This afternoon I headed over to Lisa’s house to help her prep and get ready for the DC Bloggers Cookie Swap! Her house was perfectly decorated with holiday cheer for the occasion…
Before the rest of the bloggers arrived, the two of us rolled up our sleeves and got to work chopping veggies, toasting bread, and prepping the food.
A hundred million thanks to Lisa for being such a wonderful host, and for letting 25+ bloggers and readers descend on her living room.
For our afternoon spread, we had lots of cut veggies…
I brought over my homemade baba ganoush for dipping.
There was an assortment of gluten-free crackers…
And Lisa made these amazing sun dried tomato pesto and olive tapenade dips. Pretty sure I ate half of this boat.
The spread…
And then just before the guests arrived, I set my cookies out on a platter. I decided to take two different things to swap, since I wanted to make sure I had a gluten-free option.
Cookie #1 were these coconut carrot macaroons. I made a few recipe substitutions, and dipped half the batch in chocolate – they were delicious!
Cookie #2 were white chocolate chip shortbread cookies with chocolate topping. These turned out pretty good too – I definitely wasn’t feeling adventurous enough to create my own recipe for the cookie swap. :)
And then the rest of the guests and the cookies started rolling in…
There were cookies EVERYWHERE! With 25+ people, and many bringing more than one thing to share, we ended up with cookies all over every flat surface in the house.
It was also pretty incredible just how many vegan and gluten-free options there were. This community is so respectful and inclusive when considering everyone’s different dietary choices and needs.
I didn’t get individual pictures of every cookie option (because that would have taken all night), but I did make Suzanne promise to come over and teach me how to make biscotti.
And Katie’s homemade oreo cookies were just too pretty to not capture.
The house was PACKED with girls, and the conversation volume felt more like a bar on a Saturday night than a cookie swap on a Sunday afternoon. :)
Everyone was so nice, and it was really fun to spend the afternoon chatting with such lovely girls. I feel really lucky to have been welcomed into our new city by so many people!
Back at home, I shared my loot with Casey. I honestly didn’t bring all that much home since I don’t have any office co-workers to pawn cookies off to, and I made myself sick with cookies over the last two days. Tis the season!
Such a fun afternoon. Many thanks to our lovely host Lisa, and to all the girls for braving a very dreary and rainy day for some good old fashioned cookie and blogger fun. Until next time!
65 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Aw how fun! I’m so sad I couldn’t make it!
[Reply]
What a fantastic idea! My family does a (much smaller) version of this every year and I’m sad to not be able to partake. Home you got some delicious treats!
[Reply]
This looks like a blast! The fact that there are cookies involved doesn’t hurt either. ;) I think I need to organize a cookie swap for my area!
[Reply]
Such a fun afternoon! =D
[Reply]
I love reading about these get togethers, they look so fun!
[Reply]
What an incredible time with so many incredible women. And your shortbread was delicious.
[Reply]
Wow what I would give to have been in THAT room! When I was little my mother used to do cookie swaps but it was like a rice crispy bar pile, a dipped oreos pile, a brownies pile…not that there’s anything wrong with those things but this swap took things to NEW levels…drooooool! :)
And i am lol’ing at all those rings in a pile!
[Reply]
Seems like you had a fun afternoon Emily! I love the looks of your macaroons, would you share the changes you made to the original recipe? Did you use coconut oil?
Thanks!
Ana
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Coconut oil, and I actually doubled the agave. Still not too sweet, and gives it more moisture.
[Reply]
Ana Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
First thing I thought about was using coconut oil. And if the coconut oil is unsweetened then it makes a lot of sense to double the agave!
These macaroons look so good, I might make them sometime soon!
Thanks Emily!
Ana
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
I think that’s what the problem was – the coconut was unsweetened, and the original recipe didn’t say if hers was or not. So I just doubled the agave and it was perfect!
[Reply]
Looks like so much fun. What a pretty decorated house. Y’all have a big blogger community there! I would have been in cookie heaven.
[Reply]
Lisa Reply:
December 13th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Thank you so much! I’ll admit, my husband and I go a little crazy for Christmas–we have 7 big storage containers full of Christmas stuff and our collection keeps growing :-)
[Reply]
Looks so much fun! I keep reading about these cookie swaps and I want to host one so bad! :)
[Reply]
Those homemade oreos look so good! I used to love oreos when I was younger.
[Reply]
if i can make biscotti without a culinary degree, you can too. ;)
this is the recipe i use:
http://www.oceanspray.com/recipes/Cranberry_Almond_Biscotti.aspx?id=266&nid=9.
they are my mom’s absolute favorite cookie- she asks me to make them for her every year. just don’t try to double the recipe…it’s too much for even the big kitchenaid (unless you have the super big professional one…then it might be ok).
[Reply]
wow so many cookies! the baba looks great!
[Reply]
The reindeer on the mantle are *adorable*!!
So happy that you’re making friends in your new city – I find it can be difficult to do this as an adult. Yay for you!
[Reply]
Aw how fun!! These blogger cookie swaps should be mandatory in every town… Just saying..
[Reply]
Looks like a blast!!
[Reply]
I wish I could have come!
[Reply]
I forgot you had teased about a carrot macaroon! I’ll definitely give these a try- maybe even this week! I was planning on making macaroons this Wednesday (office holiday party this Thurs) for my cookie platter.
[Reply]
Looked like so much fun!! What a great turnout and I can’t wait to join next year!
