Prepare

by Jamie Lothridge

A cookie party can be a great way to gather some of your favorite people during the holiday season. What's better than filling your home with friends, family and cookies, all while checking off a few items from your personal holiday baking to-do list?

Don't know where to begin? I've got you covered! I'm here to ensure your holiday cookie party is a sweet success.

The Theme

Getting together with great family and friends surrounded by delicious appetizers, festive holiday-themed drinks and dozens of homemade cookies is pretty much my idea of holiday party perfection. If you choose to have a party theme, try something simple like an “Ugly Holiday Sweater” contest, or a decade-themed party where everyone dresses appropriately (hello, 50s chic!).

The Invites

Much like any party that you host, you need to start your planning process with a guest list. A good rule of thumb is to invite no more than 8 to 10 people because every guest should be asked to bring up to a dozen holiday treats per person, plus an additional dozen for sampling.

Because holiday cookie parties are becoming such a popular holiday tradition, beautiful invitations can be found on many websites. To save time and money, you can also send invites via email, Facebook or simply create your own.

Make sure you include an RSVP date on your invitations. It’s also a good idea to encourage attendees to bring homemade savory items to share and find out what type of cookies they’ll be bringing in advance to prevent duplicates. Although I’m obsessed with sugar cookies, it’s not much of an exchange if all of your friends bring sugar cookies to the party!

The Decor

Small display cards are the perfect way to detail the cookie varieties and let your guests know who created each item. Display cards can also be used to alert guests of common food allergy ingredients, such as nuts.

I prefer to keep the décor simple by utilizing inexpensive, rustic elements such as pinecones, garland, branches, small holiday tree bulbs and tea light candles. You can keep costs down by heading outside and borrowing some these items straight from Mother Nature. If you prefer to purchase your décor items, be sure to keep your eyes open for great coupons from popular craft stores. This is a fabulous way to score decorating elements at up to 50% off and you’ll be able to use them at your annual cookie party for many years to come.

Prepare

by Shelly Jaronsky

It’s that time of year again when everyone is baking. It’s awesome, isn’t it? Well, the perfect way to share the cookie love with family and friends is with a holiday cookie party! It’s a great way to share your favorite cookies for the holidays and also take away new recipes. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite!

Hosting a cookie party can really be great fun. But as we all know, hosting any party requires proper preparation.

The idea of a cookie party is that each guest bakes their favorite cookies, making enough so that each person at the party can bring three cookies home with them. So if you have a party of 10, each guest will need to bring at least 30 cookies. I recommend bringing another extra dozen for sampling!

Here are a few things to consider while planning your party:

The Theme

Decide what kind of cookie party you want to host. Do you want everyone to bring a favorite batch of holiday cookies? Or you can host a “best-of” competition, where each guest brings favorite different versions of one type, say…a chocolate chip cookie… and votes for the best. There are a few ways to throw the party and all are great fun!

The Invitations

After you’ve determined the type of party, you will need to send out invitations. I recommend capping the guest list at 20 people. I have found any more people than that gets way too confusing! There are many great websites for creating online invitations: a quick web search and you can easily create customized invitations that are cute and unique. I love Paperless Post. Here’s an example:

Some other things to consider before sending out your invitations:

Make sure to include the cookie party theme on the invitation and ask everyone to bring printed recipe cards to pass out to all of the guests. The idea is that friends and family will take home some delicious cookies and also the recipes to make them on their own!

• Also include on the invitation whether or not you would like your guests to bring take-away boxes, so they will have a container to take home all of their cookies. Another option is to provide boxes or containers for your guests as party favors.
• You can even include on your invitation a source for your guests to buy recipe cards. It’s certainly not necessary, but personalized recipe cards are a sweet touch. Here’s an example of recipe cards I love: Invitation Consultants.
• Make sure to give your guests enough time to prepare for the party. I recommend sending invitations 4-6 weeks in advance.
• You’ll only need to set the party for about two hours. A weekday evening is a great time to have it, so you’re not conflicting with weekends or family time. Also, decide in advance whether you want to invite families with kids or have it be a “Ladies Only” affair. Be sure to include this on the invitation.
• When guests RSVP, ask that they include what type of cookie they will be bringing, so you can have place cards ready and help avoid duplicates.

Now that you have your party theme decided and your invitations sent, you’re almost all set! Over the next few weeks you’ll need to pick up decorations and favors and start to think about other foods to serve at the party. I recommend savory appetizers – with all the sweetness, everyone will enjoy a little savory to balance their palates!