Everyone loves Christmas cookies during the holidays. What’s better than one batch of cookies? How about several batches of different cookies! Why not host your own cookie swap this holiday. Here are some of the 40 best Christmas Cookie Exchange Recipes with easy ideas perfect for cookie swaps.
What is a cookie exchange party?
A cookie exchange party, also called a cookie swap, is just what it sounds like. It’s a party or gathering where each guest brings cookies to exchange or swap with others. At the end of the party you go home with a big platter or container with lots of different holiday cookies.
It’s a way to share your favorite cookie recipes, spend time with family and friends while leaving with enough cookies to last you during the busy holiday season.
This type of party is a great idea because you only make one type of cookie to bring to the party. When you leave you go home with a wide variety of cookies. Perfect when you are looking to enjoy different holiday cookies and don’t want to bake them all yourself.
Plus it’s a great chance to enjoy spending time with your family and friends. This type of party is so much fun for everyone. For some great tips on hosting your own cookie exchange check out the FAQ section (below) found after the list of cookie recipes.
Snowman Cookies Recipe (Cake Mix Cookies)
Looking for a super simple treat to serve for the holidays or to add to your holiday cookie tray? Then add this super cute Snowman Cookies recipe made with cake mix to your cookie exchange list.
Get the recipe here
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Soft sugar cookies topped with sweet icing for a cute and festive cookie that can be decorated to your liking. These Christmas sugar cookies are the perfect addition to any holiday baking list!
Get the recipe here
Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies
These Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies are comprised of a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie base topped with real crushed candy canes.
Get the recipe here
Costco Raspberry Crumble Cookies
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make, these
raspberry crumble cookies are perfect for Christmas. They are similar to linzer cookies only topped with added crumble.
Get the recipe here
Classic Christmas Snowball Cookies Recipe
These Classic Christmas Snowball Cookies recipe have a delicious buttery, nutty, melt in your mouth flavor that make them an irresistible holiday treat. Perfect to include in a cookie swap. These cookies have been called different names including Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, Butter Balls and Pecan Snowball Cookies. No matter what you call them you will call this classic Christmas cookie delicious.
Get the recipe here
Irresistible Fruitcake Cookies
These irresistible Fruitcake Cookies will blow your mind with incredible flavor & soft texture. The perfect Christmas cookie recipe for exchanges & parties.
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Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies
Start with a box of brownie mix to make these easy cookies. Adding a peppermint kiss gives them the perfect holiday flavor!
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Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
These slice-and-bake Cranberry Orange Shortbread cookies are always a favorite with friends and family. Keep a log of dough in the freezer, and you'll have delicious, buttery shortbread cookies in minutes.
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No Bake Christmas Wreath Cookies
No Bake Christmas Wreath Cookies are made with just three ingredients. An easy and fast cookie recipe for the holiday. Great for a cookie swap plate or decorating baked goods.
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Italian Cookies (Vanilla or Anisette)
These Italian Cookies have a soft texture thanks to a secret ingredient! Flavor them with vanilla or anise.
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Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies
These chewy molasses cookies are a classic – for good reason. Bonus: this makes a huge batch, perfect for cookie swaps!
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Grinch Snowball Cookies
These Grinch Snowball Cookies are buttery, delicious, and packed full of chopped pistachios and cranberries for a holiday treat that everyone will love…even Mr. Grinch!!
Get the recipe here
Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies
Don't forget cookies for your gluten free family and friends. These gluten-free Christmas cookies are what holiday dreams are made of. They're chewy with crispy edges and perfect for gifts.
Get the recipe here
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies
The best Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies that are grain-free, refined sugar-free, and absolutely delicious! A slightly crispy, buttery cookie base with your choice of jam filling makes these an irresistible pop-in-your-mouth holiday dessert!
Get the recipe here
Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies
Festive and unique green Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie tray. Meringues are easy with this recipe.
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Christmas Meringue Pops Set
These super festive Christmas Meringue pops will wow your friends and family! They are the perfect addition to your Christmas Cookie Swap or to add to your dessert table at your holiday table.
Get the recipe here
Christmas Cowboy Cookies {easy no chill recipe}
These Christmas cowboy cookies are sure to be your new favorite Christmas treat. They’re the perfect cookie to bring to holiday parties or gift to neighbors and friends.
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Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
These sprinkle sugar cookies are soft, chewy, bright, and sure to stand out on any cookie platter! They are so delicious plus
easy to make with simple ingredients and no chilling the dough necessary.
