topic Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them? in Kitchen

Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Mominohio — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 22:08:09 GMT

I've never been involved in a cookie exchange. Was wondering if anyone here has.

Did you enjoy it? Was it worth it? Were the other's offerings up to par with what you expected? Care to share exactly how it worked? Does it double as a 'party' or strictly gets down to the business of exchanging cookies?

Thanks for any input.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

YellowLabMom — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:13:27 GMT

I participated in my first cookie exchange this past weekend with the ladies at church. I REALLY enjoyed it. There were 11 ladies that participated (supposed to have been 12). We took six dozen cookies a piece. We each ended up taking six dozen cookies back home. That was a lot of cookies so I shared with friends and a neighbor. Everyone also brought copies of their recipes to give out. The only thing I would have changed would be for each person to have told the coordinator what kind of cookies they were bringing. There were two sets of cookies that were similar. I would definitely do again. We also had a luncheon as well.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:16:46 GMT

This is my third year in a cookie exchange. It's a lot of fun and we all enjoy ourselves.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

ValuSkr — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:20:49 GMT

On 12/8/2014 PamelaSue72 said:
This is my third year in a cookie exchange. But I'm sorry. I really don't want to go into a lot of detail about making cookies and exchanging them. Yes, it's a lot of fun and we all enjoy ourselves. But I don't need a bunch of people here telling us that it's unhealthy to accept gifts of food and they would throw the cookies out, etc. etc. etc. And that's what will happen.

LOL. That other thread is the first thing I thought of when I saw this. Oh well.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Havarti — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:27:28 GMT

PamelaSue72: If that is what you choose to do, with other people who also choose to participate, what is wrong with that? A cookie exchange is a great idea since everyone knows going into what it is all about, and everyone has fun in the process.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

debic — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:43:28 GMT

I think they're a lot of fun. The one's I've been to have been great. The person who hosts it generally has a small brunch. Some even have a door prize. Generally a cookie cookbook, decorated cake or something similar. Usually you take how many people come to decide how many cookies you bring. The more cookies, the more variety and amount you get.

Some bring gift bags and put one of each and give them as gifts to teachers, their mailmen, whoever. After the first one you learn to bring a container to pack them home in.

Some are really great, some are store bought and some not so good. It's all about getting together for me. I generally bring double what I should, 2 different kinds, always rosettes and something else. I also bring something for the host of the party.

I bring stuff like this.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Mominohio — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 06:18:46 GMT

On 12/8/2014 ValuSkr said:
On 12/8/2014 PamelaSue72 said:
This is my third year in a cookie exchange. But I'm sorry. I really don't want to go into a lot of detail about making cookies and exchanging them. Yes, it's a lot of fun and we all enjoy ourselves. But I don't need a bunch of people here telling us that it's unhealthy to accept gifts of food and they would throw the cookies out, etc. etc. etc. And that's what will happen.

LOL. That other thread is the first thing I thought of when I saw this. Oh well.

I was beyond fed up with the other thread. I guess as long as we don't invite those who just dump other's homemade goods into the garbage, we will all have a good time!

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Mominohio — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 06:26:23 GMT

I have always thought if you found a bunch of good bakers, it would be a really fun and labor saving thing to do. I think it would be fun to combine it with homemade candy as well, if people have good recipes and wish to bring that as well.

Does anyone ever pre package the cookies in fancy bags and such, then you just take a bag of each variety (kind of like a bake sale, but with decorative cellophane bags, tied up and labeled with seasonal ribbons and tags)? Or does everyone just bring them in big containers and trays and people assemble their own for take home? I would think it would be nice to have them packaged up already, and they could go home or to gifting or whatever without being handled so many times.

I have heard that some cookie exchanges have some pretty tight rules. No store bought or from a mix (or tub or tube) cookies. No cut out sugar cookies (too bad, that is one of my specialties, made with buttermilk, soft, thick and chewy). No regular cookies, like chocolate chips, they have to be holidayish. Anyone experience something like that, or have they been 'less formal'?

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 12:47:03 GMT

This year, I'm involved in two exchanges: one at work and one with my family. I think there are twelve of us now at work and it is a lot of fun. We do a bit of a brunch-type gathering, even with mimosas. And we have a blast. One of the ladies has it at her house, but we all help out with bringing foods and such, in addition to our cookies. She goes all out with decorating. Oh, and we even bring a little gift, for about $10.00 or so...all the gifts go onto a table and then each person chooses something. Each person gets one dozen cookies from every other person. No "regular" cookies, meaning no chocolate chip, no peanut butter. It has to be a holiday-type cookie, so peanut blossoms are OK (as they're decorated with colored sugar or shot), rolled cookies (I love making rolled cookies).

