Anonymous wrote:That happened at one of my exchanges and people brought store and bakery cookies and that was the last time I did an exchange with them. Me and my friend did a smaller exchange after that. I think just apologizing and bowing out is better than bringing a subpar cookie.

This. You cannot participate as agreed, so should not participate at all.

Work cookie exchanges are the worst. And I love to bake but I don’t need to go home with dozens of cookies when I was just trying to go to work for the day.

Anonymous wrote:Definetly bow out. People who plan and attend these things are obsessive about it. I thought the purpose was being social, but apparently it is who is the biggest martyr.

Happy hour is for being social. Cookie exchanges are for people who like to bake and share recipes. Why is that so bad? If it's not for you, bow out, but no need to be judgmental about it just because you can't or won't bake.

This thread is old, but I wanted to say thank you to the ladies on here who advised that special cookies bought at a bakery are okay! I was searching “cookie exchange dcum” looking for some suggestions on what to bake, but not really wanting to bake.

I also revived this thread to share my mom’s story, from the 80s probably, of going to a cookie exchange and someone had brought an Entemenn’s (sp?) glazed coffee cake that she had spread peanut butter on top of. I don’t know if she was claimed it was homemade. No shame to her, just funny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all. I decided I'd feel like a creep passing off store bought as homemade, so I am going to bow out and do better next year!

Np Don't feel bad, op. Personally I would just skip the whole thing even next year. No one needs all the extra work and calories!

if you enjoy it this is not intended as an insult I'm trying to lose weight so this would set me way back so that's why I don't participate!

OP here, this is another reason I bowed out. I would have gone home with 50 cookies and neither my husband nor I need that!

Anonymous wrote:Definetly bow out. People who plan and attend these things are obsessive about it. I thought the purpose was being social, but apparently it is who is the biggest martyr.

They're not martyrs, why is this the default insult on DCUM? The people who enjoy it enjoy it because they take pride in their baking. Because of that, it's not an even swap if someone buys (bad) grocery store cookies but gets to go home with my delicious homemade cookies. This is why buying GOOD bakery cookies is okay--it's a decent cookie to go home with. If you don't want to play along, no one is forcing you to attend.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all. I decided I'd feel like a creep passing off store bought as homemade, so I am going to bow out and do better next year!

That’s what I would have done as well.

Definetly bow out. People who plan and attend these things are obsessive about it. I thought the purpose was being social, but apparently it is who is the biggest martyr.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all. I decided I'd feel like a creep passing off store bought as homemade, so I am going to bow out and do better next year!

Np Don't feel bad, op. Personally I would just skip the whole thing even next year. No one needs all the extra work and calories!

if you enjoy it this is not intended as an insult I'm trying to lose weight so this would set me way back so that's why I don't participate!

OP here. Thanks all. I decided I'd feel like a creep passing off store bought as homemade, so I am going to bow out and do better next year!

I'd have no problem receiving non-homemade cookies at an exchange but I agree with the pps who say if you're going to do it, own it and get something special. Don't buy cheap grocery store cookies and try to pass them off.

That happened at one of my exchanges and people brought store and bakery cookies and that was the last time I did an exchange with them. Me and my friend did a smaller exchange after that. I think just apologizing and bowing out is better than bringing a subpar cookie.

Anonymous wrote:Nothing is going to "pass" as homemade. In your situation I would buy the best cookies I can get that are considered a "treat." Anything lesser than that is a let down to your fellow cookie exchangers.

This 100%. Go to a bakery or to Rodman’s.

Nothing is going to "pass" as homemade. In your situation I would buy the best cookies I can get that are considered a "treat." Anything lesser than that is a let down to your fellow cookie exchangers.

I have a cookie exchange at work today and was not able to get my stuff together to bake them this weekend, so I'd like to purchase store bought that would pass as believable for homemade. any ideas?
I need about 50!