You put oodles of time and love into making decorated cookies for friends, family or children, send the cookies on their merry way via snail mail, only to have them arrive in a broken mess!
Has this ever happened to you?
I don’t have a picture of the ruins to share with you, but it has unfortunately happened to me. The recipient didn’t mind – she had some sweet morsels to snack on, but I’m sure you’d agree – I’d rather the cookies all arrive in one piece!
That’s where the cute new book, Cookie Craft Christmas
, comes in. Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer have yet again written an inspiring and comprehensive book to help you create impressive cookies.
I’ve written about their first book
before because it’s one of my favorite *go-to’s* when I have a cookie question. Although this one is small, don’t be decieved by the size – it’s packed with adorable Christmas ideas and practical advice.
Some of the beneficial information includes a tested and successful way of sending decorated cookies in the mail. I’ve been given permission to share Valerie and Janice’s advice here with you. I’m going to follow their written instructions and use my own pictures:
Shipping Decorated Cookies
We’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like getting a box of delicious decorated cookies in the mail. Here’s what we’ve learned about how to minimize breakage when we send our cookies out into the world.
1. Choose sturdy shapes with a minimum of thin appendages to reduce the danger of your cookies breaking en route.
2. Use tins to keep cookies fresh and help protect them.
3. Make sure there’s plenty of packing material inside the cookie tin:
a. Place a layer of crumpled waxed paper on the bottom of the tin.
b. Place another sheet of waxed paper in the tin, as if you were putting tissue paper in a gift box, but instead of making it neat, crumple it to fit against the sides of the tin.
c. Add your first layer of cookies. If you haven’t individually wrapped them, fold each one in a small piece of waxed paper to keep them from jostling. Add small, crumpled pieces of waxed paper to any pockets of space to prevent cookie movement.
d. Place another crumpled piece of paper on top of the packaged cookies, and then add another layer of cookies. Repeat until the tin is nearly full. Make sure the cookies lie flat and apart from each other and leave at least 3/4 inch between the top layer of cookies and the top of the tin; add a fat top layer of protective padding (such as bubble cushioning or more crumpled waxed paper).
e. Cover with the lid and gently shake the tin. If you feel no movement, shake it a little harder. If you feel movement, add more padding and do the “shake” test again until you feel no movement inside the tin.
f. Attach your gift note to the top of the tin. Don’t forget!
4. Make sure there’s plenty of packing material between the tin and the box:
a. Choose a box that allows at least 2 to 3 inches of space around the tin on all sides and above and below.
b. Pad the bottom of the box with a healthy layer of packing peanuts, packing paper, or bubble cushioning.
c. Place the cookie tin in the box, and thoroughly pad the space between the tin and the sides of the box.
d. Pad the top tightly and close the box. Shake the package gently. If you feel no movement, shake it a little harder. If you feel movement, open the box and add more padding where needed, then close and seal the box, and ship.
Note: To help the environment, we reuse our packing materials — especially the nonrecyclable ones.
*Reprinted with permission from Cookie Craft Christmas, published by Storey Publishing, LLC., October 2009. Thank you to Michelle Blackley and Kevin Kennefick for providing the excerpt.
Now for the giveaway! CONTEST CLOSED
If you’d like the chance to win a copy of Valerie and Janice’s book, Cookie Craft Christmas, 
leave a comment below naming one of your favorite foods to eat at this time of the year.
Another way of entering the draw is to retweet this post on twitter. Tweets will be added to the draw! (One per twitter user please).
The draw will be held in a few days; on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009, at 10pm EST.
Good luck!
xo,
Marian
p.s. Wouldn’t the box below be adorable to fill with cookies and give as a gift?! I found it at the Hallmark store yesterday and will be hand delivering that one. (I’m thinking you could fold the tops down and send it too though).
My favorite thing would have to be homemade cookies or maybe basque potato soup.
I don’t always eat them but I like making cookies my mother made, and my father likes, when I was growing up. Still working on it but I do like decorating the cutouts, more so now that I have a little one that likes to help!
Ooooh….deserts are always big with our family. One of my favorites is my aunt’s Chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know what she does to them ( and she’s not telling)….but, they are amazing!
My fav this time of year is gingerbread, I cant help it….. makes me feel like Im 5 again!
Christmas is all about French Salad for me. You cook tiny pieces of carrots, pease & potattoes. Then you mix the veggies with tiny pieces of eggs and pickles and drench the whole thing in mayo. Love it!
