Cookies are the Life of the Party
“Make a cookie. Eat a cookie. Share a cookie. That’s it,” said Dan Pelosi, New York Times best selling cookbook author and longtime food blogger otherwise known as Grossy Pelosi. He was the inspiration for my friend Lindsey Ehrlich’s now annual cookie party. I had the pleasure of attending last year’s and this year's cookie party at Lindsey’s house in January, right after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. A cookie party is the perfect way to bring together loved ones, no matter the time of year. Lindsey, a fan of Grossy Pelosi, was excited about his idea of a cookie party and decided to run with it, making it her own.
In Lindsey’s home, the dining room table was lined with butcher paper. As guests rolled in, they were able to arrange their cookies on a section of the paper and label their creation along with their name. The only rule: no store bought cookies, they must be made at home.
Around the house, Lindsey also had cookie decorating, raffles, and places for everyone to get together and mingle. At the cookie decorating station, there were homemade sugar cookies, baked by Lindsey, in different shapes; gingerbread men, trees, and circles, as well as different icings and sprinkles. When she attended Grossy Pelosi’s December cookie party at Crate and Barrel in Manhattan, she especially loved the giveaways available. Lindsey decided to incorporate a raffle at her party, giving each guest a chance to win her favorite cookbook or a baking sheet.
As people trickled in throughout the party, the dining room table grew with many unique types of cookies. Guests could get to know each other and their cookies as they talked and tried a nibble of each option. From espresso dark chocolate, coconut almond, cheddar thyme, and lots of snickerdoodles, there were a wide range of cookies available. Grossy Pelosi writes in his cookie party guide, “Every cookie and every baker has a story, and I love watching them all be told during the party. The way that people get to know each other, have meaningful conversations, and talk about recipes is just so magical.” Everyone was able to socialize while enjoying a sweet treat.
Before the party, Lindsey asked for everyone's cookie recipes and printed them in a binder to be displayed during the party. After trying a cookie, guests had the opportunity to flip through the different recipes that created the treats on the table in front of them. After the party, she emailed the guests a full list of the recipes, along with photos of the party, to share the sweetness even more. Lindsey described how “sharing recipes and why people choose what they did is interesting. Sometimes there is a story. I always think it's fun to see what people create and why.”
A slight tummy ache and plenty of new friends later, guests were able to bring the cookies on the go! Lindsey put out plenty of to-go bags for everyone to share the joy of the cookie party beyond those few hours and with even more friends and family. When asked what her favorite part of the cookie party was, Lindsey exclaimed, “Getting everyone together! Even when people don't think they can bake or don't usually bake, they get the chance to experiment in the kitchen and see what they can create. I think it is so fun to spend time together, as a family, while baking before the party.”
Lindsey Ehrlich’s annual cookie party was definitely one to remember! The cookies my family took home barely lasted a week, which is a testament to just how delicious each cookie tasted. For students in Madison, a cookie party is a great way to meet fellow foodies across campus and try new recipes, during any time of the semester. Getting friends together is always enjoyable, and when cookies are involved, it just gets sweeter!
Follow Dan Pelosi and Lindsey Ehrlich’s blogs:
Lindsey : https://kneadtonosh.com/
Dan : https://danpelosi.com/