[Reply]
So fun! I wish we had more bloggers in this area to do this with. I’ll have to look into it more! Anyone from the St. Louis area wanna do a swap? :)
[Reply]
Aw, looks like one fun night indeed! SO wish I lived in DC…. :)
[Reply]
Today was so fun! And your macaroons were amazing – will be enjoying one of your shortbread cookies tomorrow. Have to spread out my cookie intake :)
[Reply]
It looks like the cookie swap was a success. All those great looking cookies!
[Reply]
Such a fun event! I just tried one of the macaroons and they were delicious. Good seeing you!
[Reply]
That looks like a lot of fun! Maybe something like that will happen in Colorado!
[Reply]
What fun! I would have loved to have been a part of that! Such a great party idea.
[Reply]
So much fun! It all looks ridiculously delicious :)
Heidi xo
[Reply]
This is such an awesome cookie party!!! Everything looks great but especially your carrot cake macaroons. I’m dreaming about them now. ;)
Glad you had a great weekend.
[Reply]
Those cookies look amazing! Such a fun day!
[Reply]
I am so impressed by all those cookies! Those homemade oreos remind of ones I get at a local bakery… so good.
I love cookie swaps :) I’m organizing one for my mom friends and our little ones this Friday… can’t wait!
[Reply]
The party was awesome. I have a small sugar hangover this morning, but it was totally worth it :) Nice meeting you!
[Reply]
Yum! Wish I could have been there but next time! After all, who says there can’t be food swaps at other times of the year…? ;)
[Reply]
lindsay Reply:
December 13th, 2010 at 10:45 am
This is an excellent point! I’d love to see a pizza swap, or dips/apps swap :) I guess that is called a potluck. Still – we should do that another time!
[Reply]
Lisa Reply:
December 13th, 2010 at 11:33 am
I agree! Why only swap around the holidays?
[Reply]
Looks like fun! I am sad I wasn’t able to make it!
[Reply]
Holy Christmas, girlfriend! You must have a bajillion readers. When I checked my stats page this morning, I thought there was a glitch in the system. ;) It was lovely meeting you and thanks for the shout out. And of course, thank you for helping Lisa with hosting – it was a really great event.
PS-I hope everything goes smoothly for you this week. I’m confident you will be overwhelmed with support from your readers.
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Hi Katie! Glad some readers found their way over. :) Your oreos were too good to not promote! Also, I checked out your blog – gorgeous pictures. You are very talented.
[Reply]
That looks like so much fun!! I’ve always wanted to go to a Cookie Swap! :)
[Reply]
looks so fun!!
[Reply]
Whoa SO many cookies. That is very cool that there were so many allergen/diet friendly options too :) Everything looks delicious!
[Reply]
I wish I had time to throw an NYC cookie swap, because this looks amazing!! So much baking talent in the blogworld :)
[Reply]
So fun! I wish I could do something like this up in Boston.
Homemade oreos…wow. That’s dedication.
[Reply]
It was great seeing you again!
[Reply]
Yay for gluten free options! Looks like such a fun time. Also, I really like the photo of the rings. I have the Tiffanys heart one and wear it everyday :)
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
That Tiffany ring is mine – I love it too. :) I have the matching necklace!
[Reply]
Natalia - a side of simple Reply:
December 15th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
me too! my brothers and sisters got my the ring and my parents got me the necklace all for my 16th birthday! i think we’re jewelry/newport twins :)
[Reply]
Looks like so much fun!
[Reply]
Lovely recap! Such a fun night. I’m really regretting trying to be conservative on the number of cookies I brought home. So delicious!
And thanks to Lisa for hosting us all!
[Reply]
That looks like so much fun!
[Reply]
THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I really would not have been ready if you hadn’t helped me with the prep. And you made clean up so much easier :-) What a fun day!
[Reply]
Wouldn’t you know the first day I stumble across your blog and I just missed something I would have loved to do. Will you be doing it again next year?
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Ahh shoot! I’m sure we will, and we tend to plan other get togethers during the year. You should definitely come to the next one!
[Reply]
Looks like fun! I’m going to my first gluten-free cookie swap (and first cookie swap in general) next week.
I’m excited that it will all be gluten-free though. Seeing gluten-free treats on the same plate as gluten-containing treats makes me worry about cross contamination! It would make me wonder if they used the same baking sheet for both and how they were stored. Basically I’m a worrier! ;)
[Reply]
[...] The First Annual DC Blogger Cookie Swap. [...]
Now I am wishing I had not shyed away from going – I decided not to email and ask about joining since I am gluten-intolerant but it seems like it was silly of me to do that!
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Oh no! You definitely have to come next time – bummer!
[Reply]
Oh wow! A cookie swap with gluten free options would be a dream come true for me!!! Wish I was closer to DC.
[Reply]
Looks like a blast! Wish I could have come ;) Love that there were GF and Vegan options that makes me smile :) Those carrot coconut macaroons look delicious!!
~Lori
[Reply]
I will gladly come over to help with biscotti! Good to see you on Sunday! Good luck with all the changes this week!
[Reply]
that looks so fun! and delicious!!!
[Reply]
This looks great! Is there anything I can do to get more involved with the foodie bloggers in DC? I’m originally from VT and just moved to DC for a job, but my blog is eatinggreenstayinglean.com. I’m still new to the process, but it’d be fun to meet everyone with similar interests!
[Reply]
Leave a comment