There are three annual parties in the Badger Girl/Manatee household. Guess which one is my favorite?
- Memorial Day Weekend Picnic: Every year we host a picnic after the Madison Half Marathon on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. We invite over 100 people but because it’s Memorial Day weekend, only about half show up. It’s always a great way to celebrate running the race and seeing our friends before summer scatters people in different directions.
- Manatee’s Holiday Office Party: This was the first year we hosted and we are excited to include it in our repertoire of parties. Champagne, good scotch, and good food. And we don’t have to worry about a playlist or decorations because of the holidays.
- Cooking Baking Extravaganza. All my girlfriends come over. We bake, we drink, we laugh, we eat, and at the end of the day, everyone gets a big container filled with a nice variety of Christmas cookies.
As you may have guessed, #3 is the winner. I love to bake and why bake by myself when I can bake with a dozen of my closest friends? That’s my motto for the cooking baking party and coincidentally why I think cooking baking parties are way cooler than cookie exchanges.
This year was the fifth annual cookie baking party. Over the years, I have learned some lessons about how to keep things moving smoothly. I thought I would share with you some tips on hosting a cookie baking parties so next year (or next week) you can host your own cookie baking party. Hey, you need cookies for New Year’s Eve, right? At the end, I am also providing the recipe for some vegan roll-ups, a great baking party snack.
How to Throw a Cookie Baking Party
Most of these I have learned from making terrible mistakes. Luckily, booze is a requirement of the parties, so I have been forgiven by my guests in all transgressions.
- Decide if you want a night party or morning party. I have done both and both have advantages. At night, you can drink beer and wine. In the morning, you get mimosas. Pick your poison and proceed. I would say that morning parties are a little easier to fit into hectic holiday schedules, but it depends on your group of friends.
- Provide salty snacks. Even cookies get old. Plan on ordering pizza or provide a spread of salty snacks for your guests.
We snacked on a healthy quinoa salad and champagne.
These vegan salsa roll-ups were another fave snack. Recipe below!
- Use paper plates. You will be washing enough dishes as you are washing all the bowls and cookie sheets. Save yourself some work by providing paper plates. I also set out some markers so people could label their plate and re-use it throughout the party.
- Include an end time in the invitation. My first cookie baking party was in Ohio and I did not set an end time and was very laissez-faire about the whole thing. The result? We had people baking cookies from noon to midnight. My roommates didn’t let me throw any more parties after that. I would suggest planning for 5-6 hours for the party. That gives you enough time to make several types of cookies and get them all decorated.
- Stagger your stages. I generally try to have some cookies that are ready to be baked or decorated when people arrive. I think it helps to have some cookies ready to go so that you (as the host) aren’t holding up the oven.
- Not everyone has to bake cookies. Make it clear that it is okay to come and just decorate or come to sit and look pretty. Generally those who come to sit and look pretty also look pretty as they help clean up dishes. Those who like to decorate rock at decorating and make up for those of us who have noble intentions and end up with a half drunk, broken snowman.
Amelia is our resident decorator. I would pay her to decorate my cookies, instead I just invite her to the party. 🙂
If it's cute, Amelia did it. If it's not, then it's my handiwork.
- Ask everyone to bring a staple ingredient (flour, sugar) and any special ingredients for the cookies. A bag of flour isn’t expensive. Three bags of flour, two bags of sugar, 3 lbs of butter, an assortment of sprinkles, and a gallon of milk are expensive.
- Ask people to bring bowls, cookies sheets, and other basic tools.
- Keep supplies in a central location. Not everyone knows where you keep your measuring spoons. Set them out so people can just grab them when they need them.
- Have one or two no bake treats. This was something new this year that really worked out. We had two types of treats that didn’t require an oven or at least didn’t require an oven for very long. This allows people to keep working, more varieties of cookies, with less wait time on the oven.
Scotcharoo truffles: a no-bake creation!
Rollos melted on pretzels with a pecan, an almost no-bake creation.
- Require takeout containers and require those containers to be used. At our first cookie party, my roommates and I ended up with over 300 sugar cookies. Again, I was not popular with my roommates after this party. A dozen cookies-awesome. 300 and you turn Christmas tree green when you look at them.
And for those who forget containers, provide some ziplock bags. No cookies left behind! Well, ALMOST no cookies left behind.
- Go with the flow. When multiple people are baking in one kitchen, it’s chaotic. Not every batch will turn out. You may have to wait for something, but don’t try to control everything. Pour a mimosa, have some snacks, and just enjoy hanging out with your girlfriends.
Happy Cookie Baking!
Vegan Salsa Roll-Ups
8 whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 jar of salsa
1/2 container of Tofu-etti sour cream
1 package of vegan cream cheese
1 package of Daiya cheddar cheese
1 small can of chopped black olives
5-7 green onions, chopped
Mix together everything but the tortillas in a medium bowl.
Spread mixture on tortilla, roll up in plastic wrap. Repeat.
Chill overnight. Before the party, slice and serve.
Recipe Review: These were a huge hit! I modified the recipe from one of my favorite college dairy-filled recipes. They are not as firm as many roll-ups but still very good. Great non-dairy addition to any party buffet.
This would be my favorite party, too! Such fun!
Liz recently posted..Toffee Cookies~
Great ideas! I’m going to do a cookie baking party this year, and this will help me a lot.
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