11 tips for how to host a cookie decorating party from a pro cookie partier

So you want to host a cookie decorating party? This is one of my favorite family traditions, and after 17 (or is it 18?) years of doing this with my family, I’m pretty much an expert on how to plan a successful cookie decorating party.

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We regularly host about 30 people every year for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. I literally only remember how long we’ve been doing this because I change the number every year on Evite. Regardless, I have some strong opinions that can help you plan if you want to get in on the cookie decorating party game.

And don’t miss the list of excellent cookies at the end for your cookie decorating party.

Tips for how to host a cookie decorating party

Think about your guests

For my family, this is a family event.  Singles, husbands, kids, and babies are all welcome.  That being said, be sure that you will have things that can keep people occupied while the cookie decorating is going on.  Most of the men stand around shooting the breeze or stirring chili, and I always make sure that there’s some kid-friendly cookies to decorate.  You may not want all that chaos.  Plan accordingly!

In my friend group I have a few Moms and daughters who love painting Springerle cookies, so I always make a batch so that I can enjoy painting them with other people.

Pick your weekend and invite early

People’s schedules fill up quickly, so get in early.  For us, the second Saturday in December has always been the one day that consistently we can reserve for our cookie party.  You may need something earlier or later.  Use Evite or a text thread to make up a graphic invitation and send it out to guests.   

Plan your cookies

Whether you use family recipes, treasured cookbooks, or recipes from what’s new on the internet these days, I like to have 4 categories of cookies here when I’m choosing cookies for my cookie decorating party:

1. Finished cookies: these are cookies that are already going to be finished when guests arrive.  These are cookies that are either too simple to make (biscotti, Spritz) or too time-consuming to make (Checkerboard cookies or Strawberry Matcha Shortbread) but will fill out cookie collections well.
2. Add-a-filling cookies: Think sandwich cookies like Linzer cookies. 
3. Cookies for decoration: My guests always enjoying painting Springerle with edible glitter, and I always have stacks of gingerbread cut-out cookies and cookies like eggnog cookies to dip in white chocolate.
4. Kid–friendly cookies: I always have a pot of chocolate or white chocolate melted for dipping in plain pretzels.  We’ll often make Christmas cookie trees as well with our littlest guests.

Be realistic about what you can handle

My family has made 12-15 kinds of cookies or more every year my whole life, but that may be too much for you.  Shoot, sometimes it’s too much for me, but I’m a stubborn German-Czech American, so you know how that goes, LOL!  Your cookie decorating party should be about creating memories, and those memories shouldn’t involve you getting overwhelmed in the middle of your kitchen covered in flour at 10 pm the night before your party.  If making 3 kinds of cookies sounds doable, do that!  If just one awesome incredible batch of cookies is what you can do, do that.  I trust you to figure out what’s best for you.  I’m here to cheer you on and spread cookie joy any way you choose.

Bake ahead

Decide on your cookies and do your best to bake as much ahead as possible.  It is a bummer and a half to be slinging cookies in and out of the oven while you have guests over.  Believe me, when your timer goes off, it will cut the conversation, and that’s not fun for you.  Store ready to go cookies in gallon sized Rubbermaid Take-Along containers or similar airtight containers for easy access. 

Move cookies around as you go

Decorate cookies and set them on pieces of parchment wherever you can find space.  As you need more space, move cookies back into storage containers.  Move chocolate coated cookies onto sheet trays that you can set in the freezer or outside if it’s cold enough to help the chocolate set.

Make sure to have food for the after party

It’s great to have something to sit down and eat with your guests after all the decorating is done.  You can make this a potluck affair or make something that will feed a crowd like a pot of chili.  Guests always want to bring sides or condiments, so it’ll be easy organizing.

Have containers for packing

A certain percentage of cookies will be eaten on the day of your party.  That’s part of the fun!  But for the rest of everything, you’ll want to pack up containers to go for guests and for friends and family not at your party.  I love vintage tins I pick up and clean from the thrift store, but there are endless choices these days. 

Take advantage of Hobby Lobby sales and pick up some cute bakery boxes or rectangular foil containers with lids.  You can pack a lot of cookies in a short amount of time when you have containers ready to go.

Make a cookie buffet line

When it’s time to pack cookies, set up a table or counters with boxes of finished cookies.  It will be easy for guests to take a container and go around packing each type of cookie.

Deliver your cookies promptly

Whether you are sending boxes of cookies to school with your kids for teachers or walking them to neighbors or showing up at church with a wagon (we’re that family), be sure to deliver your cookies as soon as they’re ready.  The cookies will be at their freshest and it will be good for you mentally to get the cookies out of your house after all your hard work.

Figure out what stays and what goes

My kids have some non-negotiables that have to go on my list every year.  This was the first year my whole life that I didn’t have Spritz, and it’s because I ran out of time and thawed butter.  That’s okay.  Reflect on what worked and what you might want to change for next year.  Cookies are a good excuse to get together with people and enjoy their company.  See if you can think of ways to make it easier on yourself so that you can enjoy your guests more.  I was baking off jam thumbprints this year during the party, and I forgot how disturbing to the party flow that is.  Ack, there’s always next year.