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Tips for Shipping Holiday Cookies

Whether you are wanting to send care packages to family members you may not get to see during the holidays, sending secret Santa gifts, or simply spreading Christmas cheer this year, if Christmas Cookies are your choice for mailing gifts you will want to know how to ship your cookies so they don’t crumble.

Before you get in the kitchen and start your favorite holiday cookie baking, consider what types of cookies will ship the best and arrive to the destination in one piece. When selecting your recipes look for sturdy cookies that are hard or crunchy such as shortbread or biscotti. Soft, dense and chewy cookies like brownies, molasses cookies and snickerdoodle cookies also ship well.

Hard and Crunchy Cookies Suggestions:

• Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

• Mexican Wedding Cookies

• Chocolate Chip Shortbread

• Pecan Tassies

Soft and Chewy Cookies Suggestions

• Molasses Sugar Cookies

• Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

• Buckeye Brownies

• No Bake Cookies

Cookies you want to avoid are delicate cookies and ones that require refrigeration that have icing or powdered sugar glazes such as key lime bars. Iced sugar cookies are not recommended for shipping. Reserve these special cookies for special cookie trays for in person gatherings.

Once you have selected your recipes it is time to get to baking. You can save a lot of time and stress by baking cookies ahead of time and freezing them. Keep in mind that cookies with icing or glazes are not recommended for freezing, however, most cookies freeze well. A tip to ensure cookies are at their freshest at time of delivery is to freeze them before hand and ship them frozen. Firm cookies package easily.

When cookies are baked it is time to choose your container. Look for cookie tins and food-grade containers. Containers need to be air-tight to keep cookies fresh. Think ahead and choose containers that fit in your shipping box. It is good to match the container to the shape of the cookie. Bars and square shaped cookies ship well in square boxes. Round cookies ship will in round tins and cylinder containers.

To package your cookies think small groupings. You do not want to layer 3 dozen cookies on top of each other in a tin. Consider using cylinder shape bags or treat bags for round cookies and package in groups of 6. Keep cookie types together. Flavors blend when packaged together. If you have a cookie that has a strong flavor such as peppermint, your molasses sugar cookies may absorb the peppermint and change the flavor. You may even have to ship cookies in a separate containers.

Placing your goodies in the container can be strategic. Place heavier cookies on the bottom and lighter cookies on top. Cookie types should be kept together. Place sturdy cookies together and soft and chewy cookies together. Use tissue paper or shredded wrapping paper as a cushion around bundles of cookies.

The key to fresh cookies is keeping the air out. Once cookie bundles are placed in the cookie tin, place a layer of plastic wrap or press n seal over cookies. If you want this to look a little prettier, put tissue paper over the bundles first and then the wrap.

The container is now ready to place in your shipping box. Choosing the right size box is very important. A box that is too big will cause your cookies to be tossed to and fro during shipping. Your box needs to be at least an inch larger that the cookie container. Place cookie container in the shipping box and use Styrofoam peanuts, tissue paper or crumpled wrapping paper to provide protective padding.

There are many ways to ship your cookies, however, Priority Mail is the recommended option. This guarantees your package arrives in 1-3 days. Priority mail postage is charged a flat rate depending on the size of the box you choose. Pricing starts at $7.50 and there is an express option for overnight delivery. Priority shipping boxes can be picked up at your local post office.

Are you trying to limit contact and stay at home? All of this can be done from your house. Boxes can be requested online and ship straight to your house. USPS also has free package pickup service from your home or office.

Whether shipping cookies or baking for parties or family gatherings, these soft molasses sugar cookies are a good option. The recipe has been in my family for a long time and is a forgotten favorite. Enjoy your time baking and giving this Christmas Season!!

Our office wishes you a happy holiday season. Enjoy! Please send other questions you have feel free to call me, 806-647-4115. Email questions to Felice Acker at fracker@ag.tamu Family and Community Health Agent, Castro County