Cookie exchange invitations with a baker count
Invite friends, family, or the office to a cookie exchange. Bakers reply in two taps, so you know how many dozen each person should bring, and guests can add the cookie they're baking so nobody doubles up. No guest accounts, no ads.
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- 2 attendingThe NguyensLinh, Sam
Our batch is nut-free
- MaybeMariaMaria
- No replyThe OkaforsAda, Chris
- 1 attendingJessJess
Bringing extra boxes
How does a cookie exchange work?
Each guest bakes a batch of one kind of cookie, often half a dozen for every guest, and brings it to the party. Everyone swaps and goes home with a mix of all of them. The host sends the invitation, collects RSVPs to set the batch size, and can let guests add the cookie they're baking so the swap doesn't end up with duplicates. Hejmo does that for free, with no guest accounts.
The headcount sets the batch size
At a cookie exchange, each baker brings one kind of cookie, enough for everyone, and goes home with a mix of all of them. That means the number of bakers decides how much each person bakes. Ten bakers bringing half a dozen for each guest means five dozen cookies apiece.
So the invitation has one real job: get a clear yes or no from every baker early enough that they can plan a baking day. Send each friend or household its own link, or post the event's shared link in a group chat, where anyone who opens it can add their name and reply.
Put the batch size, the date, and the address in the details. Guests see them on the invite and can add the swap to their calendar from the same page.
How a cookie exchange works
Every guest bakes a big batch of one cookie at home and brings it to the party along with a few copies of the recipe. Cookies go out on a table, everyone tastes a few, and then each guest fills a tin or box with some of every kind.
The host sets three things in the invitation: the date, how many cookies each baker brings, and the RSVP deadline. A Christmas cookie exchange usually lands on a weekend afternoon in early to mid December, but the same format works for a fall swap, an office party, or a neighborhood get-together.
How many cookies each guest should bake
Hejmo shows you the count. The math is yours, and it fits in one line of the event details.
- Half a dozen per guest
- The most common rule. With 10 bakers, each brings 5 dozen and takes home 5 dozen, six of each kind.
- A dozen per guest for a small group
- With six or fewer bakers, a dozen each still means a manageable 6 dozen, and everyone goes home with plenty.
- Cap it for a big group
- Past about 12 bakers, set a fixed amount instead, such as 4 to 6 dozen each, and let guests take an even share.
- Add a few for tasting
- Ask for an extra half dozen to put out on plates, so the swap table stays full.
Keep it from becoming three batches of chocolate chip
Add a sign-up list to the event and turn on “Let guests add what they're bringing.” You don't have to list anything yourself. Guests see what's coming so far, like snickerdoodles, gingerbread, and lemon crinkles, and once they say yes, they type the cookie they're baking.
If they type something close to a cookie that's already coming, they see a gentle note that someone's already bringing it. They can still add it; it's a nudge, not a rule. Guests see the cookie names but not who's baking them. You see both, next to the headcount.
Want a little structure instead? List a few categories yourself, such as “Something with chocolate,” “A gluten-free batch,” or “A no-bake option,” one each, and guests tap the one they'll take.
Optional. Add what you're bringing so others can see it.
- Snickerdoodles
- Gingerbread
- Lemon crinkles
- Brown butter shortbread
Someone's already bringing Snickerdoodles. You can still add it.
- SnickerdoodlesThe Nguyens
- GingerbreadJess
- Lemon crinklesThe Nguyens
- Brown butter shortbreadThe Okafors
A simple cookie swap timeline
- 3 to 4 weeks before
- Send the invitation. December weekends fill up fast, and bakers need time to pick a recipe.
- 10 days to 2 weeks before
- Set the RSVP deadline here, so the final count is in before the weekend people bake.
- After the deadline
- Update the details with the final count and how many dozen to bring. Copy a nudge for anyone who still hasn't answered and send it in your own chat.
- On the day
- Set out a table, plates for tasting, labels, and spare boxes. Ask bakers to label anything with nuts.
Cookie exchange invitation wording
Copy one, swap in your details, and add your Hejmo link.
- Holiday cookie exchange
- You're invited to a holiday cookie exchange on [date] at [time], [address]. Bake one kind of cookie, bring half a dozen for each guest plus a recipe card, and go home with a tin full of everyone else's. RSVP by [date] so we know how many to bake for.
- Christmas cookie swap with family
- Christmas cookie swap at [name]'s house on [date], [time]. One kind of cookie per household, enough for everyone. Tell us what you're baking when you RSVP so we don't end up with four batches of sugar cookies. Reply by [date].
