Looking for creative options for your cookie exchange? Keep reading!
Cookie exchanges are my favorite! They are such a fun part of the season and a close second to the lights that I see all around town. But what can be a disappointment is when you come home with a plate full of chocolate chip cookies and those snowballs that are a mysterious mixture of buttery powdered sugar.
Instead, come to impress! Here are some ideas for non-cookie alternatives for your cookie parties! They are all attainable, many no-bake, and kid-friendly!
Fudge
Fudge can be adapted so easily! And don’t be fooled because you can even make fudge in the microwave with just a few ingredients. Chocolate fudge can be made with just chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, butter, vanilla, and salt! Or, mix it up and try a white chocolate fudge with peppermint, cookie butter fudge, or mix the flavors together with chocolate and peanut butter.
Marshmallows
Again, another surprisingly easy-to-make treat! Flavors can be adapted through the choice of extract that you use, and you can easily color them. But honestly, any kind of homemade marshmallow is a huge treat in hot chocolate. They can stand on their own!
Buckeyes
A huge hit when I lived in Kentucky, buckeyes are a deliciously creamy peanut butter mix dipped in chocolate. As long as there are no peanut allergies to be concerned about, these will not last long! And the little ones will love to dip them in chocolate (and sprinkles, if you dare!).
Chocolate dipped pretzels
Sometimes you don’t want to do all the things. Buy some big pretzel rods, dip them or drizzle them with chocolate, and sprinkle away. They are so festive and look great amongst a mix of other festive treats.
Meringues
This one you have to bake, but they’re still an easy one. A combination of mostly egg whites and sugar, these bake up so light that they are a stellar contrast to the heavier treats.
Cookie Bars
Okay, these are arguably still cookies. BUT they can honestly be so easy compared to baking batches and batches of cookies! Instead, bake a few 9x13s and cut them to the size you need. You’ll be done in no time!
Homemade Candy
Caramels, nut candy, homemade peanut butter cups, peppermint patties, buttermints … These range from crock-pot-easy to somewhat labor-intensive, but they can be so fun for an afternoon seasonal activity.
Mini Tarts/Pies
Don’t tell anyone, but you can actually buy the shells pre-made and fill them with … anything really. If you want to go really easy, you can also buy a pre-made pie filling! No one will know and they will be pretty, unique, and yummy.
• When melting chocolate, don’t burn it! Duh, right? Microwave it in a bowl in small increments (30 seconds at half power), mixing between each.
• Put out sheets of wax paper or parchment paper to place your treats on while they set.
• If sprinkling, do your work on a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides) to contain the mess. Or consider using an ice cube tray if you want an assortment at the ready!
• Many flavors can be adapted with the use of different extracts, or consider mix-ins like chocolate chips or toffee. Additionally, dipping your treat in white, dark, or even ruby chocolate can add some jazz!
• Take your time. Baking in big batches can be tiring, and things can be sloppy if you try to do too much. Any of these can sit in an air tight container on the counter for many days, if not longer. Start ahead of time!
• Cookie dough itself can be frozen ahead of time and baked last minute!
What is your favorite holiday treat?
FAQs
The Idea: Talk about cozy, a hot chocolate party will give all your guests the warm and fuzzies. Guests can bring their favorite hot chocolate mix and hosts can provide the toppings. Or swap it and have the host make a base hot chocolate recipe and everyone brings their favorite topping.
What to bring to a cookie swap? ›
While cookie exchanges typically involve batches of homemade cookies, you can incorporate other delicious treats into your evening. Consider making peppermint brownies, reindeer brownies, or chocolate peppermint bark. You can also include pecan date bars or peanut butter chocolate bars to mix things up.
How do you make a successful cookie exchange party? ›
5 Cookie Exchange Party Tips for Easy Planning
- Create Your Guest List.
- Send Your Invitations.
- Choose Cookie Recipes and Other Food Items.
- Set Up the Decor.
- Arrange Entertainment.
- Holiday Cookie Swap Invitation.
- Festive and Geometric Invitation.
- Cookie Swap Plate Invitation.
Remember, the party is about tasting and sampling the cookies but also about each guest bringing some home to enjoy with the rest of their family later. 2 dozen per guest is a good minimum so everyone has a few to bring home. 6 dozen is a good maximum if everyone wants lots of cookies to take home.
