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How To Host a Holiday Cookie Swap Party

The best gift exchange for bakers

Nothing warms the holiday season up like freshly baked cookies, which explains why Holiday Cookie Swap Parties are so popular right now! For us bakers, the best gift is definitely getting to share our delicious creations and favorite recipes with others. There’s nothing better than having a community of friends and fellow bakers who share the same passion for sweets.

This is where Holiday Cookie Swap Parties come in! They are exactly what they sound like - holiday parties with cookies! But instead of you hosting and doing all the baking (which can be super stressful - we get it), everyone brings their best recipe and you all exchange! It’s like a cookie potluck. The holiday season is all about having fun and staying merry so we’ve created our own How To Cake It holiday cookie swap party checklist with tons of ideas. All you have to do is invite your friends and get your best recipe ready!

Need more holiday baking ideas? Check out our Festive Buttercream Recipes Blog and More Fun with Gingerbread Blog for some inspiration

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Guest List

This is your party so you can invite whoever you want! Get friends, family, and co-workers in on the fun! It can also be as big or small as you want, but keep in mind - the more people there, the more cookies to share!

Treat Theme

It may be the holidays but you can still spice up the party theme. The most exciting part about the cookie swap party (besides spending time with everyone) is tasting all the treats! So why not add a fun little challenge and set a treat theme! Here are some ideas:

Merry Chocolatemas - all cookies have to have chocolate in them!
Mint to Be - all cookies have to incorporate mint (try the Candy Lane Cookies from our Holiday Hacks eBook)
Shape Fun - Each person is assigned a shape and has to make all their treats in that shape e.g. snowflakes, snowmen, or mittens
Can’t Top That! - The best gift you can give any baker is the freedom to add ALL the toppings they want. Start with our chocolate chip cookies and have everyone personalize them with their favorite toppings: peanut butter cups, sprinkles, pretzel pieces, crushed candy cane...the sky’s the limit!

*Spice it up and make everyone name their treat a fun and festive name.

TIP: to avoid repeating cookies, you can make sure everyone signs up for a certain treat.

Dress Code

Sometimes figuring out what to wear to a party can be stressful because you never know what anyone else is going to show up in so to alleviate that stress, try setting a dress code! You can even make it a contest for who dresses up for the theme the best (e.g. ugliest sweater)! Here are some of our ideas:

Ugly & Bright - a classic with no need for an explanation
Cozy Cookies - a cozy cookie party where only pajamas are welcome!
Sprinkles & Shimmer - everyone has to wear their most festive and glittery outfits!
Red, White, and Green - the only colors allowed to be worn (try this shirt for all three colors!)
Flannel & Frost - emphasize the true winter spirit in all things flannel (also a super warm option)

Holiday Graphic Tees - the punnier the tee, the better! (Our Cake Tee Club Membership comes with a punny t-shirt every month which would be perfect for this theme!)

To Go

Though there will be tons of snacking, there are definitely going to be tons of cookies left over. Prep some type of to-go container for everyone or maybe a cute holiday tin. You can use your crafty skills to also personalize each container for everyone or add their names to their bags using our super fun Mix ‘Em Up Stickers! They’re restickable, wipeable, and super cute! It’s like gift wrapping cookie loot bags!

Fa La La Tunes

The room will be filled with laughter and cheer but it’s always nice to set the mood with some good tunes and no one can resist a good Christmas karaoke here and there. This may even turn into an impromptu dance party which is our favorite way to burn off all the sugar energy! Throw together some of your favorite holiday songs and set the playlist to repeat so you don’t have to worry about it!

Personalize it

This is your party! The most important thing is that you and your guests have fun so add whatever flair you want to make it your own. Who knows, this could be a new tradition in the BAKING!

Final Party Supply Checklist

Festive decorations (like these super cute ornaments)
To-go containers (with cute personalized touches)
Plates and napkins
Beverages/refreshments

Now you’re all set to host your own Holiday Cookie Swap Party! At the end of the day, the best gift you can give any baker is the chance to share their love and passion for baking with others! So gather your friends and family, and let the cookie baking begin!

❤️🎄HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM HOW TO CAKE IT 🎄❤️

Can't get enough of all the holiday baking? Check out our Holiday Buttercreams Blog or More Fun with Gingerbread Blog .

Need some holiday gift inspiration? Check out our Bakers' Essentials Gift Guide as well as our Stocking Stuffers Gift Guide for some sweet ideas!