I would love to do a cookie swap- usually I will bake cookies with my SIL's- (which I hate baking cookies with!) and my mom. I actually suggested a cookie swap with my SIL's and that did not fly (of course!)- I have heard that you bring a dozen for each person that will be there. I do think that the end of November will seem too early and even though it is just a few days later- I would go for the first weekend in December (I think that is just 2 days later) that way it will seem a lot sooner to Christmas and give people a few days rest mentally from Thanksgiving.

I was planning on having one this year and there are lots of ideas out there if you google cookie exchange party.

I was planning to send the invitations letting everyone email me if they were coming, the type of cookie, and the recipe. That way there wouldn't be duplicates and I could print out a copy of everyones recipe for the guests. After I received all the rsvp's I would let them know how many dozens to bake. (one more than the amount of people) That way everyone would get a dozen and there would be a dozen of each to sample over coffee, tea, and of course MILK. I would also have a few salty snacks as well.

I'll have to wait till next year too busy with 3 birthday and going away for Thanksgiving.

__________________
"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

I agree - I would do it with my family but that's about it. I can't see that happening any day soon, though. I wouldn't trust neighbors - but that's just me.

I used to host one years ago. I started out having everyone bring a dozen cookies for each guest (I limited my guests to 10). That was to much so we took it down to 1/2 a dozen for each guest which worked out better. Some of the cookies were good, others, I am sorry to say, were awful. After a few years, I stopped doing it. Honestly I think that my cookies were better and I just ended up making a bunch of my cookies anyway, kind of defeating the purpose of the whole cookie exchange thing.

I personally think that November is to early. I would save it for about 2 weeks before Christmas if you are going to do it.

I love Cookie Exchanges!
I think November is too early. I would do it closer to Christmas maybe a week or 2 before.
I have been to the big group exchanges. We each usually took 3-4 dozen of a cookie or Christmas treat. I think the number was set high because we never knew how many people would show up. Always have people bring the recipe for their treat so you can make the really yummy ones again at home. Then we would just keep going around the table taking one of everything until the plates were emptied.
Then there is the smaller group exchanges. A neighbor of mine hosted it and she just invited a few pople that she knew loved to cook and would do a good job making treats. Their were maybe 8 of us and we brought 3 dozen of 2 different items. We just kept filling our plates until the stuff was gone. Then we sat around for a while to visit eating the stuff on our own plate.
Then I have done a baking day with just one girlfriend. We each had the stuff to make 3 different items and we baked it together and split it all 50/50. That was fun too.
So there are lots of different ways to exchange treats. Don't forget to tell people to bring a tray to collect their cookies on. You could include Wassail for a nice holiday drink. Yummy!

__________________
Austin
Mom to 3 beautiful girls