One of my favorite elements of the holiday season is the Caramelized Cookie Swap! The annual gathering is, in my opinion, now officially a “tradition” (three times a charm, eh?), and this year I broadened the invitation to the Memphis community with Sweet LaLa’s Bakery. Darling custom cookies from the bakery were displayed as I demo’ed hosting tips to about three dozen women. For those of you who couldn’t join us, I’m here to share the secrets to a seamless desserts-focused potluck for November or December. Scroll and share your own tips with me!
Photos by Christen Jones
SET A DATE
First things first, set a date — don’t hold yourself back because of a “what if” or “I can’t”! Far too often, we aim to perfect every detail first before feeling comfortable enough to share. In this case, you have nothing to hide! Get the date on your calendar, gather a guest list (which allows for flexibility in potluck/cookie swap format), and you’re essentially set.
The best part of a cookie swap? As host, you don’t have to bake! I am not a strong baker, so I put my tablescape skills to work, open the champagne, and let my friends do the work for me (ha!). Bonus? I end up with over a dozen holiday sweets to indulge in over the course of that week (if they even last that long).
OPEN YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS TO DECORATE
Don’t stress over flowers and frills! Use baking tools from your own kitchen collection to decorate the tabletop. From cookie cutters and cookie press disks to rolling pins and cooling racks, textures from your own pantry can cleverly complement the array of homemade sweets.
CREATE LAYERS
A dozen plates along a display table will look delicious, but why not add some height and layering to achieve a bolder look? Use cake stands or tiered trays if you have them; and if you don’t, grab a stack or two of cookbooks!
ASSIGN COOKIES BY INGREDIENT
I’m a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies, but I know my guests would be disappointed if four out of ten cookie choices were the same! For cookie swaps — and any style potluck, for that matter — I advise to assign by ingredient! Your guests will be given the creative freedom to finalize a recipe that spotlights one signature ingredient, leaving little room for redundancy. Here are some ideas of ingredients to get you started:
Pistachio
Pumpkin
Butterscotch
Dark Chocolate
Rainbow Sprinkle
Cinnamon
BAKE ENOUGH!
If you’re inviting a dozen friends, request they each bake 2 dozen: 1 dozen for taking home in a tin (keep scrolling for that component) and 1 dozen for sampling on the spot. It’s too torturous to set out a table full of cookies and not make enough for friends to try!
CHALK IT OUT
A chalk table runner not only accounts for easy clean-up, but it provides a platform to effortlessly label each cookie in its place. As guests arrive and hand you their dish of baked delicacies, pick a spot and write the title of the cookie right next-door. Labeling is key at a potluck, but there’s no need to do the work too far in advance.
ACCOUNT FOR THE TAKE-HOME TIN
A perfect party favor and functional feature, take-home tins are critical for your guests to get their cookie swap goodies home safely! Sweet LaLa’s sourced adorable ceramic cookie jars this year; in the past, I’ve grabbed bread pans and cake tins from the Dollar Store to gift. Don’t forget cellophane and ribbon if required, as well as a way to label each guests’ box! Tags or stickers are a simple and appreciated detail to have on-hand.
A SAVORY (AND BUBBLY) SUPPLEMENT
You’ll find yourself with too much time on your hands if your only purpose (though an important one) is to swap cookies! Consider an additional food + drink display depending on the time of day of your cookie swap. Mimosas and a top-your-own oatmeal bar hit a home run during a previous brunch-time gathering; in this case for happy hour, we set out a brie + smoked onion jam bite with sparkling wine!
Create an interactive component
Shmoozing and swapping are why you’re getting together, but why not add another element of DIY fun? Whether using the cookies themselves to make ice cream sandwiches or whoopee pies, or adding another craft or cooking activity, your guests will appreciate learning or participating in something new and unexpected. We loved dipping marshmallows in chocolate and holiday appropriate toppings, such as crushed peppermint, graham cracker, and white snowflake sprinkles.
Cheers to a beautiful holiday season full of sweets and special gatherings and swaps!
