Ever Tried a Cookie Exchange Party?

I enjoy an excuse to invite girlfriends over on a Saturday afternoon, and about once a year I host some sort of home sales party as an excuse to do so.  The downside being, you know there are always some people who don't feel comfortable with the sales aspect of such situations, so they end up staying home and missing out on the fun of visiting and eating treats with your friends.

Enter the cookie exchange party!  I recently saw an offer on Hershey's newly launched Cookie Headquarters Website that you could enter to host a cookie exchange party.  So I gave it a shot.  This is the supply pack I received from them.

Cookie making ingredients, recipe card and pastry box party favors, and an apron for me! 

I love this idea.  Make a few of your favorite cookies or bars, then get together with friends to visit and trade goodies - and everyone leaves with a fun, tasty assortment of treats!  I know this is something that people do around the Holidays to build their stash of baked goods to share, but I think it's a fun party idea for anytime. 

I was able to download and print some cute invitations to use, from Hershey's website.

Some of the loot.  Yum!

I made two of Hershey's recipes that they had sent me supplies for:  Peanut Butter Blossoms and Chocolate Snowballs.  I love to bake cookies, but confess that I'm usually in a standard chocolate chip cookie rut. 

Both of these were fantastic!  I also usually prefer to make recipes from scratch, not using purchased mixes like the Betty Crocker peanut butter and sugar cookie mixes that these call for.  But I tell you what:  I will be making Peanut Butter Blossoms (one of my all time favorite cookies) with that mix, from here on out!  Amazingly easy, and frankly they tasted much better than when I have tried to make them from scratch.

Give it a shot!   A good time was had by all, and we are still all enjoying the fruits of each other's labors for days to come ...