Shipping cookies can be a little nerve-racking, to say the least. You just spent all of this time baking delectable confections to send them off into the unknown, entirely at the mercy of the postal worker on duty. While we are sure no one would intentionally damage a box of cookies, jostling and bouncing does happen, and you want your cookies to arrive in the same state you mailed them.
(JillWellington / pixabay)
General Guidelines
There are a few general guidelines to sending cookies that you should follow if you want your cookies to show up in good shape. Here are a couple of pointers:
- Sturdy cookies work better than delicate cookies, so you’re better off making chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, brownies, or shortbread than macaroons or Madeleines
- When shipping, wrap two cookies together, bottom to bottom using cling wrap – it keeps them sturdier and prevents breaking
- Stay away from cookies that need refrigeration (cream cheese or buttercream frosting) unless you plan on packing an icepack and shipping overnight mail
Types of Cookies
While it is *technically* possible to send any kind of cookie in the mail, some cookies fare better than others when put through the postal system’s rigmarole. In general, it’s better to choose cookies that are dense and compact, like drop cookies or hearty oatmeal raisin cookies. If your favorite person’s comfort cookie of choice is a lacey Florentine, don’t stress – it’s still possible to get cookies delivered all in one piece.
- Crispy Cookies: Crispy cookies need a lot of additional packaging to keep them from breaking during transit. They also tend to go soft in the presence of other cookies. If you are sending crispy cookies with other cookies, make sure that they are packaged separately and sealed in an air-tight container. If you plan to send only crispy cookies, you might consider including a food-safe stay-fresh packet with your other packing materials.
- Soft Cookies: Soft cookies tend to crumble in the mail unless you package them very securely. Additionally, they often have problems going stale, which can ruin the whole experience. To counteract staleness or crumbly cookies, stick a piece of bread in with the cookies to keep everything moist and soft.
- Frosted Cookies: Frosted cookies are tricky to transport because of the fragile nature of the frosting. Tricky, but not impossible. If you have cookies with a soft frosting, make sure that the frosting sets up well before you attempt to package them. Whether you choose a soft buttercream or a hard royal icing, you need to line each layer of cookies with wax paper to keep the frosting from smearing or rubbing onto other cookies. Alternatively, you can wrap each cookie individually in cookie sleeves, wax paper, or cling wrap.
- Strongly Flavored Cookies: You’ve likely received an assortment of cookies at some point where everything from the sugar cookies to the peanut butter blossoms smells and tastes like mint. Unfortunately, certain flavors like mint, peanut butter, and gingerbread tend to lend their aromas to other cookies, which often leads to off-putting results. If you are sending an assortment of cookies, double and triple package the cookies that are more potent. Not only will it keep their flavors separate, but it can also help keep them fresher for longer.
- Cookies with Chocolate: Be conscious of the season and location you are mailing to when you decide to send cookies with chocolate components – whether it be chocolate chips, a Hershey’s Kiss, or a chocolate drizzle. You can control a lot of things when you ship your cookies, but the temperature generally isn’t one of them, and chocolate can get messy when things heat up.
Shipping Container and Packing Supplies
The shipping container and packing supplies are vital to getting your cookies there safe and sound. After you carefully wrap each cookie in waxed paper or foil, place them in a sturdy container such as a metal tin or thick-sided cardboard box. Fill in any gaps with additional crumpled tissue or waxed paper before sealing that box tightly with packing tape.
You’re not done yet, though! If you want your cookies to be very secure and safe from the jostling and bouncing of the mail system, you should package that box into another box. First, wrap it in bubble wrap, then fill the second box with tissue paper, waxed paper, newspaper, or packing peanuts. Nestle your cookie box within this shipping box, making sure that you have enough packing supplies that the cookie box can’t move around. When you shake the whole package, you shouldn’t hear anything moving or shifting around. If you do, you need to add more packing materials. Lastly, seal the shipping box tightly with packaging tape, and write “Perishable,” “Fragile,” and “This Way Up” in large, legible letters on each side of the box.
Timing
Timing is everything when you want a fresh cookie delivery to your loved one. Your best option is to pay a little extra and select overnight cookie delivery, but if you can’t do that, you should at least send your cookie care packages early on in the week. Sending cookies on Thursday or Friday may mean that your precious box sits and grows stale over the weekend in a shipping warehouse somewhere. Even if the special event isn’t until a few days later, few people prefer on-time, stale cookies to fresh, early ones.
Shipping cookies can be a hassle on the best of days, especially if you haven’t ever sent cookies in the mail before. If you don’t want to go through the extra steps to ensure that your cookies arrive intact, browse through our online cookie delivery service. Our cookies are made fresh daily and mailed out either using same day cookie delivery or overnight mail, so they are guaranteed to arrive fresh and delectable.