The one with my family has five of us now, but I think next year, we shall be adding two more people. That one is at my house and it's pretty much the same thing. I do a holiday brunch (ours is usually on a Thursday night, but brunch is still something nice for all of us, even if it is a weeknight; at least nobody has ever complained.

I always bag my cookies in pretty bags tied with red and green ribbon. I make up my own cookie tags so people know what kind of cookie it is (and I will include the recipe, so that they know there are nuts in the cookie or it's made with white flour, things like that. Many of us bag our cookies, but even regular freezer bags work.

The important thing is to have fun!

ETA: Bring an extra dozen of cookies for the table. So if there are 12 people, bring 13 dozen. That way you have 12 cookies for the table and you can enjoy some cookies with your "evening brunch".

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Stevie Nix — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:55:07 GMT

I participated in a few years of cookie exchange parties with neighbors several years ago. In the beginning it was great, cookies were great. But then the number of participants began expanding to "friends" of the neighbor's daughters and the cookie quality went down hill. Some of us made our time-consuming specialty cookies and the new-comers brought common cookies like choc. chip and sugar cookies from pre-packaged dough. The next year I bowed out and did not go back. The whole exchange may have gone away in later years.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 15:13:31 GMT

I know that, with our one at work, she's a little fussy, but I think that's why it works. She would like to know ahead of time, who is bringing what; that way, we don't have several people bringing the same thing. And she tells newcomers right out that you must make your own cookies (and not from store-bought dough) and that holiday-type cookies are expected. If people have questions, they can ask her. She's very careful. She doesn't mind cut-out sugar cookies, but they can't be from packaged refrigerated dough.

I usually do rolled-out cookies that I've decorated. Sometimes I'll do a spritz cookie, but since they're smaller cookies, I'll contribute more than a dozen. And they're decorated, too. I've made snowflakes from sugar cookie dough (my own, not packaged) and then put some snowflakes together with a chocolate frosting and edible glitter.

Somebody mentioned candy. I make almond brittle every year. Last year, instead of bringing an extra dozen cookies for the table, I brought a batch of almond brittle and a batch of seasoned pecans. They were a big hit.

Our family exchange is a little less formal. We do like to know ahead of time what people are bringing, again, so we don't have the same cookie. But pretty much any kind of cookie is OK, as long as there's no packaged dough; that's pretty much our only rule. I know that I'm making the snowflakes that I mentioned above. My nephew's GF's mother is making candy cane cookies. My niece is making chocolate pretzel cookies. And so on.

Debc, are those pictures from a party you had? They are such pretty cookies!

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

paShar — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 15:16:12 GMT

All of the cookie exchanges I've been involved in have been with smaller groups of people. You know in advance how many people would participate and you bring a dozen cookies for each. If there are 11 people besides yourself, you bring 11 dozen, already boxed or bagged. So, you go home with the same quantity you brought.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

daisyk — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 15:36:33 GMT

I went to one once and it was wasted on me as I don't care for many types of cookies. I'm kind of plain that way. If you like many cookies I think it can be a great thing. I like the idea someone mentioned of packing them individually. They didn't have that at the party I went to and you brought the cookies home mixed together and the flavors transferred. Yuck. I think you'd probably have fun.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Mominohio — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 16:26:06 GMT

On 12/9/2014 PamelaSue72 said:
I know that, with our one at work, she's a little fussy, but I think that's why it works. She would like to know ahead of time, who is bringing what; that way, we don't have several people bringing the same thing. And she tells newcomers right out that you must make your own cookies (and not from store-bought dough) and that holiday-type cookies are expected. If people have questions, they can ask her. She's very careful. She doesn't mind cut-out sugar cookies, but they can't be from packaged refrigerated dough.

I usually do rolled-out cookies that I've decorated. Sometimes I'll do a spritz cookie, but since they're smaller cookies, I'll contribute more than a dozen. And they're decorated, too. I've made snowflakes from sugar cookie dough (my own, not packaged) and then put some snowflakes together with a chocolate frosting and edible glitter.

Somebody mentioned candy. I make almond brittle every year. Last year, instead of bringing an extra dozen cookies for the table, I brought a batch of almond brittle and a batch of seasoned pecans. They were a big hit.

Our family exchange is a little less formal. We do like to know ahead of time what people are bringing, again, so we don't have the same cookie. But pretty much any kind of cookie is OK, as long as there's no packaged dough; that's pretty much our only rule. I know that I'm making the snowflakes that I mentioned above. My nephew's GF's mother is making candy cane cookies. My niece is making chocolate pretzel cookies. And so on.

Debc, are those pictures from a party you had? They are such pretty cookies!

I can certainly see where someone would want to kind of 'be in charge' and 'set some standards' so you don't have some folks slaving over really good holiday cookies and other just bringing store bought. And to let folks know up front what each person is bringing would be necessary to prevent repeats of the same cookies.

