This list of the 20 Best Christmas Cookie Exchange Recipes includes all of our favorite cookie recipes! Hosting or attending a cookie exchange is so much fun to do during the christmas season.
While people generally lean towards gingerbread cookies, candy canes and linzer cookies this list of 20 recipes brings you easy recipes that are sure to be a hit among your friends!
Tips for Hosting a Cookie Exchange Party
Hosting a cookie exchange is a fun activity to include during the busy holiday season and one that is easy to do. Here are a few tips to help run your cookie exchange smoothly:
- Decide how many cookies each people will make! For example, you have 10 friends participating in the cookie exchange have them each make 10 dozen of their cookie. This will ensure that there are enough cookies for everyone to get some of each.
- Figure out how you will have people bring their cookies. A great way to do this is to have people pre package their cookies in 1 dozen bags (or whatever your pre decided number is) for the other guests to grab. A great idea is to give your guests a gift bag or cookie tray to place all of their pre packaged cookie bags in to.
- Want to share the recipes so everyone can remake their favorites? Have each guest send you their recipe ahead of time and email them out to all of your friends at the end. This way they will have all of their favorite recipes in the email to save or print as they choose.
A christmas cookie swap is such a fun way to try new holiday treats and let everyone share their family favorite. Plus, everyone can have a variety of cookies while only baking one kind. See below for our favorite recipes to include!
Holiday Cookie Exchange Recipes
Italian Cookies
Italian Cookies are super soft and topped with a light glaze. This is one of our favorite cookies to bake during this time of year!
Double Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
These Double Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are loaded with chocolate flavor and lots of white chocolate chips. Plus, they are a slice and bake cookie.
Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Milk chocolate, white chocolate, pretzels and M&M's make up this delicious treat!
Cream Cheese Logs
Moist, chewy and creamy these Cream Cheese Logs are delicious! Only 4 ingredients needed to make these cookies. This cookie is a perfect example of how the most simple ingredients can make the most delicious recipes.
Snickerdoodles
A holiday classic cinnamon sugar cookie that is always a hit at holiday parties! This is an easy Christmas cookie recipe that is perfect for beginners.
Russian Tea Cakes
Buttery, light, and sweet walnut filled cookies. This classic cookie recipe is perfect for the holidays!
Reindeer Poop Cookies
Delicious mint chocolate cookies that happen to look like Reindeer Poop! Kids will love making and eating these cookies and they are a fun cookie to leave out for Santa.
Chocolate Crinkles
These chocolate crinkle cookies are soft, chewy and super rich. These are the best cookies for your chocolate lovers!
Cranberry Noel Cookies
Cranberries, pecans and coconut cookies that are similar in taste and texture to shortbread! My favorite thing about this cookie is that it is a slice and bake cookie.
Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
A soft buttery cookie topped with a roasted pecan and a chocolate drizzle is what makes these Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies so perfect!
Homemade Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies
Super simple Homemade Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies can be baked plain, with sprinkles or decorated with icing! The possibilities are endless for this twist on a classic sugar cookie.
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies are lightly sweet and chewy. Perfect with a glass of milk! This is the kind of cookie people will continue talking about long after the holidays are over.
Ricotta Cookies
Super soft ricotta cookies with a light glaze. Making these cookies has become a family tradition in our home.
No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
A delicious no bake treat! Loaded with peanut butter, rice krispies and dipped in melted chocolate.
Peppermint Crescent Cookies
Peppermint Crescent Cookies are lightly sweet and buttery with a hint of peppermint. These are melt in your mouth cookies.
Microwave Mint Chocolate Fudge
Microwave Mint Chocolate Fudge only needs 5 ingredients and can be made in the microwave! While this is not technically a cookie, noone at your cookie exchange parties is bound to complain when they get a taste of this fudge.
Peanut Butter Reese's Pieces Cookies
Deliciously soft and chewy peanut butter cookies loaded with Reese's Pieces! Peanut butter blossoms are the classic holiday cookie when it come to peanut butter but these deserve the spotlight as well.
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {dairy-free option}
These Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with a dairy-free option are sure to be loved by all! Even those who do not need to do gluten or dairy-free food will be fooled by this recipe. These cookies are chewy, sweet and loaded with chocolate chips.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies {dairy-free option}
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect chewy peanut butter cookie topped with a dollop of strawberry jelly! No need to worry about sharing these with a crowd because no one will know they allergy friendly. This new cookie recipe has quickly become a favorite.
Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
These Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies are simple to make, ready in less than 2 hours and sure to be loved by all. Plus, all you need is 6 ingredients to make these cookies. These will make a great additional to any holiday cookie platter.
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Throwing a holiday party or need another dish to bring? Check out our appetizers! And if you are working on your holiday shopping be sure to check out our 10 Best Gifts for Your Home Chef! Also, want to make cookies ahead of time? Look at our guide for Storing Cookie Dough in the Fridge.