Shipping Cookies

[trodman]

What is the best way to ship cookies so they arrive unbroken and tastes fresh?
Tracie

[lindrusso]

I pack my cookies in a cookie tin - if you hit the garage sales you can find many for sale for only 25 cents - with lots of wax paper. I put wax paper between each layer and then when the tin is full, I use balled up wax paper in any gaps along the sides and in any remaining area at the top. I then put the top on the tin and tape it shut so it does not come off in transit. I always shake my tin gently before taping to make sure that nothing is moving around. Then I just put them in a box that is again packed tightly with peanuts or newspaper and make sure that nothing rattles around. So far this has worked for me!

I also send my cookies Priority Mail at the Post Office so that they arrive within 2 to 3 days. Shortbread cookies are a good kind to send if freshness is an issue - they actually are supposed to get a bit better with age (I think they are supposed to keep for up to 2 weeks).

[Michelle H]

Last year I sent cookies to family living all over. I also used cookie tins I bought at The Container Store, but used a Martha Stewart idea. She cut corragated cardboard lengthwise and widthwise to match the size of the cookie tin. This made compartments to place the cookies in. I then packed them in a larger box surrounded by crumpled newspaper. From what I heard not a cookie arrived broken. Hope this helps.

[MaryH]

I put mine in a cookie tins (you can usually find them at Target, Walmart or drugstores like Longs or Thrifty). If I find them on sale before or after the holidays I always stock up.

Then I put them in boxes (sometimes ones I've kept during the year) with peanuts so that they don't get all shaken up.

The type of cookie also matters. Thicker cookies travel better. I've been doing this for about 8 years now and I always ask my relatives if they received only a bunch of crumbs and they tell me no, everything arrived just fine. (Of course, they could be lying, but I guess I'll never know http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Beth]

When my brother was in college and I sent cookies from home, I sometimes sent them in used Pringles containers. It's an alternative to the tins that works for some cookies.

[Vanessa]

Yesterday our newspaper ran an article about mailing cookies, cakes etc. You can find the recipes and article in www.washingtonpost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com)
under food. Enclosed the shipping information found in the article.
To send cakes, brownies or pies: Wrap the cooled cake or pie or pan of brownies in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place 2 cardboard cake circles or pieces of cardboard on the top and bottom. The cardboard should extend past the edges of the pan. Wrap thickly with paper. Pack in a carton, cushioning it on all sides with paper or other packing material. Seal and send.


To send the cookies: Place crumpled wax paper in the bottom of one or several metal tins or plastic containers. Place the bottoms of 2 cooled cookies together and wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Pack the cookies in the container, cushioning them with wax paper between layers and around the sides and top of the container. The cookies should fit snugly in the container. Seal the container and tape with masking tape. Wrap each container thickly with paper. Pack the container or containers in a carton, cushioning them on all sides with paper or other packing material. Seal and send.

[trodman]

Thanks everyone for their great ideas! I'm making my cookies on Sunday to ship on Monday.
Thanks Vanesa for the Washington post site! That's a great website filled with lots of information. I might even make the Caramel Fudge Brownies that were listed! They look great!
Tracie

[andreajackson]

Has anyone heard of putting in a piece of bread with your cookies to keep them from getting hard? I was told once that this will keep the cookies moist longer? True or False? Has anyone ever heard this?

[Shelly]

Putting a slice of bread in with the cookies definitely works. Just keep an eye on it because I did that a few weeks ago and in the warm humid weather, the bread got moldy in a few days!! (Even though we have central air) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/cool.gif

[Taffy]

I too will vouch for the bread technique. My college boyfriend's mother used to send him cookies from Denmark (with a slice of white bread in the tin) and no matter how long it took for the tin to arrive the cookies were great!

[This message has been edited by Taffy (edited 09-28-2000).]