I've never belonged to a group (work, family, etc.) that did something like this. It seems that most groups I have been a part of have a significant number of people who don't cook or bake, and have no interest in the area of homemaking in general.

I'll just have to live vicariously through those of you who have these wonderful exchanges. Have fun and enjoy them this season!

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Madisson — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 16:47:15 GMT

Not anymore. Years ago I participated in cookie exchanges with a group of 8-9 friends. One year I was just too busy with my girls, my job, and the house to bake cookies before the cookie exchange, so I cheated. I bought the ones in the refrigerator case that you just slice and bake. Then I put some colored sugar on top. One of the gals couldn't make the cookie exchange because she was seriously ill. We decided to give her cookies anyway as we knew she would probably not be able to bake that Christmas. Long story short...she sent word that she liked my cookies best and wanted my recipe.

I do not participate in the exchange anymore, as my husband and I have seen some really poor food safety practices at a couple homes where we were guests for dinner or parties. We do not even buy food at bake sales. I know you never know what goes on behind the scenes at restaurants, but at least other employees are watching the way you handle food. In California, food handlers have to be certified in food safety practices.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

balogna — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 02:15:22 GMT

On 12/8/2014 mominohio said:
On 12/8/2014 ValuSkr said:
On 12/8/2014 PamelaSue72 said:
This is my third year in a cookie exchange. But I'm sorry. I really don't want to go into a lot of detail about making cookies and exchanging them. Yes, it's a lot of fun and we all enjoy ourselves. But I don't need a bunch of people here telling us that it's unhealthy to accept gifts of food and they would throw the cookies out, etc. etc. etc. And that's what will happen.

LOL. That other thread is the first thing I thought of when I saw this. Oh well.

I was beyond fed up with the other thread. I guess as long as we don't invite those who just dump other's homemade goods into the garbage, we will all have a good time!

I was just over there, when I saw what some of them wrote, I have to think twice do I bake my pumpkin bread for my neighbor and some co-workers. All I can say is WOW!!!!

Or should I ask my neighbor, " are you eating it or you going to throw it away?"

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

FastDogWalker2 — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 02:29:13 GMT

I participated in one years and years ago and it scared me off from ever doing it again! The hostess was quite ""strict"" and we had to use recipes that met her standards. It was too much pressure and not much fun for me - I am more of a ""casual"" baker I guess!

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

BootLvr — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 03:36:26 GMT

I just hosted one last weekend. It's only for family, and we're focused more on the getting-together part and less on the cookies themselves.

No one cares if someone bakes them or buys them, as long as they show up with cookies. Most people do make them fresh, but we have some elderly women who are not able to bake from scratch, but who are so excited to be invited. How can you say they can't come just because they're not able to bake the "acceptable" kinds of cookies? We just want to get together, swap stories, and enjoy the season. No one is penalized or excluded for something so trivial.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Mominohio — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 04:13:51 GMT

On 12/9/2014 BootLvr said:
I just hosted one last weekend. It's only for family, and we're focused more on the getting-together part and less on the cookies themselves.

No one cares if someone bakes them or buys them, as long as they show up with cookies. Most people do make them fresh, but we have some elderly women who are not able to bake from scratch, but who are so excited to be invited. How can you say they can't come just because they're not able to bake the "acceptable" kinds of cookies? We just want to get together, swap stories, and enjoy the season. No one is penalized or excluded for something so trivial.

Aww. I love that those that can't really contribute on the same level are included. I see with my mom getting older that she can't do what she once did, but needs to be included and needs to be needed. I think it would be great to be part of a family that was close enough to do this.

Re: Cookie exchanges. Anyone do them?

Mominohio — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 04:17:18 GMT

On 12/9/2014 balogna said:
On 12/8/2014 mominohio said:
On 12/8/2014 ValuSkr said:
On 12/8/2014 PamelaSue72 said:
This is my third year in a cookie exchange. But I'm sorry. I really don't want to go into a lot of detail about making cookies and exchanging them. Yes, it's a lot of fun and we all enjoy ourselves. But I don't need a bunch of people here telling us that it's unhealthy to accept gifts of food and they would throw the cookies out, etc. etc. etc. And that's what will happen.

LOL. That other thread is the first thing I thought of when I saw this. Oh well.

I was beyond fed up with the other thread. I guess as long as we don't invite those who just dump other's homemade goods into the garbage, we will all have a good time!

I was just over there, when I saw what some of them wrote, I have to think twice do I bake my pumpkin bread for my neighbor and some co-workers. All I can say is WOW!!!!

Or should I ask my neighbor, " are you eating it or you going to throw it away?"

balogna,

I'd be pleased as punch to have some of your pumpkin bread!

But some of the attitudes over there make you think twice about who you are giving to, doesn't it? I get that some people don't want to eat after those they don't know or that they perceive as dirty, but for heavens sake, the mean ways they think about it were quite eye opening.