Christmas Cookie Baking Party?

[Julie O]

Most of my friends are too busy to bake the number of cookies you have to make for a cookie exchange. So I thought it would be fun to do a cookie baking and decorating party this year. Has anyone ever done anything like this before? I have two wall ovens and plenty of counterspace to comfortably have 8 people over. One thing I'm wondering is whether I should just do the decorating part at the party. I just thought it would be fun to bake together!

[Member10000]

I guess it could work, but that's just too many people in my kitchen at once, for me. I'm more of a loner cook/baker.

[KellyD]

I think it sounds like a great idea!! I'd probably make up the dough ahead of time, but not bake the cookies. Plus, you'd probably want a mixture of cookie types - not all decorated. Also sounds like a good excuse for a big pot of mulled wine!!

[funnybone]

Unless everyone brings a mixer and you have tons of counter space, it could be a disaster to have everyone in there at once. I agree with having the dough made ahead of time or just decorating the cookies. Even with two ovens, there is only so much you can bake at a time. I have two ovens and just with myself in there, it can get pretty hectic and messy so I have to agree with Member10000 on her views to some extent.

Have fun though.

[gertdog]

I agree with the other comments- I'd make the dough ahead of time at least. But the smell of baking cookies is so nice and festive, I'd want to bake at least one of the batches while my guests were there!

If you want to do cutout cookies, you could roll out dough in advance to the size of a sheet pan, and then stack sheets of dough between layers of parchment or waxed paper. Then your guests could cut out shapes for baking.

Sounds like a fun idea!

[AzAnne]

This has been a holiday tradition at our house for the past 18 yrs !

The kids still look forward to this, even though they are now in their 20's. Each of the kids would invite a couple of friends, nieces, nephews and neighborhood kids. DH, yes DH makes the dough ahead of time and then bakes a couple of dozen prior to the kids arrival.

Since the tradition is "cutout" cookies he also waits and has the kids create more. Decorating is a thing to behold :eek:. Colored frosting, jimmies, red-hots and sprinkles. Each child leaves w/ a dozen uniquely decorated cookies :D


This is also the day I choose to go on a very long shopping trip :o

[schuh]

I do think you're on the right track. A lot of people don't have much time to do baking and the assortment from a cookie exchange can be pathetic.

I think a general cookie baking party could be a logistical nightmare, though, because cookies bake at various temperatures, etc.

I like the idea of you having the dough made and then everyone cutting/decorating their own. Or you could forego the baking and just have a cookie decorating party.

[Terri-Lynn]

My girlfriends and I do this every year, we got tired of the selection and work that went into cookie exchanges so they bring their blenders, cookie sheets, cooling racks, cookie tins, and ingredients and recipes to my house we double all recipes and then split them between us. The hardest thing we find is fighting for oven space, most cookies bake at 350 but we usually have the most back up waiting for pans of cookies to go in.

It takes us about 5 hours and we all make 3 kinds of cookies, we usually have the christmas music blasting and stop for a nice lunch.

This is by far one of my fondest christmas traditions.

Terri

[Kathy B]

You could do a couple of things to help avoid the oven crunch.

1. Bake the cutout cookies ahead, and decorate those at the party.

2. Make several kinds of dough ahead to shape and bake at the party.

3. Then consider making other kinds of treats that don't use the oven or don't use it for very long. For example, you could dip pretzels in almond bark (uses microwave only), make peanut brittle, fudge or other stove top candies, or make those pretzel rings where you put a chocolate kiss on the pretzel and pop it in the oven for just a few minutes to soften, then press an M&M into the center.

You could divide your friends up into pairs or groups of 4 and give them a mix of things to work on so that each group has some things to bake and some that don't need the oven.

I think this would be a lot of fun! Enjoy it!

[Terri-Lynn]

Forgot to mention that we always try to do a no bake cookie or square or one that is done over the stove as opposed to oven baked.

Good luck

Terri