The Sweetest Way to Introduce Yourself to New Neighbors
Personalize the names, address, and phone number in just a few minutes.
Ever since we moved into our first home in Costa Mesa a few months ago, I've been so excited about all of the little neighborly moments that make a cul-de-sac so special—kids riding bikes until sunset, Fourth of July celebrations in the street, borrowing a cup of sugar, sharing homegrown tomatoes over the fence, and welcoming new neighbors with homemade treats.
I wanted to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors in a way that felt a little more personal than just a quick wave while pulling into the driveway.
So naturally... I baked cookies.
There is something about homemade cookies (my Grammy’s recipe that never fails) that says, "We're happy to be here." It's simple, thoughtful, and gives you the perfect excuse to knock on a neighbor's door. Also, I have never met anyone who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie. We received a nice text from (almost) every house we dropped a bag off to which was a perfect way to exchange numbers.
What We Included
Each bag included:
Fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies
A simple printable note introducing ourselves
Our names
Our phone number so neighbors could easily reach us
It took less than an afternoon to put together, but I have a feeling we'll remember doing it for years.
The Note
I wanted the note to feel warm without being over the top, so this is what we wrote:
Hello Neighbors!
We wanted to properly introduce ourselves with some freshly baked cookies. We are so excited to be living on Evergreen and part of the Canyon Park neighborhood. Please feel free to reach out whenever you need.
From your new neighbors at (address),
Lily (Phone Number)
& Jim Berry (Phone Number)
Customize in Canva, print, mount to scrapbook paper, punch a hole, and tie onto your cookie bag!
Supplies
You'll need: (I have linked my favorites)
A hole punch
Fresh baked cookies
And Just In Case You Need Grammy Dee’s Recipe
Ingredients: (makes 6 dozen)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup (3 ounces) coarsely chopped toasted nuts (your favorite), optional
Instructions:
1. Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line
two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream
the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until well blended,
about 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl.
4. Beat the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and blend well;
scrape the bowl again. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until just mixed;
scrape down the bowl. Add the chocolate and optional nuts and mix until incorporated
into the dough.
5. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them
about 2 inches apart. Bake, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom
and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown but the
centers seem slightly underdone, about 13 minutes. Do not overbake or the cookies
will crisp throughout instead of chewy. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets,
then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely. The cookies will crinkle as they
cool. (Store at room temperature in airtight containers for up to 1 week)