Every year I spend a lot of time baking holiday cookies and treats for friends and family. With the advent of social media, we feel connected even though we aren’t close-knit anymore. This year, as you plan your holiday baking, use these tips and techniques to make sure sending your baked goods goes without a hitch. Grab a cup of coffee and learn how to mail your holiday cookies this year.
Holiday Baking at its Best
We all have our go-to list of holiday cookie recipes that we love. Every year, the stash of what we make is just expected from our loved ones. For example, if I didn’t make Buckeyes, No-Bakes, or cashew brittle, then I think I would ruin my family’s holiday snacking.
I just can’t handle that kind of guilt. *wink*
So what steps and strategies do I change-up in my plan when I’m mailing holiday baked goods?
Step One of Mailing Holiday Cookies:
Choose the right kind of cookies and treats. The best kinds of cookies to send are drop cookies, cookie bars, brittle and snack mixes, like caramel corn. Anything frosted, filled, or in any way delicate is going to be ruined in transit. Keep the baked goods on the sturdier side for best results.
Step Two:
Bake the day of or the day before you plan to send them. Let them cool completely before working on packaging options.
Once your goods are completely cooled, take two cookies and place them back to back before wrapping them in plastic wrap. Bar cookies should be individually wrapped for the best results. Brittles and snack mixes can be sent in any air-tight container you desire.
Step Three:
Place cookies into ziplock baggies. Make sure that you keep the density of the cookies you make similar in packaging. Crispy cookies should not be packaged with soft cookies, as they will end up soggy.
Step Four to Mail Holiday Cookies:
Line cookies tins, if used when mailing holiday cookies with tissue or wax paper before packing. Then alternate layers of paper and wrapped cookies. Fill in any gaps with more paper to help protect your cookies from damage by shifting. Make sure that you tape or tie the tin shut before placing it into your shipping container. Nothing should move inside of the tin if you have properly packaged it.
Step Five:
Place the tin in a cardboard box just slightly larger than the tin. Any space around the tin should be packed with bubble wrap, newspaper, or more tissue paper to secure it within the box. Make sure that it is properly cushioned before moving on to step 6.
Step Six to Mail Holiday Cookies:
Secure the box with packing tape. Using masking tape or other household tape is not recommended as it isn’t designed with enough adhesive to properly hold during transit. Mark the box “FRAGILE” in red marker. Shipping early in the week to avoid weekend storage is advised, as is choosing overnight or priority mail service to ensure it arrives quickly.
Perfectly Mail Holiday Cookies this Year
If you make sure that you plan ahead and allow yourself proper time to bake and pack, your holiday cookies will arrive intact and exactly how you want them to. Giving the gift of not only cookies but of your time to bake this year will ensure that your family and friends that cannot be with you still know how much you love them.
Looking for new ideas to bake and mail this season? Try out our Vintage School Cafeteria Peanut Butter bars or my Sweet & Salty Potato Chip cookies.