Get the recipe here
White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
One of the best holiday flavor combinations is white chocolate and peppermint! They pair together perfectly with these soft and chewy cookies. These are so delicious yet fun and festive. White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies are quick and easy to make, making them perfect for a holiday cookie party or a special after school snack for the kids.
Get the recipe here
Melted Snowman Cookies
Melted Snowman Cookies are an adorably sweet
treat for the holiday season. Buttery classic sugar cookies are topped with a simple royal icing and decorated to look like darling little snowmen.
Get the recipe here
No Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you're fresh out of butter with a hankering for cookies, no butter cookies are for you! They have crispy edges, chewy middles, and plenty of chocolate chips. These butterless cookies use vegetable oil instead of butter with delicious results.
Get the recipe here
Poinsettia Cookies
These Poinsettia Cookies are perfect Christmas cookies! Cherry flavored sugar cookie dough shaped into poinsettia flowers. These unique cookies are so easy to make and a great holiday dessert recipe for a cookie swap exchange.
Get the recipe here
Maraschino Cherry Cookies
These fluffy, buttery, sweet cookies have a hint of almond, the taste of sweet cherries, and chocolate. They are the picture-perfect combination of sweet and tart and are so easy to make. Plus, they’re perfect for not only the holiday but also year-round!
Get the recipe here
Chocolate Dipped Biscotti
Chocolate dipped biscotti are made with toasted almonds and flavored with fresh orange zest. These homemade Italian cookies are perfect with a cup of coffee or during the holiday season!
Get the recipe here
Crock-Pot No Bake Cookies Recipe
No oven is required to make these simple No Bake Cookies in your slow cooker! Just 7 ingredients and a Crock-Pot and you have delicious cookies perfect for the holidays!
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Stained Glass Cookies
Stained Glass Cookies are a Christmas classic. Rolled sugar cookies are cut out and filled with crushed Jolly Rancher candies. As the cookies bake, the candies melt, creating a stained glass effect. Perfect for your holiday cookie exchange.
Get the recipe here
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
These Peppermint Mocha Cookies are crisp, chewy,
chocolatey cookies with hints of espresso and peppermint! A delicious cookie for your next holiday cookie swap.
Get the recipe here
Lemon Sugar Cookies
These Lemon Sugar Cookies are simple, lemony perfection!! Crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle, and with fantastic lemon flavor, you won't be able to stop at one!
Get the recipe here
Christmas Light Cookies (2 Ways)
A classic sugar cookie with candy decorations that look just like festive light strands, these gorgeous Christmas light cookies will be the star of any holiday cookie spread!
Get the recipe here
Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting
These hot chocolate cookies with marshmallow buttercream frosting are a super fun update on the traditional hot chocolate drink! Plus, they are VERY easy, using a hack from Toll House cookie dough.
Get the recipe here
Easy Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
These old-fashioned Christmas pinwheel cookies are soft, delicious, and really fun to make! They’re so colorful, Christmassy, and deserve to be in everyone’s Christmas cookie exchange boxes this year!
Get the recipe here
Easy Gingersnap Recipe Like Grandma Made
These old fashioned ginger snaps are budget-friendly and delicious. They make a great cookie to include in a cookie
exchange.
Get the recipe here
Oreo Dipped Christmas Cookies
These Oreo dipped Christmas cookies are fun to
make and so cute. Are always a huge hit with the kiddos.
Get the recipe here
Chocolate Cherry Crinkle Cookies
This cherry chocolate crinkle cookies recipe is perfect for anyone who loves the combination of cherry and chocolate! These adorable red and white cookies are super chewy. A great addition to your Christmas treat rotation!
Get the recipe here
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Pillowy brown sugar and spice whoopie pies sandwiched between a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. These are perfect if you like the flavor of gingerbread without the crunch!
Get the recipe here
Cinnamon Roll Cookies With Cream Cheese Glaze
These Cinnamon Roll Cookies with Cream Cheese Glaze are a fun twist on a classic treat! A great option for your Christmas cookie swap, everyone will love these delicious desserts!
Get the recipe here
Easy Cake Mix Christmas Cookies Recipe (Only 5 Ingredients)
Have you ever used a cake mix to make cookies?
This cake mix Christmas cookies recipe is the easiest cookie recipe I know with just 5 simple ingredients and very little clearing up!
