Cookie exchange

I would not be happy with store bought cookies either.  I think if you want to participate, you'd better be baking.  A dozen each person seems like plenty to me, especially if you have a good 10 or 12 people participating.  I have always had pretty good results with cookie exchanges.  

I would suggest you specify if bar cookies are allowed (or not). For some reason that has been a problem a couple of times in two different exchanges I've participated in. As previous folks have mentioned, specify if store bought is allowed, or NOT (I suggest not).

I think it depends on how many people you have participating.  If you have 8-12 people, a dozen per person is a good amount of cookies.  If you have more people, maybe I would do less.

You have to kind of know the abilities of your participants.  I am a terrible cook, so I usually contribute some kind of no bake type cookie.  I am OK with bar cookies, or even brownies if someone is really limited., especially if they try to enhance the recipe a bit.

I think store bought is definately a no go.  Unless there was a totally yummy bakery in my town and someone got cookies from there!

We're going on our 3rd or 4th annual Cookie/Gift Exchange with our Bunco group. We only ask that you bring 1/2 dozen for each participant already bagged up. Then another 1/2 dozen for the party. We usually have about 12 ladies joining us, so you still leave with 6 dozen cookies.

I would not allow store bought since you can get those yourself. The fun of an exchange is to get some homemade goodies from someone else.

I don't do an exchange, my brother comes over and we each make the dough ahead of time for about 5-6 kinds, then we marathon bake in my double ovens. It takes a whole weekend but we love it. LOL when we really get rolling it looks like the Keebler Elves live in my house! But all of the exchanges I've heard of or done in the past, you make a dozen cookies per participant (including yourself) all the same kind, then you trade. I've never heard of a cookie exchange with store bought cookies. It would make it much easier if the cookies were bagged by the dozen so everyone could just grab a bag of each kind ready to go. You also might want to consider asking people what they plan on bringing so you get a nice mixture, otherwise you could end up with four people making peanut blossoms!

On a related note, a dozen really doesn't go as far as you think it will especially if you are planning to keep some for your family and give some of them away as gifts. Most of the recipes my brother and I do make between 3-6 dozen cookies so some of them we double. Once our 10-12 kinds are divided up, it's amazing how fast they dwindle once I start dividing them into several decently sized gift tins--and once my family starts dipping into them! My DH could easily put away half of a large batch (96 cookies or so per batch?) of powdered sugar cookies all by himself.

You might also think about whether you want people to include the recipe.

I've been thinking of having a cookie exchange too, these are some good pointers in here

At my church, we only put 6 cookies per bag.   Bring the cookies already bagged.  If you bring 2 bags, you take 2  etc.
NOTHING purchased.
If you didn't bring a bag, you don't take a bag.
No obligation to participate.

On the topic of store bought, here's a question from a past exchange I participated in...what about buying a roll of peanut butter dough, then using that to make the peanut blossom cookies (with the Hershey's kiss in the middle). Still considered store bought?

She is hardcore. The whole no bar cookie thing is strange... but I get the no chocolate chip, oatmeal or PB. BUT... one year a friend of mine who is not a baker wanted to participate but was intimidated by "fancy" cookies. So she brought basic chocolate chip... and they were a success. Now she bakes more varieties. So exceptions to that rule are good.

I ask for the recipes in advance, mostly because I make booklets for everyone in the exchange. But it's also a little bit to avoid duplicates.

I ask for cookies to be pre-packaged and an extra dozen to share... because I like having a display of cookies for everyone to see and taste.

I then provide savoury tea party foods and drinks and it works well. I hope my friends don't think I am too militant with my requests.

This is the only kind of cookie exchange I would consider participating in. I've spent too much time making homemade cookies and candies only to be disappointed with a lot of last minute thrown together junk that gets thrown away as soon as I get home.

The cookie parties I have participated in had the no choc chip or basic sugar cookies. You could bring decorated not just "frosted" sugar cookies. The whole point of the cookie exchange is to think outside the box and make something new to share. We usually make enough for 1/2 dozen each. Limit the party to 10 to 12 people so you don't feel overwhelmed. We also incorporated the white elephant gift exchange to make it interesting. Have also done the ornament exchange as well.