How many people have participated in a cookie exchange party?
I’ve done this through past workplaces where there’s enough interested people to get the cookie party started.
A cookie exchange means baking several batches of cookies, the number depends on how many cookie party goers.
For example, let’s say we have ten cookie enthusiasts, including you. Each person in the group cooks enough cookies for each participant to have one dozen cookies.
In this example, you, the baker, needs to bake nine dozen cookies to ensure that each of the other participants is taking home a dozen.
Some bakers might prefer to prepare something instead of cookies. Say one of the participants likes to bake brownies. In that case they’d make enough brownies to send a dozen squares home with each of the other participants. Same if another participant likes making candy and is preparing a batch of fudge. .
Everyone bakes one kind of cookie or candy, and everyone takes home dozens of assorted cookies.
Usually a cookie exchange party is a get together at someone’s house and refreshments are served.
Like pizza!
That got me thinking. Someone could bake a pizza cookie for each person in the cookie exchange instead of a dozen each of regular size cookies. Yummy!
You can find the recipe for this giant chocolate chip cookie at Happy Hooligans.
Socially distancing cookie exchange
These days most parties and get togethers are on hold. We have to stay safe and we have to keep the others around us safe, too.
It is safe for small groups to get together outside and stay six feet (two meters) apart.
So how about a parking lot tailgate cookie exchange party?
I was inspired after driving by a mostly empty rec center and saw a few cars parked in the corner of the parking lot. The hatchbacks were up, there was pizza, and people sitting in camp chairs at safe distance apart.
Yeah, they were having a pizza party at 10:30 in the morning!
That got me thinking about a tailgate cookie exchange party.
There are plenty of empty parking lots these days – fairgrounds, public pools, rec centers, and movie theaters come to mind.
The cookie exchange bakers can bring their own camp chairs and refreshments, and sit outside for a safe visit.
Handling. Or not.
Buy a package of freezer bags and portion out a dozen cookies into each bag.
This way they stay fresh and there’s little handling of the cookies. It’s also makes it easy for the participants to put the bags of cookies right into their freezers.
Set the bags of cookies in the back of your car or the trunk, and each person can walk past and grab a bag.
Participants should bring their own cloth shopping bag to collect cookies from each car.
Organizing
Send out an announcement to friends and see who’s interested in a social distancing cookie exchange.
Choose a date at least a week away to give participants a chance to shop and bake.
Choose a parking lot for the exchange.
Remind everyone to package their cookies in a freezer bags.
Nobody hands off cookies to anyone else. Instead, open the car’s hatches or trunks, set up the cookie bags, and each participant makes a circuit, picking up goodies from each car.
Exchange cookies, not Covid-19. Wear masks while rotating the cars and use hand sanitizer.
Bring your own refreshments and a camp chair to have a safe distance party in the parking lot.
Who else is craving cookies right about now?
