookies right in the center of a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Fold the paper around your cookies like a gift package and tie it with a colorful ribbon. It's a festive way to wrap your cookies as gifts or to store them neatly in a container.

Have you heard of The Cookie Challenge? The rules are simple, but winning is difficult. To start, tilt your head back and place your favorite cookie on your forhead. In less than 60 seconds, can you navigate the cookie down your face and into your mouth - without using your hands.

Sit in a chair and lean your head back. Place a cookie in the center of your forehead, not touching the eyebrows. Use only your face to move the cookie from your forehead to your mouth. The cookie must remain in contact with your face, so you can't try to toss it from your forehead and catch it in your mouth.