The GREAT FOOD BLOGGER COOKIE SWAP brings together food bloggers from around the world in celebration of all things scrumptious. The premise is this: sign up. Receive the addresses of three other food bloggers. Send each of them one dozen delicious homemade cookies. Receive three different boxes of scrumptious cookies from other bloggers. Eat them all yourself (or, you know, share. If you want. No judgement either way.) Post your cookie recipe on your blog. See everyone else’s cookie recipes. Salivate. Get lots of great ideas for next year’s cookie swap. Rinse and repeat.

This year we are even more excited to be partnering with COOKIES FOR KIDS’ CANCER, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease. By participating in this cookie swap you are not only contributing to the food blogger community, but also supporting a great cause.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. STEP1

   SIGN UP. Fill out the sign-up form to participate. Be sure you meet the basic requirements for participation (listed below). Our sign-up system utilizes a double-opt in process. You MUST click the link in your email to confirm your subscription. If you don’t receive a link, check your spam folder or sign up again.

2. STEP2

   DONATE. Once you confirm your subscription, you will be instructed to make a $4.00 tax-deductible donation directly to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. You MUST complete this payment to participate in the swap (Why do we require this?). 100% of this donation goes directly to CFKC.

3. STEP3

   MATCH. We will send you the names and addresses of three other food bloggers. These are your “matches,” the people to whom you will be sending cookies! It’s important you keep these matches a secret until they receive your cookies.

4. STEP4

   BAKE & SHIP. Now comes the fun part! Whip up a batch of delicious cookies and ship one dozen to each of your three matches by the shipment deadline. Don’t forget to photograph your cookies for your post before you send them off!

5. STEP5

   POST. Post your cookie recipe on your blog and submit the post along with an image (if you have one). We will then collect and compile all participants’ posts and publish them in one huge roundup!

DEADLINES:

Please pay close attention to the official swap timeline, and be sure you will be able to meet these deadlines before signing up to participate.

1. NOV5

   SIGN UP DEADLINE

   signups will be accepted from October 15 through November 5 at 12 midnight EST.

2. NOV12

   RECEIVE YOUR MATCHES

   please email us if you do not receive your matches via email by this date.

3. DEC5

   SHIPMENT DEADLINE

   please be sure your cookies are in the mail on or before this date.

4. DEC12

   POSTING DATE

   please post your recipe ON this date, and then submit the link to us.

REQUIREMENTS:

YOU MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE FOOD BLOG. In order to participate in this swap you must have an active food blog (Why?). This year, we will be checking participants to make sure they do indeed meet the requirements. An active food blog is defined as:

• Has been posting for at least 2 months (started on or before August 15, 2012).
• Has posted at least once in the last 6 months.
• Subject matter is primarily (at least 51%) focused on food.
• An actual blog (blogger, wordpress, typepad etc), not a facebook page.

YOU MUST BE ABLE TO MEET THE DEADLINES. Before signing up to participate, be sure you are able to meet the above specified deadlines.

YOUR COOKIE RECIPE MUST BE NEW-TO-YOU, meaning, not one you have posted previously on your blog. It does NOT have to be an original recipe, however please give proper credit when posting someone else’s recipe.

NON-US FOOD BLOGGERS ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE, however we must have at least 4 bloggers from any one country. You will only be matched with bloggers from your own country (to avoid outrageous shipping charges and customs issues). Please contact us if you’d like to get your country on the list.

FOOD ALLERGIES OR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS? No worries, you are still welcome to participate! There’s a question on the sign up form, just answer accordingly. We will do our best to match you with other bloggers with similar restrictions.

FOLLOW THROUGH. Please do not sign up if you do not plan on following through. This swap is supposed to be fun, and that depends on everyone sending their cookies as promised. While we’ve taken steps to verify participants, we have no way of ensuring or confirming that everyone indeed sends their cookies. Your word is all we have to go on, and we are optimistic that that is good enough. Please don’t betray that trust. (Thank you much!)

SIGN UP NOW!

RARING TO GO? By continuing to the sign up form you acknowledge that you have read this entire page (phew!), meet the minimum blogger requirements for participation, and agree to uphold your commitment to this cookie swap. Note that if it turns out you do not meet the requirements or drop out prior to the sign-up deadline, donations are NOT refundable.

BONUS!

WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE that OXO® will match our donation toCOOKIES FOR KIDS’ CANCER, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000 dollars! By participating in this cookie swap you are not only contributing to the food blogger community, but also supporting a great cause.

ALL U.S. PARTICIPANTS who sign up for the cookie swap and complete their donation to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer will receive a free “Be a Good Cookie” Cookie Spatula, courtesy of OXO®. Your spatula will be sent to the mailing address you enter upon sign up (U.S. residents only, limit one per household). Allow 2-3 weeks for arrival.

*100% of all donations will go directly to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a recognized 501(c)3 public charity duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey.