The delectable and time-honored tradition of the cookie exchange thrives in Happy Valley.
In the days following Thanksgiving, roasted turkeys throughout the nation get relegated to soups, salads, and sandwiches as kitchen warriors from all over break out the mixing bowls, spatulas, cookie cutters, sifters, beaters, measuring cups, baking sheets, and other utensils in preparation for the annual cookie exchange.
Basically, friends gather and bring their chosen type of cookie, along with the recipe. A seasonal party ensues, with snacks, beverages, conversation, music, and fellowship. The cookies, along with their recipes, are spread out on a table, awaiting the end of the evening, when each party-goer boxes up cookies to take home. Frequently, participants will, formally or informally, vie for recognition and praise for the most outstanding confection.
While many cookie swaps abide by strict protocols described by Cookie-Exchange.com, which claims to be the original cookie exchange website, Centre County cookie exchangers describe a slightly different approach to the cut-throat scrimmages that many groups across the land engage in. In fact, the locals seem to favor a sense of fellowship over competition.
“It’s a way to build connection,” according to Union Township resident Jason Peno.
Peno has hosted cookie exchanges in various states, including Kentucky and Connecticut. He recalls that, while living in Lexington in 2019, he made 1,000 cookies for the event.
“I’ve done this annually since 2006, in various places,” he says. “I moved around and brought this tradition with me.”
Cookie exchanges take a certain amount of planning and foresight, and Peno starts sending announcements and invitations around Thanksgiving, planning to hold the event around December 17. Last year the gathering took place at Good Intents Cidery in Bellefonte, where relatively mild weather allowed for an outdoor event for the forty people who attended.
State College resident Lauren Barnes joined the festivities last year. She recalls “a lovely event, a warm gathering with so much camaraderie.”
Back in his own kitchen in preparation, Peno says he does his baking in stages.
“I try to spread out the work,” he says. “I’ll mix the dough and freeze it ahead of time. I usually spend about two weeks mixing, freezing, and baking.”
Measuring ingredients, whipping butter, cracking eggs, and mixing dough make up part of the fun for Bellefonte resident Tiara Snare (Town&Gown general manager). She and six of her friends bring their ingredients with them to do the baking together in one kitchen. To make things more interesting, they bring their kids along, and Snare did comment on the fact that boys of ages nine or ten don’t seem to express much interest in learning to bake cookies.
“The boys don’t really want to bake the cookies,” she says, “but maybe the girls will when they’re a bit older.”
If the thought of six women, arms laden with flour, chocolate chips, eggs, and sugar, climbing out of vehicles and gathering in one kitchen for holiday baking, all the while corralling young children, seems merry and bright, the event itself creates even more festivity.
“We kick the kids out of the kitchen, and have our own adult sort of chaos,” Snare says.
The bakers take turns using the oven, so one person bakes while others measure and mix. Two women in the group, hardcore bakers, have assumed somewhat supervisory roles, advising about baking times, pan rotations, and bowl availability. As the work continues, the group gets to socialize, joking and chatting.
“Then when we finish, we divvy up the cookies, and everyone goes home with a box of cookies from each of us,” Snare says.
Also in Bellefonte, Heather Lowe, a part-time preschool teacher, gets together with five of her friends to share recipes, cookies, updates on family news, and other holiday activities.
“It’s so nice to have a girls’ night in the middle of all the holiday craziness,” she says.
Lowe and her companions all have children ranging in ages from toddlers through teens. So, finding time for get-togethers with peers presents its own challenges. Once the women settle on a time and a spot, they get started planning the gathering.
This group has a couple traditions that make it unique.
“We have a sort of game,” she says, “where we all bring a favorite item, anything from a body care product to a household cleaner. We take turns explaining the item and why we love it. We bring enough of it for everyone, and each of us goes home with a new product.”
But this group also plans another activity to make the time special.
“One year we learned different techniques to decorate cookies,” she recalls, “and another time we made Jared’s Boxes.”
The Jared Box Project involves boxes that participants fill with small gifts—toys, crayons, books, and other fun items—for hospitalized children to enjoy over the holidays.
“But it’s just a great way to celebrate,” Lowe concludes about the cookie exchange, “and my family always wants to know: what kind did I bring home?”
Meanwhile, in State College, YMCA Program Director Cindy Lupton has created an event for seniors as part of the December Senior Luncheon. Her location holds monthly luncheons for seniors where the YMCA provides the main dish, and guests bring their choice of salads, sides, or dessert.
“We used to do a cookie exchange just for staff,” she recalls, “Then last year I made the decision to do this for the seniors.”
For a true baker’s extravaganza, participants bring four dozen cookies each. While this seems like a lot, Lupton donates the extra to the hardworking, dedicated nurses at Juniper Village at Brookline.
“They really deserve this,” she comments.
Seasonal music also contributes to the merriment. Local vocalist and guitarist Mary Madigan volunteers her talent and time to create plenty of fa-la-la for the occasion. She invites everyone to sing along as she plays and leads the seasonal tunes.
“Mary has a beautiful voice,” Lupton says, “and she hands out song sheets, and we all sing. Everyone loves it.”
Throughout the valley, the swaps bring out the cookie-lover in everyone. And so many have fond memories of favorite cookies within families.
“My mom made the molasses cookies that my paternal grandfather loved,” Peno recalls, “and the ricotta cookies from my Italian side.”
Lupton admits to a strong sweet tooth, although not a baker herself. She describes several incidents that always give her a chuckle.
“When we were kids, Mom used to make coconut peaks, filled with coconut and covered with chocolate,” she says. “She would make enough for all the relatives and put them in the freezer.” Lupton and her sister would sneak down to the kitchen, retrieve the delectable nuggets from the freezer, and snack away on them.
“Mom would go get half-empty containers for company,” she says. “I am guilty. Mom worked so hard.”
More recently, Lupton bought a bucket of dough from the Girl Scouts, scooped out the cranberry-orange cookie dough, baked it, and brought it to the event.
“Everyone wanted the recipe,” she laughs.
Peno takes his baking seriously. He saves up gift cards for King Arthur Baking to get things like a pro-level KitchenAid. Or the scoop he calls “life-changing.”
But the sense of connection, friendship, community, and togetherness mean more than any chocolate chip or sprinkle or piped icing.
Lowe recalls in 2020 when her group exchanged cookies while wearing masks to protect against COVID-19.
“I had a two-month old,” she says. “We didn’t mingle too much, but our group did a ten-minute exchange, and it was so nice to get out of the house and see each other even for a brief time.”
“It’s all about sharing and getting together,” Barnes adds. T&G
Anne Dyer Walker is a Bellefonte freelance writer.
