A Balanced Diet Is A Cookie In Each Hand
If you live near Pittsburgh, it's a safe bet that shortly after you told your family you were engaged, you were flooded with phone calls from relatives telling you what kind of cookies they are making for the wedding.
The Pittsburgh Cookie Table is a long-standing tradition in South Western PA/Eastern OH. Pittsburghers judge weddings (jokingly of course, I hope) by the size of the cookie table. Guests may forget to eat a slice of wedding cake, but they never waste any time filling their to-go boxes with cookies.
(photo credit: Carly Hall Photography)
No one knows for sure how this tradition began. The most popular belief is that it began its rise during the Great Depression. Spending money on a large cake for all of the guests was not always an option during these difficult financial times. Rather than placing the financial burden on one family, it was more cost-effective for the extended families to come together and bake cookies. Some believe that its roots are from Italian and Eastern European immigrants who brought a piece of home to the area.
(photo credit: Carly Hall Photography)
Keys To The Pittsburgh Cookie Table:
How Many Cookies?
Average is 6 per guest
When family and friends call, keep a list of the types of cookies they want to make. As you talk to more people, you will be able to avoid having too many duplicate types.
Common Cookie Types: chocolate chip, peanut butter blossom, snickerdoodle, buckeyes, pizzelles, macaroons, ladylocks, sugar cookies, Russian tea cakes, thumbprints
Cookie Pick Up
Coordinate in advance with your family and friends a pickup time/day for the cookies.
They are helping out by doing a lot of baking so if you are able to pick up the cookies from everyone rather than making them drop them off at the venue, they would appreciate it.
Cookie Displays
Ask your venue and caterer ahead of time when they need cookies dropped off and who is responsible for traying them/setting up the table
If your venue, caterer, or design rental vendors do not provide trays or cookie towers, you may want to consider borrowing, renting, or purchasing several to put the cookies on
To Go Boxes
Provide something for guests to put cookies in (ex. takeout boxes or clear baggies)
Create custom sticker labels for a personalized touch
Cleaning Up
Store the bakers' containers under the cookie table and let them know that's where they'll be for pick up after the reception ends
Ask your venue and caterer ahead of time if they package the cookies up after the reception ends.
If not, designate a couple of helpers ahead of time to package up the leftover cookies and drop them off somewhere for you
Thank You
Acknowledge the bakers at the reception with a thank you sign on the table
Send a thank you note after the wedding for baking cookies