Thank you for this. My grandma’s best friend used to make “French salad,” and I wasn’t sure how she did it. It was so so delicious. I will try this out – this sounds exactly right.
my bff’s peanut butter balls!!!
My favourite food is escudella, a tipical spanish dish and I also love iberic jam 🙂
Hi Marian, I’m Francesca form Italy…
Thanks for all your precious tips about decorating cookies!!
My favorite food for Christmas is PANETTONE, a tipical xmas Italian cake, very soft and very veru delicious!!!
Merry Xmas to all!!
Francesca
I just came across your blog today, and I love it already!
I love baking as well, so every holiday season I look forward to the sweets. I’m particularly fond of molasses spice cookies though! And of course, I love decorating gingerbread cookies too!
My favorite food to eat this time of year is my grandmother’s fudge – it’s dark and rich and SO delicious!!!
I love so many things at this time of the year but I think making tons of cookies is my favorite.
I love hot chocolate with whipped cream.. and also cookies… and torrone…. Your cookies are beautiful and they look so yummie!!!!
Ilenia from simplynabiki.com
I love gingerbread cookies!
I’m all about the sweets!! Cookies and Candies please–If I went to a Christmas buffet and was told one visit only–I would skip the Turkey, and head to the sweets–cookies and candies only for me please!
[email protected]
Turtles. Homemade. And cut-out cookies. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without them!
My favorite thing to eat this time of year has got to be snickerdoodles! It’s the only time of year where they seem appropriate and they’re just so delicious. 🙂
Gingerbread lattes from Starbucks, gingerbread cookies and homemade english toffee. Yum!
My favorite holidays food is anything with cherries on it, because in Brazil it is cherry season!
I’d also like to wish you the best Christmas, and say you are such an inspiration – thank you for the cookie lessons you gave me this year!
xo
Paula
My FAVORITE holiday food is not a sweet, it’s buttery yeast rolls! I can eat rolls till my gut explodes 🙂
gingerbread anything is perfect this time of year
i love red velvet i general, but it’s especially seductive during the winter for me for some reason… but of course, i always get sore throats in the winter, and eating sweets makes it worse! *sob*
Thank you so much for the shipping tip..
My favorite is mincemeat pie this Christmas.. I managed to get the crust just nice.. crumbles in the mouth eventhough they come out from the freezer and I don’t have to pop them into the oven again
Have a Merry Merry Christmas!
My favorite food during the holiday is egg roll. we gather every year to make a big batch, enough for everyone.
my fave food is stuffing and cranberry jelly..mmm
Hi! Thanks for posting the info on how to ship. I have the authors 1st book, but your pictures helped so much!
THANK YOU for all your d*e*l*i*c*i*o*u*s sounding favorite foods! I enjoyed reading them all!!
Thanks for the recommendations. Definitely will help me ship cookies.
Hello Sweetopia, Your cookies are always so nice. I would like eat it ! Good job and have a good day !
I absolutely love your blog! My friend has a blog and introduced me to Sweetopia! Thank you for all of the great info! 🙂
Hello Sweetopia 🙂
I started decorating cookies about 9 months ago and your website is the best!
I was wondering, when you have orders (12 cookies and above) what kind of boxes you use to deliver them? or you wrap them individually and place them in a nice bag?
Some clients dont want them wrapped individually sometimes and that makes it a little difficult to find a box.
Right now I am using trays with plastic lids but the lid is too high and it doesnt look as professional… help… Thank you
Hi and thank you! @ Adam Golomb, @ canne de marche,@ Jamie.
Hi @ Melissa: I don’t do orders but have made gifts of 12 cookies or more, and usually pack them in individual cellophane bags, tied with a ribbon on top. I have in the past used clear boxes and the cookies sit on sizzle paper. It’s more for presentation and would be hard to ship though. Unfortunately I only have one photo and it isn’t very good: https://sweetopia.net/2009/03/butterfly-cookies/
I might try ordering cookies from a company like Elenis, and seeing how they do it.
Hope that helps! Please let me know your findings, would love to hear how it goes!
Hi!
Your website inspired me to try cookie decorating one more time, after a less successful first try last year. I want to make a birthday cookie for my brother, but he is very busy and has a small letterbox. How can I wrap a single cookie so it doesn’t break?
Thank you s much for all your advice!!
Marieluise from Germany
Girl this post is still fantastic in 2014! Much gratitude for sharing this information. Awesome blog by the way LOVE IT!!!!!
I am new to your site and I just love it! It is nice to see someone with so much passion that pays it forward using all their information and skill. Thank you for the post. I will be sending a batch of cookies out in the near future and this will definitely come in handy.