How To Pack Cookies to Ship or Carry

Cookies are one of the best, kindest, and most sincere gifts that I can think of. Nothing is more special than receiving a few special treats that someone not only took the time to make, but also wrapped up just for you.

To ensure that your efforts and thoughtfulness aren't wasted, here are my pointers for packing your cookies safely, no matter the situation.

The Best Kinds of Cookies for Shipping and Traveling

This should come as no great surprise to you, but sturdy, solid cookies stand up to a little jostling much better than delicate or crumbly cookies. Specifically, these kinds of cookies are best gifting, shipping, or sharing:

• Drop cookies, like chocolate chip cookies, crinkle cookies, and peanut butter cookies
• Spritz cookies
• Slice-and-bake cookies, like butter cookies and pinwheel cookies
• Meringue cookies and macaroons
• Biscotti
• Sandwich cookies (unless the filling is very gooey)
• Bar cookies, like brownies and blondies
• Candies, like fudge, chocolate bark, and rum balls

Cookies To Avoid Shipping

Frosted cookies are okay as long as the frosting is set and hardened. Cookies that have been frosted with buttercream tend to soften and smear when stacked together. They can usually make it the short distance to your office, but probably not to your BFF living across the country.

Avoid cookies that are very delicate or that snap easily, like chocolate Florentines or candy cane cookies, which tend to break off at the neck.

Proceed with caution when it comes to rolled-out cookies like gingerbread people or sugar cookies. If you plan to ship them, I suggest rolling them slightly thicker than you might otherwise. Also, use cookie-cutter shapes that are fairly solid, like trees and hearts, as opposed to shapes with delicate parts that can snap off, like snowflakes or candy canes.

How To Pack Cookies To Carry

Even the sturdiest cookies will start to crumble if they're left to tumble willy-nilly in a Tupperware container while you go from point A to point B. Here are a few tips:

• If you're driving: Pack your cookies in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Add a few paper towels or clean dish towels between the layers to prevent the cookies from sliding around or falling sideways. Add enough layers so the lid helps hold them in place, but don't cram so many cookies in there that the lid smooshes the top layer. More containers are better than smooshed cookies!
• If you're taking public transit or flying: The same rules apply, but think about the orientation of your cookies while they're in transit. If your backpack is going to mostly lay flat on your journey, then slide the cookies in sideways so that they're facing up while the backpack is flat. (I'm Type A, so yes, I do obsess about things like this!) You can always carry your cookies in your lap and fend off neighboring space hoggers with your elbows.
• If you want to serve your cookies on a pretty platter: Carry your platter with you and arrange them once you arrive. Don't be tempted into arranging your cookies first and covering them with plastic wrap. I guarantee you they will not arrive at their destination looking as pretty as they did when you set out.

How To Pack Cookies to Ship

Packing up cookies so they survive a journey through the mail takes a little more planning that packing them up for the office. Here are some tips for packaging your cookies to help them survive the journey and still be fresh when they arrive at their destination.

• Plastic wrap is your friend: Bundle drop cookies, spritz cookies, biscotti, and meringue cookies in pairs with their bottoms kissing, as if you were making a sandwich cookie. Wrap rolled-out cookies, slice-and-bake cookies, in stacks of three or four. Wrap bar cookies individually.
• Choose packing peanuts over bubble wrap: I know, I know—packing peanuts get everywhere and are kind of a headache. But in this case, it's worth it because your cookie bundles will be more evenly cushioned on all sides. Peanuts also prevent the cookies from sliding around in the box, which they sometimes do when packed between layers of plastic wrap. Alternatively, gently wrap the bundles in plastic wrap to create a cushion! TIP: Plain popcorn is an earth-friendly alternative to packing peanuts.
• Pack it up, but not too tightly: First, add a layer of packing peanuts. Next, add your bundles of cookies. It's fine if they're snug against each other (plastic wrap also clings to itself, after all, so bundles that touch are more insurance against free-wheeling cookies), but don't pack them too tightly or too close to the edges of the boxes. Finally, cover with another layer of packing peanuts, making sure to fill the edges of the box and in between the bundles.
• Multiple layers of cookies: If your box is big enough, you can certainly do two or three layers of cookies. I try to position the bundles so that they're not directly on top of each other, so the bundles in Layer 2 are slightly offset from the bundles in Layer 1.