Christmas Cookie Exchange Ideas and Recipes

Make the holiday season that much sweeter by hosting a cookie exchange party. In your party invitations, note how many cookies and copies of the recipe each person should bring – you want enough so that each guest can sample each cookie and take home their favorites. Browse this gallery for cookie inspiration, party display ideas and fun projects for the kids!

A party is the perfect excuse to try your hand at decorating cut-out sugar cookies. It's fun and easy to do! You'll need a cookie decorating bag with tips, coloring for your icing and some sprinkles and sugar pearls. See our Cookie Exchange Book for detailed decorating how-to's, then have fun creating your own amazing snowflakes. No two will be exactly alike!

Let these cute reindeer land at your party – decorating them is the perfect activity for little elves! Bake up a batch of round sugar cookies and frost with brown icing. On party day the kids will have fun adding cute eyes, noses, bows and antlers. Place on glasses of milk and serve them up on a tray with Santa napkins – if you can keep everyone from gobbling them up first!

Try the newest holiday cookie craze – cookie pops! You can make these without even turning on the oven – the kit comes with pre-baked gingerbread cookies, frosting, sprinkles and popsticks. Have a few kits at your cookie party so everyone can decorate cookie pops, then make a pretty centerpiece with all of the creations. Arrange the pops in a merry red box filled with tissue paper and mini marshmallows.

Bring a batch of the cutest snowman cookies ever! Fill gift baskets with tissue paper, lay your snowman cookies on top, pop into a cellophane bag and tie closed with curling ribbons and a cheerful tag. With just a decorating bag, some icing coloring and some sprinkles, you can create these impressive cookies that rival a bakery's! See our cookie decorating how-to.

You'll be on Santa's "nice" list when you give out tasty treats in personalized boxes! To make these trimmed tree cookies, you'll need a cookie decorating bag with tips, red and green icing coloring, and sprinkles and sugar pearls for extra sparkle! To learn how to make this festive design and many more holiday favorites, get cookie recipes and decorating tips from the Cookie Exchange Book.

Indulge in some warming spirits to reward yourself for all the baking and gift giving! Sneak into the kitchen for a grownup treat: a spirited tray of bourbon and milk shooters! Use merry red shot glasses for the bourbon and mini cordial glasses for the milk chasers. Add candy cane sprinkles "confetti" to the tray for a clever touch. Time to eat, drink, and be merry!

Invite Rudolph and friends to your cookie exchange! Your guests will fall in love with these reindeer, snowman and snowglobe creations. Fill a holiday box with Styrofoam, add some mini marshmallows and stand cake pops up in it for a festive and delicious display. They won't last long! See our cake pops how-to.

Surprise your guests with something to sip on while they enjoy their cookies! Set out cups of hot chocolate with candy cane cookies on a bright red platter for a cozy holiday treat. Add some jingle bells to the tray before carrying it out and party guests will know that a treat is headed their way! See our cookie decorating how-to.

Have the children pick out their favorite cookies to take home for St. Nick. Print out a little note to Santa and set it on a tray of milk and cookies. Tell the kids they can "taste-test" the cookies for Santa! They'll feel the excitement of Christmas Eve while getting to munch on their favorite cookies. See our cookie decorating how-to.

A candy buffet creates a spirited atmosphere that puts "visions of sugar plums" in the minds of your guests. Candy canes, gumballs, lollipops and candy sticks are a great starting point for building a holiday display. Arrange the candy in bowls and jars, then add some festive flair with ribbons and labels. Your guests will be saying ho-ho-ho in no time!

These cookies are so elegant, everyone will be surprised you made them yourself! It's easy to impress. You can create this design and many more with a simple cookie decorating kit, icing coloring in red and kelly green, sprinkles, candy pearls and gold sparkle gel icing. For more inspiration and detailed decorating how-to's, pick up the Cookie Decorating Book.

Dress up sugar and gingerbread cookies to create a gorgeous platter that will be the darling of the cookie party! You can create a wide variety of cookie styles with just a decorating bag and some holiday-themed sprinkles. Make a pretty display by interspersing tasty coconut balls or Christmas tea cakes. Serve with joyful snowman plates to match – and get ready for oohs and aahs.

Gingerbread houses are a traditional Christmas delight and building them with all the tasty candy trimmings is a creative and fun activity for party guests of all ages. Set out trays with everything they need to put houses together, including bowls of hard candies to decorate with. Little houses of all sizes and styles look that much more magical if you display them on cake stands and scatter shredded coconut around the base to look like drifts of snow!

Dress up a side table with a pretty display of be-ribboned cake pops on a holiday tray. Cake pops are a great addition because of the multitude of available flavors and ways to decorate. Serve these sweets in mini candy cups and decorate the cake pop sticks with red ribbon. Don't forget to make enough tiny desserts for guests to gobble down during the party too.

Bring the magic of the North Pole to your party! Make a Christmas cookie tableau with Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves, reindeer and a sleigh. For this display, start with the 18-piece cookie cutter set and decorate with a Cookie Decorating Kit, fondant and sprinkles. You'll have a beautiful winter wonderland for everyone to enjoy!

The joy of the holidays always warms our hearts – so warm up the hearts of your friends and family by making stocking cookies with their names on them. Show more love by setting out cookie-friendly beverages like milk, egg nog, coffee, cocoa and hot tea with festive Christmas beverage napkins. Don't forget to have enough dessert plates to go around!