THE GRINNING BELLY

Hey, how about organizing a cookie exchange party this year? After almost three years of pandemic life, ringing in the 2022 holiday season with your friends and some baking might be just what you need to get some pep back in your step. Nothing brings people together the promise of laughter and snacks—especially when you get to leave an armload of cheery holiday cookies. And December 22 is National Cookie Exchange Day, so if you start now, you can get a cookie swap planned just in time!

Cookie exchanges work best with about 6–10 participants, so begin with thinking of a few people you know who enjoy baking (as opposed to people who may get stressed out over the idea of baking for a crowd), and who you might not otherwise get to see over the busy holiday season. It’s a good idea to circulate a running list of what everyone’s bringing, especially if someone has allergies or dietary restrictions, and it’s best to ask your guests to bring a set amount of cookies (usually 8–12 cookies per participant, depending on how big the guest list is), so everyone leaves with the same amount of cookies. Also, including the recipe with your cookies is a nice idea, but isn’t necessary.

I have a few different tried-andtrue recipes I like to use, depending on how much time I have. For instance, a quick fudge recipe cut into neat squares takes far less time than shaped, chocolate-dipped, and gold lustre-painted sugar cookies. And I usually go for a recipe that freezes well. After my cookies are ready, I like to pre-package them in paper take-out containers, making exchanging easy and COVID-safe. Have cookies, will travel!

And that’s it—all that’s left is to decide what you’re going to make. This is a new-to-me but classic recipe that I’m going to try out in our cookie swap this year. The cranberries give the cookies a beautifully tangy taste and bright colour, and the recipe makes 60 cookies—perfect for swapping.