What are healthier alternatives to cookies? ›
10 Healthy Alternatives To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
- Fruit. Fruit is nature's candy, after all! ...
- Greek Yogurt. Start with plain yogurt (no added flavors or sugars) and then build up from there. ...
- Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream. ...
- Chia Pudding. ...
- Low-sugar Popsicles. ...
- Nut Butter. ...
- Baked Pears or Apples. ...
- Chocolate Dipped Banana Bites.
It's a great way to discover new cookie recipes to add to your holiday baking! Tip: Guests attending a cookie exchange should bring a gift for the party host.
What will replace cookies? ›
What Are the Best Alternatives to Third-party Cookies? First-party data, device fingerprints, contextual targeting, mobile advertising IDs, and Universal IDs are some of the best alternatives to third-party cookies. Choosing the right one from among these depends on your business needs and publishing strategy.
How to package cookies for a cookie exchange? ›
We do the prepackaged method of swapping cookies. We each bring 3 cookies for each person attending. These are wrapped in saran wrap, baggies, etc. Then we each place a container on the countertop and take turns walking around and putting our packages of cookies in each container.
What is the cookie exchange tradition? ›
Cookie exchanges are a centuries-old tradition dating back to medieval times. The classic idea is of a holiday party in which guests bring a selection of homemade cookies to trade with one another.
What can I use to gift cookies? ›
The easiest way to package cookie gifts is using the method like they use to wrap candy. You simply take a piece of cellophane, put the cookies in and twist the ends.
Everyone should bring enough cookies so that each guest gets to take home at least two of each kind. For 12 guests, there should be two dozen of each cookie. As each guest arrives, offer to take the cookies so you can arrange them nicely on your main table.
How many cookies to give as a gift? ›
Four is a good number to start with for an individual. Many cookie recipes, including my Hershey Kiss Cookie recipe, make 48 cookies. That's 12 potential gifts right there!
What is the first party cookie strategy? ›
Their primary function is to support a positive user experience by recognizing returning users and their preferences. They also allow site owners to perform analytics and develop effective digital advertising campaigns. First party cookie examples include: Passwords, language settings, and other preferences.
How to do a fun cookie exchange? ›
Tips for hosting a fun cookie swap party
- Create your guest list. ...
- Make the rules. ...
- Decide on a theme. ...
- Send out the invites. ...
- Check RSVPs. ...
- Bake the cookies. ...
- Share the recipe. ...
- Prepare some snacks and drinks.
Set a Menu of Other Snacks and Drinks
Have some simple appetizers and beverages on hand during the cookie swap. Consider non-sweet dishes like vegetable dips or finger sandwiches since you'll probably be nibbling on cookies.
What is the ideal number for a cookie exchange? ›
Christmas cookie swap parties usually work best with groups of 8-12 guests. You'll want to keep your guest list modest so it's easier to keep track of who's bringing what.
What to give instead of Christmas cookies? ›
Healthier Alternatives To Christmas Cookies
- Fruit Candy Canes. Fresh fruit is an undeniably sweet treat that acts as a great substitute to treats riddled with white sugar. ...
- Strawberry Santa. ...
- Reindeer Sticks. ...
- Grinch Kabobs. ...
- Flavored Holiday Popcorn. ...
- Chocolate-Dipped Clementines.
Certain foods and beverages, such as fruit, yogurt, sweet potatoes, and smoothies, may help reduce sugar cravings. Foods that contain whole grains, fiber, and protein may also keep you feeling fuller longer.
What is an alternative to cookie banner? ›
Legal Cookie Wall Alternative: Cookie Consent Managers
We recommend you use a consent manager because a cookie banner alone is not enough for your website or app to comply with laws like the GDPR and the CCPA.
What is the alternative to cookies for authentication? ›
Cookieless authentication, also known as token-based authentication, is a technique that leverages JSON web tokens (JWT) instead of cookies to authenticate a user. It uses a protocol that creates encrypted security tokens.
Get rid of cookie warnings from almost all websites
The best alternatives to I Dont Care About Cookies are Hush for Safari, Super Agent, and CookieServe.
What is the same site cookie option? ›
SameSite prevents the browser from sending this cookie along with cross-site requests. The main goal is to mitigate the risk of cross-origin information leakage. It also provides some protection against cross-site request forgery attacks. Possible values for the flag are none , lax , or strict .
