For the past 7 years my daughter and her BFF’s have gotten together every December for a cookie decorating party. Not only do they make boatloads of cookies for their teachers and friends, but I am pretty sure they have made some life-long memories {maybe that’s just the mom in me?}.
They are pretty self-sufficient these days, but when they were younger, I would try to get everything ready before they came over. The key to hosting a successful cookie-decorating party is preparation.
First things first, while they do give quite a few of cookies away, they also do quite a bit of sampling. So, being the most awesome mom ever {self-given title}, I always make sure we have plenty of milk. Milk and cookies have to go hand in hand–it’s the law.
Next, make the dough ahead of time. They still get to bake the dough and decorate, believe me, they won’t be sad that they don’t have to mix all of the ingredients. Having the dough ready to go is like always being up to bat–it really makes the whole game a lot more fun. Plus, sugar cookie dough really needs to chill, so unless you want this to be a 10 hour event, it just works better.
Next, think decorations. Frosting, candies, food coloring, etc. can all be purchased and made ahead of time. Then, you can put them into little bowls, so they can see all of their choices and grab them at will. I like to scoop different colored frosting into disposable piping bags and lay them out too {I also put some in bowls so that they can spread the whole cookie with a knife, if they would rather}.
Next, get out the cookie cutters. I like to have a selection of shapes, but that is just me.
If you want easy clean-up, lay out wax paper all over the counter. That way, they {or you, if you have little ones} can roll the dough, decorate, etc. all on one surface and then you can grab it all up in one easy swoop.
Once the decorating is done, make sure to have plates and plastic wrap, or cookie boxes for everyone to wrap up their cookies and take them home. The girls usually like to separate theirs out for gifts right there, so I have all of the wrappings available.
It kind of seems like a lot of work at first, I know, but trust me, you will not regret it. I don’t know who looks forward to it more, The Girl and her friends or me {there is just something so Christmas-y about hearing them laugh and chat as they decorate}.
Here’s a couple of our favorite tried and true Christmas cookie recipes to get you started:
Sugar Cookies
Gingerbread Man Cookies
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Snickerdoodles
Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Margery says
I do this for my youngest son, me and his older sisters pre bake all the sugar cookies and then the horde ok 12, first graders get to decorate. We do his party afterschool so the kids ride the bus here, have a snack of English muffin pizza and apple juice, then they get to decorate and sample their wares. Then we do a craft or outside play if we have snow. The parents pick them up at 5, I feed my poor husband and older kids cookies and milk for dinner and I take to aspirin, a hot shower and some fuzzy jammies and head to bed to recover. Really it is a fun afternoon.
Mavis Butterfield says
It’s totally worth it I think. 🙂 Cookies and milk for dinner rule!
Margery says
For sure, this year he is re-doing first grade and some of his friends from last year are with him, second week of school the kids wanted to know when his cookie party was going to be. They had to explain to the new first graders what Aidan’s cookie party was, and then they all were excited. Here is a link to our party last year http://whatsonemore-midge.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-cookie-party.html
Jenn says
I do this every year with a friend of mine. Except not only do we bake cookies, but we make fudge as well. I usually loose the Hubby for the weekend and it is nothing but girl talk and baking all weekend long. I look forward to it every year.