How to Package Cookies for Gift Giving
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With the holidays here, you may be thinking about making homemade cookies as gifts. Homemade gifts are a great idea as they show love, thought, and care. And when they are cookies, well, there’s really nothing better!
But giving cookies can be more challenging than you may think. You have to package them properly so that the person receiving them can actually enjoy them when they are fresh!
So, I am going to show you how to package cookies for gift giving. I mean, I only did this for a living for ten years! So, I would consider myself a professional! How to wrap cookies for Christmas gifts is as important as the gift itself. So, let’s learn how to package cookies to gift!
Table of Contents
How to Package Cookies for Gift Giving
Step 1
Decide what type of cookies to bake and gift. Is it my Tree Sugar Cookies, Hot Chocolate Cookies, Cranberry Orange Thumbprints, Chocolate Peppermint YiaYias, or my Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies? Whatever cookies you want to give, you have to plan for what type they are.
There are three main types of cookies: soft and chewy cookies, crispy cookies, and cookies with icing or frosting on top. Each of these types of cookies will need to be packaged differently in order to stay fresh!
Step 2
Buy the appropriate gift packaging for the type of cookie you’re baking (more on that below!). Depending on if you choose soft and chewy cookies or crispy cookies, then you have different packaging options for each. This probably means you have to shop and buy packaging, so make sure to do this ahead of time and plan for what you want to gift.
Step 3
Bake the cookies the day before giving, no sooner! You want them to be fresh and at their peak of flavor when you gift them! If you need to bake them in advance, then you'll need to freeze the cookies until the day you're packaging them. For more info, read my post How to Freeze Cookies Properly.
Step 3
Package the cookies properly in the right packages. This may mean two separate packages for two different types of cookies. If you are giving both my Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies and my Chocolate Peppermint YiaYias, this will require different packages, you can’t just dump them all in the same one.
Step 4
Add ribbon, attach a card, and give your homemade cookies as a gift!
How to Package Soft & Chewy Cookies
Everyone loves soft and chewy cookies! It’s probably the most quintessential cookie, and the one that Santa probably expects to see when he visits your house. But, these cookies need to be properly packaged so that the person receiving them can enjoy them for days to come, otherwise, it’s not really a great gift is it?
The main thing to remember about soft and chewy cookies is that they need to be in an airtight container because they need to retain moisture, in order to stay soft and chewy. So, you can package these in a couple different ways.
Airtight Cookie Jar
This is my favorite option for giving cookies as a gift. Because not only is the person receiving them getting homemade cookies, but they are also getting a cookie jar, and there's no waste as it's not in a disposable package! Plus, it will allow the person receiving the cookies to just close up the cookie jar and keep them fresh as well. Just make sure to choose one that is airtight.
Check out my favorite Amazon cookie jars: Glass Cookie Jar with Bamboo Lid, Glass Airtight Cookie Jar with Acacia Lid & Glass Cookie Jar with Airtight Glass Lid
Zip Bag
You can always use a zip bag, especially as your recipient can then reseal the cookies into the bag after they eat some. This allows them to let the cookies stay fresh too! You can put soft and chewy cookies into a zip bag, and then you can even add that bag into a tin if you want to make it more festive. Or you can tie a ribbon around it and add it into a box as well. The recipient will still be stoked they are getting homemade cookies that will taste amazing!
Self Sealing Cellophane Cookie Bags
If you are baking a lot of cookies and only giving one or two to many people, then you may consider using self sealing cellophane bags. I don’t like this option as much as the cookie jar, or even one giant bag, as it’s less eco-friendly. But, it does work for keeping soft and chewy cookies soft!
Check out my favorite Amazon cellophane bags: Holiday Self Sealing Cellophane Cookie Bags & Clear Self Sealing Cellophane Bags
How to Package Crispy Cookies
Crispy cookies are the exact opposite of soft and chewy cookies. You do not want to use any of the methods above for crispy cookies, because it can turn them soggy! And no one want soggy biscotti or shortbreads! So, for crispy cookies, you want a vessel that allows air into it naturally.
Cookie Tin
A cookie tin is a great option for packaging crispy cookies, as it’s festive, it keeps them fresh, and it allows the person receiving the cookies to easily put a lid on and keep them for later. You can find a cute holiday tin and add in wax paper or parchment paper into the bottom, then add your cookies on top.
Check out my favorite Amazon tins: Blue Holiday Tin, Joy Christmas Tin & Red & White Stripe
Cookie Box
A cookie box is a great option for crispy cookies like biscotti, shortbread, or thumbprints. I love these Holiday Kraft Cookie Boxes I got, and they are the perfect size for gifting! It doesn’t matter if the box gets left open by the person receiving the cookies, as they won’t go bad.
Check out my favorite Amazon cookie Boxes: Holiday Kraft Cookie Boxes & Christmas Kraft Cookie Boxes
Tin Tie Bag
A tin tie bag is another great option for crispy cookies. This also makes a really pretty presentation, and it also allows the recipient to easily close it back up and save some for later.
Check out my favorite Amazon tin tie bags: Kraft Tin Tie Bags
How to Package Cookies with Icing on Top
These are probably some of my favorite cookies. I love cookies with icing, glaze, or frosting on top like my Frosted Gingerbread Cookies! There are a few things you need to take into consideration when packaging this type of cookie.
The first thing is you need to do is make sure your icing sets. This can usually take up to 24 hours! So, check your recipes and see what it says. But most icing will take 24 hours to set. And, if it’s a soft and chewy cookie (like my Frosted Gingerbread Cookies), then it has to stay covered while it sets so the cookies stay soft! So, plan for that, as these cookies can take more time than others.
Once the icing has set, then you can package them. And cookies with icing on top need to then defer to the type of cookie under the icing. If it’s a soft and chewy cookie, then use the packaging options above for soft and chewy cookies. If it’s a crispy cookie, then use the packaging options for crispy cookies.
There’s one more step in packaging cookies with icing on top. That is putting a piece of parchment paper in between each cookie. This will prevent them from all sticking together, even if they get warm! This is key for the person receiving the cookies to be able to eat just one, and not a whole stack!
The Takeaway
I hope this helped you learn how to package cookies for gift giving! And I hope you understand the difference it makes in choosing the correct packaging for your cookies! Choosing the correct packaging for cookies can really make or break the gift as you want the cookies to be fresh and delicious when the person opens them up. Happy holiday baking!
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