Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (2024)

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I love Christmas Cookies and Cookie Exchanges around the holidays are one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. Here are loads and loads of awesome Cookie Exchange Recipes!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (1)

I love cookies year around but I love how much baking goes on this time of year so I’m so excited to join up with a bunch of other bloggers for an awesome virtual Great Cookie Exchange.

What is a Cookie Exchange?

I hadn’t gone to a cookie exchange until a couple of years ago and I think they are just brilliant. If you’ve never been to one its a super fun way to get a variety of cookies without having to whip up batches and batches of cookies. How it works is the host invites a bunch of friends. Each attendee brings a few dozen cookies, sometimes the printed out recipe and then a box to bring your cookies home in.

The exchange which can be a quick and dirty gathering, or a more drawn out party with your favorite party foods or even a tasty soup and fresh bread diner. When guests arrive everyone sets their cookies out. But these aren’t for eating at the party.

When directed by the host everyone goes around and adds a few of each cookies to their take home container. This allowed everyone to go home from the cookie exchange party with a box full of different sorts of cookies. It is a blast!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (2)

Tons of Cookie Exchange Recipes

Even if you won’t be attending or hosting a cookie exchange this year hear are loads of delicious cookie recipes that you can make. My favorite tip for when you want a variety of holiday cookies without all the work is to save dough throughout the year.

For example, I love to make Halloween cookie gingerbread skeleton. But I don’t really need dozens of gingerbread cookies at Halloween so I’ll save some of the dough in the freezer and use it for Christmas gingerbreads when it’s time.

Most cookie dough can be frozen and used like this!
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (3)

It is so fun to find new recipes and trade and swap a few batches of one kind for a great assortment of different delicacies!

Here are 40+ delicious cookie exchange recipes so you can find the perfect cookie to take to the party this holiday season! Scroll down to get links to each of the recipes!

Christmas Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Before I get to all the recipes here is my cookie contribution to the virtual cookie exchange. These easy Christmas Thumbprint Cookies are so festive and are a great make ahead option.

I just love the sprinkle detail on the side. They are fun and festive and perfect for making with the little ones!

Ingredients for Thumbprint Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • Christmas non-perils
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

There’s some refrigeration time for these beauties so make sure to plan ahead. You could even do some them spread over a few days. Just make sure to allow some time for the dough to soften a bit if you do.

  1. Mix flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in a small mixing bow.
  2. Cream sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract together.
  3. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
  4. Divide dough into two logs between wax paper; refrigerate at least 1-2 hours. Slice dough into disks roll in Christmas sprinkles. Press your thumb to form an indention in the middle of each.
  5. Bake at 375 F for 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool.
  6. Microwave the chocolate and corn syrup for 30 seconds and stir. Zap for an additional 10 seconds and stir. Repeat until the chocolate is 80% melted and finish by stirring to melt completely.
  7. Spoon a generous amount of chocolate mixture in and allow to cool and set.

Don’t forget about all the other awesome cookies and be sure to follow along on the Cookie Exchange Pinterest board for year round cookie recipe inspirations!Follow Reasons To Skip The Housework’s board The Cookie Exchange on Pinterest.


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So many creative recipes right!? I’m a sucker for cookies year around. In fact they are one of my treats of choice!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (12) Rosettes Mint Chocolate Truffle Cookie cups Cornflake Christmas Wreath Cookies Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (13) Christmas M&M Cookies Peppermint Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies Easy Sugar Cookie Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (14) Jelly “Popper” Cookies Key Lime Pie Bars Gingersnaps with Dark Chocolate Chips Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (15) Maple Bacon Snickerdoodles Peppermint Shortbread Cookies Christmas Chocolate Thumbprints Cookies Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (16) Christmas Tree Brownie Pops My Favorite Things Cookies Old-Fashioned Gingersnap Cookies Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (17) Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Holiday Confetti Sandwich Cookies Lemon Oatmeal Lacies Christmas Cookie Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (18) Snowball Cookies Healthy Biscochos (Vegan, Raw, & Grain-Free) Almond and Milk Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (19) Porcelain Sugar Cookies OREO Dipped Christmas Cookies Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies {Gluten Free} Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (20) Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Cake Mix Cookies Giant Monster Cookies Crispy Coconut Pecan Butter Cookies Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (21)

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Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (2024)

FAQs

How many cookies to make for cookie exchange? ›

A good rule to follow is for every guest to bake a half dozen cookies per each attendee. So, if 10 people attend, each guest would bring five dozen cookies to share. We've put together a chart to help you figure out just how many cookies to ask your guests to make.

