If you’re making cookies for a party or a wedding and you know you’re going to have to transport them from one location to another at some point, you may feel a little apprehensive about how to do this without a disaster happening.
After all, weddings and other special occasions often require that we make dozens of cookies, and since cookies are usually very fragile, you’ll want to make sure they get where they’re going without being smashed into a thousand pieces.
Fortunately, this is easier to do than you might think.
Starting at the Beginning
Cookies are a great gift, especially around the holiday season, but one of the challenges people face when they decide to give cookies as a Christmas gift is, how do I package and transport the cookies without causing them to break?
Is there an easy way to transport cookies that doesn’t involve ugly boxes but instead attractive containers that people will love almost as much as the cookies? Yes, there is!
Transporting cookies can be done in a few ways, but first you need to make sure the cookies are packaged correctly. If they aren’t, they can easily break apart as you’re transporting them, so a sturdy package or container is the first thing you’ll need before you transport your cookies.
Next, make sure the cookies are cooled down to room temperature before you place them in the container. Never try to package your cookies while they are still warm. You can also place either parchment paper or wax paper between each layer so that they don’t stick to one another after you close the package.
Finally, try to use tin packages whenever possible because these types of containers will keep cookies a bit firmer than the plastic ones do.
The thing is, you can get quite creative without leaving home when it comes to the type of containers and packages you use for your cookies. You can use a paper bag, an empty oatmeal container, or even a corrugated box, most of which are likely already in your home.
Once you decide which type of container to use, all you have to do then is decorate it so that it looks amazing.
More About Packaging
Once you decide which container to use, and if you decide to use any type of box or cardboard, you’ll want to make sure you line it first before placing the cookies inside of the container. Use wax paper or parchment paper to do this, even if you don’t have more than one layer of cookies.
If you decide to place different types of cookies in the container, try to find a box that is sectioned off into two or four sections. Place different cookies in each section, and add lining paper of various colors to make the container look more interesting and decorative.
You can also mix and match cookies, but never place crispy cookies and soft cookies on top of one another, because the crispy cookies will eventually get softer than they should be.
In a nutshell, what all this means is simple: before you transport your cookies you have to package them correctly. The more secure they are, the more likely they’ll arrive at their final destination completely intact.
In the meantime, you can make them decorative as well as keep them safe.
How to Transport Cookies to Locations Near and Far
When you finally get to the point where you are ready to transport your cookies, you have a lot of options to choose from – much more than you might think.
Below are a few ideas that can help you transport your cookies from Point A to Point B in a safe manner and while looking very attractive in the meantime.
1 – Take-Out Food Containers
Take-out containers can include not just boxes that food is kept in, but coffee cups with domed lids. You can find these coffee cups online in numerous locations, and they are very inexpensive.
Most of them are clear and plain, but you can easily decorate them with drawings and ribbon to make them more eye-catching in the end. Coffee cups are perfect for smaller cookies and treats.
Naturally, this option won’t work when you’re transporting large quantities of cookies and candy, but if you have a few people or even a dozen who are going to be the recipient of your homemade goodies, this is a great option. You can decorate the cups any way you like, including with stickers, ribbons, bows, and many other items.
Along that same line, you can use plastic see-through food containers as well. These containers generally “lock” into place and therefore keep the cookies nice and secure. And you can also decorate them much like you can the coffee cups, making them attractive as well as functional.
2 – Mason Jars
Mason jars are another great option because you can get quite creative with your decorations, even tying a nice-looking bow at the top once the jar is sealed. Although most people use these jars for canning foods such as tomatoes, you can purchase them to transport cookies as well.
Best of all, they are very inexpensive so if you do have a lot of friends to give your treats to, you won’t have to break the bank to do so.
3 – Gable Boxes
These boxes are great for transporting treats in because they have gabled closures that keep the cookies nice and secure the entire time. You can decorate them with ribbons and markers, but they also come in a variety of designs that you can purchase so you don’t have to decorate them at all.
Stores such as Costco and others have these boxes, so they are usually very easy to find. You can also find them online, where they come in so many designs and colors that you may actually have trouble deciding which one you want.
The pre-decorated ones also look very professional, so if they are a corporate gift or a gift for your boss, these boxes are just right.
Some Other Ways to Transport Your Food Safely
These tips may seem all over the board, but since there are many reasons to transport cookies and other goodies, there has to be a lot of different ways to do so as well.
For instance, if you have tons of containers with cookies in them and you’re headed out to a party or other special occasion, one thing you can do is place several large towels in the trunk of your car, then place the containers on top of them.
Because of the texture and thickness of the towels, they will prevent the containers from sliding all over the place, especially if you bunch up the towels in between the containers. This bunching-up of towels also provides a little extra cushioning for the cookies, keeping them a lot safer over the long haul.
Of course, if you’re going to be merely transporting the cookies but don’t need the containers to be decorated because you’ll just be setting them out once you get there, you have a few more options open to you. For starters, you can purchase some pizza boxes at a restaurant supply store and place your cookies in those.
Once again, make sure you only stack the cookies in one layer, and when you get to the party, simply place the boxes on a table and open them up so that everyone can see the goodies for themselves.
You can also purchase bakery boxes, Tupperware or plastic containers, decorative cellophane bags, shirt boxes, or even roasting pans. Furthermore, since icing and other toppings can complicate things, you can also wait until you arrive at the party to decorate your cookies.
Go ahead and get creative and think of other types of containers you can use; you might be surprised by what you come up with!
If you decorate your cookies before you leave and it hasn’t been that long since they were decorated, you can set them in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before you leave the house. This way, the icing and decorations will have time to set a little before you have to put the cookies in your car.
Final Thoughts
Packaging your cookies properly is the first step to making sure they are transported safely, because without the correct packaging none of the other steps will matter.
Thankfully, there are dozens of creative and practical ways to transport your cookies from Point A to Point B without causing them to crumble, but in the end it all starts with the right way to package and store the cookies first.
Even better, the containers you’ll use to transport cookies come in a wide selection of styles and sizes, and they are inexpensive to boot. This means you’ll be able to transport your cookies and also have them look fantastic, and you won’t have to spend a fortune just to do it.
Both packaging and transporting cookies are easy to do, so you don’t have to let this challenge stop you from making homemade cookies for that next holiday party.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.