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Hosting a cookie exchange is not only a great way to get your holiday baking done, but it is a great way to have a relaxing day amongst your hectic holiday schedule; not to mention a variety of home baked treats to add to your holiday enjoyment.
The first thing you will need to do is find some other willing participants. I generally make phone calls to friends and family to see if they may be interested. Or check with co-workers, this can be done at work or by a group or organization. Or you can send out invitations, just make sure to include an RSVP with your invite. You will need to know the number of people wanting to be included in your exchange.
Once you have determined the amount of participants, you will have to let everyone know how many cookies they are supposed to bring to the exchange. The ratio is generally 1 dozen cookies per participant. But if you happen to have a large number of participants, you can cut the number to ½ dozen. I have also had people get together to do their baking and split the dozen cookies between them. This works great for small families or couples.
Next pick a date for your get together. Please be sure to give your friends plenty of time to get their cookies or other treats baked. Especially if they are going to have to bake a lot of cookies. I try to give them at least three weeks, so you will want to start planning plenty of time in advance.
You will also want to have your guests bring an extra dozen cookies to serve the day of the get together. That way all you will have to supply is beverages.
Have your guests arrive at a specific time. You can either have them split their cookies up for each individual, or just bring them in a large container, which ever you feel will be easier. Cookies already separated can just be put on a styrofoam plate and covered with foil or plastic wrap. Or even use doughnut boxes or other containers from the bakery. Before your guests arrive set up areas in which for them to deposit the cookies, both to be exchanged and to be eaten.
For the cookies to be exchanged, be sure to keep them separate. If need be put a little label with each persons’ cookies, so you will know who’s are who’s.
Set the cookies that your guests have brought along to be eaten, out on an attractive platter along with coffee, tea and punch. Let them help themselves to cookies and beverages, while you and another assigned guest start dividing up the cookies.
If your guests have individually done the cookies up into separate containers, this step will be very simple. All you will need to do is give each person a pack of cookies from each individual. Of course if they have brought their cookies in a large container this step will take a bit longer. Just make sure each person gets the allotted amount of cookies (for example 1 dozen) from each person that brought cookies to the exchange. Everyone should have a dozen cookies from each participant. Be sure to have some extra styrofoam plates and tin foil on hand.
After you are done separating the cookies, you will have time to visit and have refreshments with your guests. I usually try to have my party about a week before Christmas, on Sunday afternoon. This way the cookies will be fresh for any get-together’s that your guests may be having. And it is also an afternoon for your guests to get away from holiday stress. An afternoon to spend relaxing, visiting and having refreshments will really take away some of the stress we encounter close to the holidays.
It will also relieve a little of the pressure of having to bake many different types of holiday cookies. Your group can even go so far as to assign each person a different type of cookie to bake, so you won’t have everyone making the same kind.
I have also included several of my group’s favorite cookie recipes for you to try.
COCONUT MACAROONS
2 egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups coconut
Beat egg whites with vanilla and salt till soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating till stiff, but not dry. Fold in coconut. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes. Immediately move cookies to racks. Makes 18 cookies.
GINGERSNAPS
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
Cream together shortening, sugar, molasses and egg until light and fluffy. Stir together dry ingredients; stir into the molasses mixture till blended. Form into small balls. Roll in sugar and place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 about 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
½ cup shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg white
finely chopped nuts
Combine the first 6 ingredients. Roll into 1 inch balls, dip in slightly beaten egg white and then roll in finely chopped nuts. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 5 minutes. Now dent each cookie in the center with your thumb. Bake for 8 more minutes. Fill each dent with jam or colored icing.
SEVEN LAYER COOKIES
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick oleo
Melt the oleo and mix with the crumbs. Pat into a 9 x 13 inch pan and bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes.
Now top with;
1 layer butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1 layer chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
Pour over a can of condensed milk over all. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
I hope this gives you an idea for not only a get together, but a way in which to get your holiday baking done quicker and easier. Also don’t limit yourself to cookies only, if you have a wonderful candy or bread maker in your group, those items can be exchanged also. Say a loaf of bread, for a dozen cookies. For those that don’t make home made bread, that would be an excellent deal. Most of all, enjoy your afternoon, and your friends, relax, and take time to relieve a little stress!
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