Get the recipe here
Cookie Butter Cookies
Easy soft cookie butter cookies. This quick recipe for speculoos flavored cookies made with spreadable cookie butter are a
perfect cookie swap treat!
Get the recipe here
Peanut Butter Cookie Variations
Make crispy, soft or stuffed peanut butter cookies using this delicious recipe. Instructions for variations are included!
Get the recipe here
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Soft and chewy chocolate cookies bursting with M&Ms. Customize with your favorite candy!
Get the recipe here
Christmas Cookie Exchange Recipes and Party Tips
Start by deciding what kind of cookie exchange party you want to throw. Do you want to bring a dozen cookies for each person at the party? A half dozen? Some other number?
Knowing how many cookies you want people to make will give you an idea of how many people to invite.
If you are baking a dozen cookies for each person then you may want to limit the number of people who attend your party. Usually 5 to 8 people is a good number. Each person will need to bake a few batches of cookies but you won’t get stuck baking for days.
You could even make this a cookie dough exchange party. Many types of cookie dough can be easily frozen. Each guest can be given a container of cookie dough or a roll of premade dough to bake their own cookies at home during the Christmas season or any time they want fresh baked cookies.
I love to scoop out cookie dough, place it on a baking sheet and freeze the scoops for an hour. Once they are firm I place all the frozen scoops into a freezer bag (write the baking temperature and baking time on the bag) and freeze until you are ready to bake some fresh cookies.
One month before the party:
Keep in mind the holidays can be a very busy time of the year. You can make your cookie exchange party as long or short as you want. Go longer and serve snacks or even lunch. Go shorter and serve coffee, tea or hot chocolate and a few treats for everyone to nibble on while they swap cookies. Everyone can visit and the party can be wrapped up in less than 2 hours. The choice is up to you.
Start by making up your guest list.
Send out invitations early enough so guests have time to plan and respond. If you have guests who can’t attend this will allow you to invite additional people if desired. At this time of year everyone is busy so you want to make sure people will have time to attend cookie exchange parties.
Include information about the party:
- Time and place
- Number of cookies to be swapped
- Ideas on how to package cookies
- How the cookie exchange will work. Set up your cookie exchange rules
Include information on the type of cookie exchange you will be doing including the number of cookies to make for each person attending the party.
Cookies should be packaged up for each person to make the swapping easy. Try placing cookies on a plate (or paper plate) and wrap with plastic wrap. Package cookies in plastic bags or food storage bags. You can also use plastic storage containers and there are often many types available during the holidays that are decorated for the season.
Decide if you want people to share their cookie recipes. You can share the recipes several ways. Each person can bring enough copies of their recipe to share at the cookie exchange or you can collect the recipes by email to send a copy out to everyone who attended. Your guests will enjoy having a copy of all the delicious recipes.
Set up your cookie exchange rules. Will you have everyone put their cookies on a table and each person will pick one from the pile? Or will you have people pass out their cookie packages perhaps will giving a little information about their cookie.
Two weeks before the party:
Follow up on the invitations. Reach out to guests who you haven’t heard from at this point. You’ll want to give the other guests time to shop for ingredients as well as time to bake their cookies.
Collect the cookie recipes from guests if you will be sending out a group email with all of them.
Make a list for needed party supplies. If you are serving drinks and food or want to decorate then you will want to decide on the final list of items you will need. If you are decorating you can begin picking those items up now. Make sure to have some kind of bags or even boxes available for your guests to pack all their cookies into so they can take them home.
One week before the party:
If you are serving food and drinks now is the time to shop for supplies. If you are also making cookies for the exchange party you will also want to pick up ingredients to make them when you are shopping.
1 or 2 days before the party:
Bake your cookies and, depending upon what you plan to serve you can begin to prep some of these items.
If you are serving cold drinks now would be the time to pick up a bag of ice.
1 day before the party or the morning of the party:
Put up your decorations. Set up any tables needed for the cookie exchange. Finish getting any food or drinks ready.
During the party:
You can serve up light snacks, finger foods or even more filling dishes. It all depends upon how you want to run your cookie exchange. It can be a quick gathering or one that lasts a bit longer so guests can spend time chatting with each other.
A holiday cookie exchange is a great way to share some amazing Christmas cookie recipes while being able to spend a little time with family and friends. It can become a new family tradition that everyone can enjoy each year.
If you are looking for some easy to make recipes for the holidays then you may enjoy these:
Easy Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Chicken Piccata
Shrimp Fajita Rice Bowl
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