Good Question: How Many Cookies Per Person?

Here is a very important question from reader Allison, who asks:

I have to take cookies to a potluck party for 9 people. I plan to take a mix of several kinds, but how many cookies should I "budget" for each person?

Well, Allison, that all depends on what kind of cookies you plan to make, and also on the appetite of the people you are baking them for! Are they inveterate cookie monsters? Or are they the weight-watching, diet soda-sipping types? Do plates of sweets disappear instantly in your office, or are they left until Friday afternoon for the janitor to throw out?

And then, what are you planning on baking? Tiny shortbreads? Hefty cookie sandwiches? It's very hard to estimate, given the lack of data!

We will hazard a guess, though, and say that you should plan on three or four good-sized cookies per person. Even if you end up with too many that is better than running out! And people can always take some home.

Readers -- how do you budget cookies and sweets for your holiday parties?

Next question?

(Image: Flickr member ChrissyJ licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (4)

I usually bake cookies that keep well; like shortbread or molasses sugar cookies and bake extra, they can always be taken to work, or given away, or just eaten!

posted by acushla on December 19th 2008 at 1:03pm
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I agree with Faith: 3-4 cookies. I tend toward odd numbers with food, so I'll say if they're at least 2.5" or larger, go with 3.

posted by Sara Kate on December 19th 2008 at 1:42pm
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This was my question and since the potluck was a team lunch today, I can give you the results. It turns out your advice was perfect and about what I settled on myself.

I took gingerbread, shortbread, and cheesies (spicy, sweet, savoury). I took about 1 of each type of cookie per person (ie. 3 per person), plus a few extras. In counting out cookies, if a particular shape was small, I counted it as half a cookie.

So this meant there were small cookies for the nibblers, and large cookies for the gobblers, and a few extra so no one felt like they were "taking the last one". I had no problem shopping the leftover cookies around to others in the office.

posted by angorian on December 19th 2008 at 3:29pm
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Holy crap, those look exactly like the cookies I made last year for a holiday party.

If you're making a mix, I'd maybe make 1 of each kind per person. Maybe a bit more...since there's bound to be people who grab a few extra of certain kinds. That way everyone will theoretically be able to sample each of them.

posted by wunami on December 19th 2008 at 4:07pm
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