:: The Cookie Recipe Blog ::

A visitor to the main cookie recipe site asked today about what the best cookies are for shipping. This is for care packages for members of the military, friends or family overseas or just across the country. Many of us will be shipping holiday cookies this year, so here are some tips for shipping cookies:

First, choose the right cookies. Thin, crispy cookies will break apart the first time it’s thrown into the mail truck. Don’t bother with those, this includes sugar cookies, crispy cookies, any thin cookie and any soft and crumbly type of cookie. Your best option will be to pick a recipe specifically for larger size cookies, a good option would be our best ever chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is a big, thick cookie that won’t break apart too easily. You can also vary the ingredients and choose different types of chocolate chips or add nuts. Bar cookies are also excellent choices. These include brownies, blondies and any other bar cookies. Many drop cookies and refrigerator cookies will also be good options, since they are smaller and denser, therefore more difficult to break.

More Tips

- For extra protection and to make sure the cookies are fresh when they get to the recipient, wrap each one in plastic wrap. For some types of cookies, it may be better to wrap two together at a time.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before wrapping them and boxing them.
- Make sure there are no large spaces in between the cookies, pack them tightly and use tissue paper or newspaper to fill the space between them. You don’t want the cookies moving around inside their container.
- For maximum freshness, bake them as close to your shipping time as possible. Meaning, don’t bake them on Tuesday and send them on Friday if you can help it. You want them to taste good right?
- Most importantly, place the wrapped cookies into an airtight container. This can also be a gift for the recipient, so you can use a new Tupperware or other plastic container or use a tin. You can also decorate the container.
- Make sure to cushion the sides of the box with some packing peanuts, bunched up newspaper, tissue paper or other lightweight filler, so the container doesn’t bounce around in the box.
- Don’t forget to write “Perishable” or “Fragile” in big, clear letters on each side of the package.

Cookies are a great, heartfelt gift that’s sure to please anyone, it’s also economical too. So start baking and sending!

3/4 C butter (softened)
3/4 C peanut butter
1 1/4 C brown sugar (packed)
1 1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
2 2/3 C rolled oats
1 10-oz. mini chocolate kisses

Beat the butter with peanut butter in mixing bowl with mixer on medium-high speed for approx. 30 seconds. Add in the sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and the baking soda. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined. Then mix in flour. Stir in the oats and chocolate kisses. Drop dough by tablespoons, about 3 inches apart onto a ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough slightly with hand to make a flatter cookie, if so desired. Bake in oven at 375 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.

3/4 C butter
1 1/2 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (melted)
1 C flour (sifted)
1 C chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds or pecans work best)

Brownie Icing -

1/4 C butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 C confectioners’ sugar
4-5 TB milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter, sugar and salt until it’s fluffy and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg has been added. Blend in the chocolate. Stir in the flour. Stir in the nuts. Reserve 1/4 cup of nuts. Pour mixture into greased jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with higher sides). Bake at 350 degress for 20 min. Let cool about 10-15 minutes. To make the frosting, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat and then remove from heat. Stir in confectioners sugar. Alternate the confectioners sugar with the milk. Stir in the vanilla. Frost the brownies while still warm, then sprinkle reserved nuts over the top.

1 C sugar
1/2 C butter (softened)
1/2 C shortening
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 dozen wood popsicle sticks
1 recipe for caramel glaze

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix the sugar, butter and vegetable shortening together in large mixing bowl. Add vanilla and the eggs. Then stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick on a flour dusted surface. Cut with a 3 inch round cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Insert a wooden stick horizontally into each cookie. Mold the dough slightly with your hand to form more of an apple shape. Bake for 8 or 9 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for couple minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Spread glaze on top half of each cookie, then hold the cookie upright to allow the glaze to drizzle down. Yield: 24 cookies

Caramel Glaze

1 package (14 oz.) caramels
1/4 C water

Heat caramels with water over low heat, stir frequently, until caramel is melted. Heat again over low heat if the glaze becomes too hard.

2 c Sugar
1 c Shortening
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 ts Lemon extract
1 Egg
3 1/2 c Gold medal all-purpose flour
1 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Salt
Fresh mint leaves
1 pt Strawberries, sliced

Cream Cheese Spread:
1 pk (8 ounces) cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c Sugar
1/4 ts Lemon extract

Heat oven to 375F. Mix sugar, shortening, margarine, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Roll half of dough at a time 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with 3 inch round or scalloped cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack.

Spread about 2 teaspoons Cream cheese spread over each cookie. Arrange mint leaves and sliced strawberries on spread to resemble poinsettias. Refrigerate any remaining cookies. About: 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

2 C All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 C Butter; softened
3/4 C Granulated sugar
1 large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2 C Cherry preserves

Mix together flour baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl beat together egg and sugar. In a large mixing bowl at medium speed, mix until light and fluffy. Beat in egg mixture, vanilla and almond extracts, till well blended. Turn mixer to low speed and beat in dry ingredients into wet ingredients, just till combined. On a lightly floured piece of waxed paper roll out dough into a rectangle, about 9×12 inches. Place dough on a cookie sheet. Cover and chill till firm, about 15 minutes. Uncover dough and spread the cherry preserves, evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Starting from the shorter side, roll up the dough in a jelly-roll fashion. When done, wrap the roll in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 375. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Unwrap frozen cookie dough and slice into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Place onto cookie sheets. Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Cool the cookie sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs — beaten
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 350º. Heat chocolate chips and butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth; remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts. Stir in nuts.

Spread batter in ungreased rectangular pan, 13 H 9 H 2 inches. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/4 cup peanut butter

Line square pan, 9 H 9 H 2 inches, with aluminum foil. Beat powdered sugar, butter, 1 cup peanut butter and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in graham cracker crumbs and peanuts (mixture will be stiff). Press in pan.

Melt chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Spread over bars. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. Remove from pan, using foil to lift; fold back foil. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Store covered in refrigerator.

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar

Beat granulated sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, walnuts, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 375º. Roll half of dough at a time into 12-inch square on floured cloth-covered surface. Cut into rectangles, 2 H 3 inches. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon preserves along one 3-inch side of each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edge. Fold dough over preserves, beginning at 3-inch side. Seal edges with fork. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar while warm.

2 packages refrigerator sugar cookie dough rolls
Flour for board and rolling pin
heavy card-type paper or cardboard
Various icings in tubes from supermarket
Various candies for decorating cookies

Cut each sugar cookie dough roll in half. Form each into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes until firm. Draw and cut out hand shapes of family members to use as guides for making cookies. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (check temperature on cookie dough package.) Working with one dough ball at a time on floured board, roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use enough flour so dough isnt sticky and can be easily removed to cookie sheet. Place paper hand cut-out on dough and trace with a sharp knife, making cookie hands. Place on cookie sheets & bake until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on rack completely before decorating. Repeat with all cookie dough. Decorate using icings and candies. You can even write family members names on each. This is the fun part to do with kids!