- Office cookie exchange
- Cookie exchange in [room] on [date] at [time]. Bake a batch, label anything with nuts, and leave with a box of everyone else's. RSVP by [date] so we can tell bakers how many to bring.
- Casual friends' cookie swap
- Cookie swap at mine on [date], [time]! Bring [number] dozen of one cookie and something to take yours home in. Add what you're baking on the RSVP so we get a good mix.
Where cookie exchange planning gets messy
- Nobody knows how many to bake
- “Count me in” arrives a day before the swap, after everyone else has already baked for a smaller group.
- Three batches of chocolate chip
- Without a shared list, the classics get baked twice and the swap tins come home looking the same.
- Allergies come up at the table
- Someone mentions a nut allergy once the cookies are already out, and half the table has to guess.
- Replies scatter across chats
- Family answers in one thread, coworkers in another, and the neighbor by text.
Three steps from invite to headcount
It works the way friends, family, and coworkers already talk.
Add your bakers
Add each friend or household you're inviting, or skip the list and use the shared link. Put the batch size and the RSVP deadline in the details.
Let guests add their cookie
Add a sign-up list and turn on “Let guests add what they're bringing.” Guests see what's coming, say yes, and type the cookie they're baking. No account, no app.
Lock the count, tell the bakers
Your dashboard shows who's in. Once the deadline passes, update the details with how many dozen to bring, and copy a nudge for anyone still quiet.
Cookie exchange designs
Try string lights, harvest, or any other painted design free; guests see it once the event has Plus ($12).
Made for the host of the cookie swap
A baker count, a shared list of cookies, and ready-to-send nudges. No guest accounts.
- A count you can bake to
- Every baker answers Yes, No, or Maybe on one list, so you can set the batch size before the baking weekend, not after.
- A good mix without assigning cookies
- Guests add their cookie when they say yes and see what's already coming. Duplicates get a gentle nudge, never a block.
- No ads, no guest accounts
- Guests open the link in any phone browser and reply in two taps. There are no ads on the invite, free or Plus.
Ask about allergies before anyone bakes
Add an optional question guests answer with their RSVP. You read every answer and can mention in the details which allergies bakers should plan around or label.
One RSVP question is free. Families can answer or skip it.
Any allergies we should plan around?
Optional
A family's answer
Theo is allergic to tree nuts, so we'll skip anything with pecans or walnuts.
Paste this in the group chat
Everything a baker needs: the date, the batch size, and one link.
Cookie exchange on [date] at [time], [address]! Bake one kind of cookie, about half a dozen per guest. Tap the link to RSVP and add what you're baking so we get a good mix. Please reply by [date], no account needed.
Questions
Common questions about hosting a cookie exchange.
Are these cookie exchange invitations free?
Yes. Hejmo is free for unlimited events, with RSVP tracking, private links, a shared link, the sign-up list, nudges, co-hosts, and one RSVP question. There are no ads on the invite. Plus is optional: $12 for one event adds invitation styles, illustrated covers or your own cover photo, a custom link, a custom RSVP confirmation, and up to five RSVP questions.
How many cookies should each person bring to a cookie exchange?
A common rule is half a dozen cookies for each guest, so with 10 bakers everyone brings 5 dozen. With a small group, a dozen per guest works. For a big group, set a fixed amount such as 4 to 6 dozen. Write the number in the event details; Hejmo shows the count but doesn't do the math for you.
What should a cookie exchange invitation say?
The date, time, and address, how many cookies each baker should bring, whether to bring recipe cards and a container, and an RSVP deadline about two weeks before the swap. Add a note about labeling cookies with nuts.
How do I stop everyone from bringing the same cookie?
Add a sign-up list and turn on “Let guests add what they're bringing.” Guests see the cookies already coming and, once they say yes, add their own. If it's close to one already on the list, they get a gentle note, but they can still add it.
Can guests see who's bringing which cookie?
No. Guests see the cookie names on the list, not who added them. You and any co-hosts see who's bringing what.
Can I post one link in a group chat or office channel?
Yes. The event's shared link lets anyone who opens it add their name and reply, which suits an office swap. Send private links to anyone not in the chat.
Do guests need an app or an account?
No. The link opens in any phone or computer browser, and guests reply in two taps.
Run this event, then reuse the guest list for the next one
Free for unlimited events. Plus ($12 per event) adds invitation styles, illustrated covers or your own cover photo, a custom link, a custom RSVP confirmation, and up to five RSVP questions. If you host often, Host Pass puts Plus on every event you create for $19/year.
Free · No ads · No guest accounts