What are the rules for a cookie exchange? ›

The Etiquette Of The Cookie Swap
  1. Remember: It's not a competition. ...
  2. Coordinate ahead of time. ...
  3. Make enough for everyone. ...
  4. Bring something homemade. ...
  5. Yes, you should still bring a host gift. ...
  6. Label your cookies for allergens. ...
  7. Bring cookies and a story. ...
  8. Hold off on seconds.
Jan 5, 2022

How to present cookies for a cookie exchange? ›

Ensure you have platters to display the cookies or alert your guests to bring their own. Again, depending on your level of ambition, you might encourage guests to get creative with their presentation. They could display their cookies in a festive basket or holiday-themed tray or inside a gift-wrapped box.

How do you keep thumbprint cookies from spreading? ›

Storing your dough in the fridge helps to harden the fat and prevent your cookies from spreading. Allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

What is the formula for the cookie exchange? ›

Formula: # of cookies divided by # of guests = total number of cookies to take from each guest. Example: If you have everyone make 12 dozen cookies and you are planning on 20 guests you will take 12 dozen multiplied by 12 cookies= 144 cookies; then divide by 20 guests = 7.2 cookies of each variety for each guest.

How long should a cookie exchange last? ›

And because that time of the year is busy for everyone – I keep it short and sweet. A good cookie exchange should last about 2 to 3 hours. Enough to sample the cookies, mingle with friends, and pack up a goodie box to take home. Be mindful of allergies.

Can you bring store-bought cookies to a cookie exchange? ›

Cookie Exchange Rules

All cookies should be homemade. Please bring at least 2 dozen cookies (or more if you'd like!). Print out copies of the recipe to share. Arrange cookies in a basket or platter (be creative!).

What is the ideal number for a cookie exchange party? ›

Christmas cookie swap parties usually work best with groups of 8-12 guests. You'll want to keep your guest list modest so it's easier to keep track of who's bringing what. Think of all the bakers, foodies, and festive friends in your group when creating your guest list.

How to do a cookie exchange with a large group? ›

Cookie Exchange Rules
  1. Homemade Cookies. ...
  2. Give an exact number of cookies that everyone needs to bring. ...
  3. A good rule of thumb is to ask everyone to bring a dozen cookies per guest invited. ...
  4. Have everyone bring a copy of their cookie recipe. ...
  5. It's helpful to label cookies with their name or flavor.
Dec 8, 2023

How do I host a cookie exchange for kids? ›

Invite friends.

Figure out your guest list of who your child would like to invite to the party. Send a paper or digital invitation. Ask each guest to bring one dozen cookies – 6 for a platter of cookies to share, and 6 for kids to take home. Be sure to include yourself in the count of guests.

How do you present cookies attractively? ›

5 Beautiful Ways to Package Homemade Cookies and Treats
  1. Stack on coasters. Coasters make perfect decorative little plates. ...
  2. Wrap in individual serving dishes. ...
  3. Wrap like candy. ...
  4. Place in egg cartons. ...
  5. Stack in mason jars.

Is it a cookie exchange or cookie swap? ›

A cookie exchange or cookie swap is a fun and sweet gathering where participants bring batches of their favorite cookies to share with others. During the exchange, each person swaps their cookies with others, allowing everyone to leave the event with an assortment of cookies.

Why did my thumbprint cookies spread out? ›

Baking the jam sets the filling in the cookie. Why did my thumbprint cookies spread? Most likely, the butter was too warm when creaming with the sugar.

Why do my thumbprint cookies fall apart? ›

The dough should be chilled for at least 30 minutes, so that you can shape it into balls and indent without falling apart. Check that your oven temperature isn't too high.

How many cookies should I make per person? ›

Most recipes make somewhere from 24-48 cookies. But if you do the math on number of people and estimate 3-5 cookies per person, you'll be able to figure out if you need to double — or triple — your recipe.

How many cookies do you need per person? ›

The general rule of thumb suggests calculating 2-3 cookies per person if other desserts are available. If cookies are the primary sweet treat, consider increasing the count to 4-6 per person.

How many cookies should you give as a gift? ›

How many cookies should you gift?
Party sizeNumber of guestsNumber of cookies
Little party5 to 1015-30 cookies
Medium party10 to 1530 – 45
Big party20 – 5075 – 150

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