Christmas Cookie Swap Inspiration

Last year we hosted our very first Christmas Cookie Swap and it was one of my most favourite events that we have ever hosted. It was so refreshing to have an event that is centered around Christmas that just celebrates the good bits of Christmas. Everyone got offline and into the kitchen to bake their favourite cookies with everyone. It was magic!!! This year we are back, bigger and better with 30 spots, which means we need 30+ cookies and each guests gets to take home 30 individual cookies. I know that a lot of people will already have some of their favourite recipes ready to go although if you are a little unsure as to what to bake for our Cookie Swap I have put together some inspo for you. Keep in mind that a lot of these ideas aren’t that festive because lets be honest there are only so many of those you can do, we just want to see your favourite cookie recipe!

1. Claire Ptak's - Egg yolk choc chip cookies

You can find the recipe to Claire best ever egg yolk cookies here. These are exactly what I love from a cookie, they are buttery a little bit crispy and have the perfect spread. They are not cakey and not overly sweet. She has also developed this recipe into the perfect vegan recipe in her book Love Is a Pink Cake and Anna Jones has a peanut butter take on them in Easy Wins. Just perfect!

2. Sally’s Baking Addiction - White Chocolate & Macadamia Cookies

You can find the recipe for these here. We had an Easter cookie swap and some one made these to share and they were the most moreish of all. They’re chunky, a little bit gooey and potential better that any dark/milk chocolate version you have ever had. The reviews from the Easter Cookie Swap was that they gave ultimate Subway cookie energy.

3. Donna Hay - Sugar Cookie Recipe

I use this recipe EVERY YEAR to make Christmas cookies. It is super reliable and super easy to keep rolling out into sheets to cut out over and over again. It is perfect and each batch honestly takes 12 minutes to bake and the shapes hold perfectly.

4. Pierre Hermé & Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies

Word on the street is that these cookies are so good that they could provide us with world peace. Although in this current world that is a huge ask. I do think they would bring peace to your house aka your world. Dorie developed these when she worked for Pierre Herme in Paris. They are a proper representation of a tradtional french sable and whilst they are not that festive they would be amazing half dunked in white chocolate sprinkled with crushed candy canes.

5. Club Sup’s - Christmas Rocky Road

15 things I would rather do than be on my phone

In the last year I think I have begun to really check in on my relationship with my phone and primarily social media. As the Club grows so does its profile on social media and as its founder and host it is so easy to share every aspect of my life on social media. It is easy how stay locked in to the metaverse keeping on top of everything. It also doesn’t escape my attention that I spend a lot of my time online to build my business offline. In the last week I have been spending time taking a break and enjoying the world around me so here are 15 things I’d rather do than be on my phone.

1.  Read a book

2. Cook a new recipe

3. Go for a walk/ do some exercise

4. Be in my home and tidy it – care for my things do a good laundry load

5. Journal

6. Daydream

7. Go to a gallery

8.  Put some things together to sell on Depop

9.  Go to a café and people watch

10. Walk around the shops and just window shop

11. Hang out with my friends or family

12.  Actually be bored - Sometimes I forget what that is like

13.  Do some gardening - There are some pots on our terrace that need the weeds removed

14. Go to the market and food prep sauces, soups or curries.

15. Go on a picnic with my boyfriend.

Why I Started Club Sup

People often ask me why and how I started Club Sup, and it has taken me nearly four years to feel comfortable answering this question. Now, I feel I can finally define it, reflecting on both where we started and where I hope to take it.

Club Sup began as a hobby—an outlet for me to cook and host supper events as a creative escape. I never imagined that nearly four years later, it would evolve into a full-fledged business. It took me some time to define what the Club really is because, at first, there was nothing quite like it in Australia. While Meetup existed, the events never felt intimate or authentic enough to foster real connections. Finding a true friend at those events was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Club Sup is deeply personal to me for many reasons. The main one is that I spent much of my early 20s wishing for something like this. Perhaps building the Club has been my way of healing from past experiences of loneliness. I’ve been fortunate to find my people, to the point where I now bump into familiar faces on the street—something that once seemed impossible.

What is Club Sup?

Club Sup is a supper club created for people to make friends. Since launching in March 2021, it has grown beyond supper events. We now host lunches, book swaps, yoga sessions, and more. Club Sup is an in-person experience, something rare in today’s world where so much happens online. Real connection requires a 3D experience—you need to see someone’s expressions and engage in real-time conversation. Our events are designed to be safe, welcoming spaces where you can enjoy great food, drinks, and meaningful conversations with like-minded people. Many have found not just friends, but also roommates or even job opportunities through the Club.

How Club Sup Started

Club Sup began as a conversation during lockdown in my Melbourne share house. We started as strangers and became close friends. None of us grew up in Melbourne, but each of us had a few friends we wanted to introduce to the group, hoping to create a richer, more connected community. The idea was simple: host a supper where everyone brought a guest that no one else knew, and see if we could all become friends. While it started as a lockdown pipe dream, we never organized the event once restrictions lifted. But as life became busier, I found myself craving a creative outlet again, inspired by the strong friendships I had built. That’s when I thought: "What if I combined my love for cooking with the idea of a supper where everyone is a stranger?" And so, Club Sup was born—a space for people to connect over cozy suppers filled with great food and wine.

A Moment When Club Sup Came to Life

There have been several moments where it felt like the Club truly came to life. Each time I set a new goal or dream for the Club, it seems to level up. But the first night I hosted strangers at an Airbnb/art gallery in Fitzroy really stands out. Hearing everyone laughing and getting to know the person sitting next to them—someone they’d never met before—was incredibly rewarding. It was in that moment I knew I had created something special.

A Fond Memory from a Club Sup Event

One of my fondest memories was from an event we hosted earlier this year, in collaboration with a brand. Someone from the brand arrived about 10 or 15 minutes into the event and commented on how warm and friendly the atmosphere was. They were amazed to realize that everyone in the room had come alone and yet, the vibe was so welcoming and connected.

The Bigger Vision for Club Sup

There is so much more I want to do with Club Sup. My vision is to continue growing this community, always providing fun and meaningful ways for people to connect. Working with brands to create unique events has been a great way to bring people together, uniting them through shared experiences. The goal is to keep expanding this community and offer even more opportunities for connection.