Home » Cookies » Best Cookie Exchange Recipes
posted by Liz Berg
on December 9, 2023 (updated 3/15/24)
It’s cookie exchange time! Holiday parties, including a cookie exchange or two, typically fill my December calendar. I’m sharing my best cookie exchange recipes today! But they’re also great for hostess and holiday gifts.This is the Ultimate Guide for hosting a Cookie Exchange.
These are tried and true and some of the Best Christmas Cookies you’ll ever make. Each recipe will guide you through how to make one of my favorite Holiday Cookies Recipes.
Table of Contents hide
1 Cookie Exchange Recipes
2 Frequently Asked Questions
3 You May Also Like:
4 Helpful Tools:
5 Best Cookie Exchange Recipes
6 Best Sugar Cookies Recipe
7 Holiday Pinwheel Cookies
8 Triple Ginger Snaps
9 Star of Bethlehem Cookies (Peanut Blossoms)
10 Holiday Truffle Cookies Recipe
11 Stained Glass Cookies
12 Caramel Biscoff Blossoms
13 Turtle Thumbprints
14 Chewy Gingersnaps
15 Cranberry, White Chocolate, Crystallized Ginger Cookies
16 Butterscotch Cookies Recipe
Cookie Exchange Recipes
Packaging loads of sweet treats is part of our holiday tradition. Bill and Katie deliver all the goodies to our neighbor friends and even a few who have moved out of the hood. Along with an array of cookies, I make fudge, toffee, caramels, and peppermint bark. I’d be in deep trouble if I skipped any of the regulars! Many of these were brought to holiday cookie exchanges!
I’ve linked my best cookie exchange recipes for you. I’m down to only one cookie-swap party per year, but I never like to make the same selection twice. I’ve included many of the sweets I make for the holidays plus some winners from past parties. I hope you find some inspiration for your next cookie exchange or hostess or holiday gifts!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Make Ahead and Freeze Cookies?
Yes, these cookies will freeze well for up to 3 months if kept airtight. I like to use freezer-grade Ziploc bags and remove all the excess air. If freezing cookies with sticky components like caramel, chill them in the refrigerator before freezing so the caramel solidifies. And although you can freeze frosted cookies, it’s better to freeze them unfrosted, then defrost and frost when you’re ready to eat or give them away.
You can also freeze dough balls to bake later. Just defrost overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
How Do You Display Cookies for a Cookie Exchange?
Find a festive platter (look for sales after Christmas) and arrange your cookies artfully. Garnish with something from the recipe if possible like fresh cranberries, cinnamon sticks, or pecans. If you have evergreens in your yard that aren’t sprayed with pesticides, a few small sprigs with a red ribbon look Christmasy.
What Are the Top Tips for Making Holiday Cookies?
Here are some basic cookie-making tips:
Have all your ingredients at room temperature unless otherwise noted. This is especially important for eggs, butter, and cream cheese to help them incorporate into the dough more easily.
Use a cookie disher for even-sized cookies.
Line your baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup and no sticking!
Cool your baking sheets before reusing them.
Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is where it should be.
Cool cookies completely before packing them up.
You May Also Like:
- 75+ Christmas Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction
- Sugar Cookie Christmas Wreaths from I Am Baker
- 25 of the Best Christmas Cookies from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen
- Buttery Spritz Recipe from Life Love and Sugar
- Amish Sugar Cookies
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- How to Make Rosettes
- Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars
- Toffee Cookies with Walnuts
- Candy Cane Blossoms
- Poinsettia Cookies
- Chocolate Earthquake Cookies
- Plus How to Host a Cookie Exchange
- More of the Best Cookie Recipes
- More of the Best Holiday Recipes
I hope I’ve inspired you with some of my best cookie exchange recipes! Happy holidays and happy baking!!!
- KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer (affiliate links)
- KitchenAid 5-Qt. Artisan with Glass Bowl
- Half Sheet Pan, 13″x18″
- Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
- Medium Cookie Scoop
- Measuring Cups and Spoons, Set of 8
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- French Rolling Pin
The Recipe:
Best Cookie Exchange Recipes
The best cookie recipe for your next holiday cookie exchange, holiday gifting or to eat while celebrating with family.
Best Sugar Cookies Recipe
The best frosted cut-out sugar cookies! Perfect for the holidays.
Holiday Pinwheel Cookies
Buttery holiday cookies adapted from Gale Gand
Triple Ginger Snaps
Chewy ginger snap cookies with a delicious triple boost of ginger!
Star of Bethlehem Cookies (Peanut Blossoms)
A twist on peanut butter blossoms using a chocolate star to make a Christmas cookie!
Holiday Truffle Cookies Recipe
Rich chocolate cookies studded with holiday M& M's
Stained Glass Cookies
Perfectly festive cookies for the holidays! Sugar cookie recipe adapted from Alton Brown.
Caramel Biscoff Blossoms
Chewy Biscoff cookies topped with caramel and a Hershey's Kiss
Chocolate thumbprints rolled in pecans and filled with caramel!
Chewy Gingersnaps
These chewy gingersnaps are a childhood favorite and my most requested recipe!
Cranberry, White Chocolate, Crystallized Ginger Cookies
A star studded cookie that's perfect for the holidays and all year long!
Butterscotch Cookies Recipe
These Butterscotch Cookies grace the goodie boxes I divvy out to my friends and neighbors for Christmas. Soft and caramelly, they're a family favorite.
Stay in touch through social media@Instagram,Facebook, andPinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.
This post was first shared in November 2015. Photos and content were updated in 2020.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links; view my Disclosure Policy for details. I earn a small percentage from any purchase you make by clicking on these links at no extra cost to you.
Chocolate Christmas Cookies Desserts Entertaining Food Gifts Holidays Popular Roundups Tips
posted by Liz Berg on December 9, 2023
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ROMERO Marilyn — Reply
Bonjour,
Merci pour ces magnifiques recettes….
J’ai essayé de m’abonner à votre blog mais cela ne fonctionne pas….
J’espère que vous m’adresserez vos prochaines recettes sur mon mail que je vous laisse ci-dessous….
Amitiés de France….
Marilyn-
Liz Berg — Reply
I’m happy to add you to my mailing list. Feel free to unsubscribe at any time. Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
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Amanda — Reply
What a selection and quite a number of my favorites too! I’ll have to bake some.
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Sandra Garth — Reply
So many to choose from!! There’s a large bag of cranberries that stares at me when I open the freezer so I will start with the Cranberry White Chocolate with Crystallized Ginger.
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Healthy World Cuisine — Reply
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Which one shall we start with. I guess the best method is start at the top of your list and work our way down this delicious list. I think we are going to need a bigger freezer… LOL
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angiesrecipes — Reply
These cookies are absolutely wonderful and perfect for the holidays. The gingersnap cookies are my favourite.
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Ben | Havocinthekitchen — Reply
I am not participating in cookie exchange this year, and sadly, we’re not even allowed to bring in treats for everyone to work. That’s sad because I always bring some (In fact, many) cookies and chocolates throughout the season. Besides creating the holiday ambiance, I’ve got a more important question – who is going to eat all the cookies I will probably bake? Lol I guess I will need to downsize my baking as well. Hard choices, you know! Talking about choices, it would be so hard to pick the only one cookie from your array, they all look so delicious. Definitely, chocolate truffle cookies! Or maybe cherries and ginger? But butterscotch must be so good, too…. you see – hard choices! 🙂
What a fantastic collection, Liz!
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Deseree — Reply
These are so cute! They will be perfect in my holiday cookie gift tins!
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Melissa — Reply
These cookies are perfect! Thank you so much for sharing them all.
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Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction — Reply
Lizzy,
I want to add so many new cookies to my list but I already make more than 15 varieties. I’ll nix some that people have gotten tired of and add some of yours.
Annamaria -
Sandra — Reply
There is a cookie for everyone’s tastebuds here and love your wishlist!
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Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles — Reply
Yum, YUM! I can see why each of these would be cookie exchange favorites!
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Laura (Tutti Dolci) — Reply
I would love to be part of a cookie exchange with you, you make the best cookies!
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Emma @ Bake Then Eat — Reply
Another great list, I am off to the kitchen to start baking!
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Amira — Reply
Very nice collection Liz, happy holidays.
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Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel — Reply
I want one of every cookie! I love this roundup, and I love those beaker measuring cups. One of my favorite kitchen tools!
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Abbe @ This is How I Cook — Reply
One of each, please. Oh who am I kidding? I want them all! Hope you had an awesome holiday, Liz!
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Barbara @ Barbara Bakes — Reply
So many great ideas. I’d love to be on your list too.
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Lynn@Happier Than A Pig In Mud — Reply
I could snarf down a couple (or three) of those truffle cookies right now:@)
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Chris Scheuer — Reply
I want to be at a cookie exchange with you Liz! What an amazing round up! The butterscotch and ginger cookies seem to be calling my name!
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Amy — Reply
Yes, please. is delivery available?
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Liz Berg — Reply
I wish you were a neighbor, Amy, as I always love to share my extra treats!
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Maureen | org*smic Chef — Reply
They all make me want to get in the kitchen and start baking!
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Jill @Mad About Macarons — Reply
Liz, I love how you have such wonderful traditions like this. I wish our French neighbours could do the same but will just have to make a few of these and exchange them with the family! What a tempting round-up and inspiration indeed! Enjoy a week filled with festive preparations.
