Do you actually charge $48 for a dozen decorated 4 inch cookies? I'm having a hard time working out pricing for cookies. DH says I'll never sell any cookies at that price. I giess I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea that someone would pay that much for a dozen cookies.

Even though you cookies are BEAUTIFUL, I would never pay that much..... I'm not into cookie making for profit, so I don't know how much I would charge, I just know NO COOKIE is worth $ 48.00 a dozen.....

I feel the same way but only because I know I could do it. (I mean in general...not that I can bake better cookies!!) There are people outside of CC that don't have the first clue about baking and decorating-it always amazes me what people will pay for something I can whip up so quickly. If the market is there, I say go for it. Otherwise, adjust your price and charge what makes YOU happy. If charging $2 per cookie feels right to you, then by all means do it! If you have people that will pay $4/cookie, then let them pay!

I charge $1.00 per cookie if they are 4in., and $2.00 per cookie if they are larger. I have never even had someone bat an eyelash at my price. I also include the price of custom tags on each individual cookie, and the cellophane bags and ribbons they are packaged in. If you want regular cookies like chocolate chip or something I wouldn't charge that much, but decorated cookies take as much work as cakes do. People understand that if they want really fancy cookies it's really a party favor , and they pay more than they would normally for store bought cookies.

This cookie pricing has been hard! Many people here say $1 per square inch, but that seems like a lot to me! I've had one person ask me about pricing, and I told her $1 per inch, and she looked at me like I was a crazy person! I was thinking more around $2-$2.50 for a 4 inch cookie? Does that sound better? That would still be $24-30 for a dozen! I don't want to short myself, but I'd like to sell some too!

I recently made cookies for Valentines Day. I packaged 3 decorated 3" cookies and sold them for $3.50. I figured $1 per cookie plus the cost of bag and ribbon. People had NO problem buying them, they went so fast that I kinda felt like I undercharged ???? It was my first time with cookies so it was a learning experience, as I get better I'm thinking at least $1.50-$2.00 per cookie.

" I was thinking more around $2-$2.50 for a 4 inch cookie? Does that sound better? "
I would pay that much for homemade cookies....... as a matter of fact if it was a "special" cookie, for a special person, I would give them $5.00 for the cookie........ but that would be a one shot deal....... at $ 48.00 a dozen, that shoots a $50.00 bill.. I just wouldn't do it... But then that is just ME.....

I know what you mean.....my cookies are expensive. I have no problem getting $4 each for my cookies, although I'm making more cakes now and only offering cookies during holidays. My cookies are not "everyday" cookies and are meant to be gifts/party favors, so I have no problem asking/getting that much. Now, do I have Moms call to order cookies for their sons/daughter's birthday parties at school....yes, and do they fall over when I tell them $48/dozen....yes. However, I explain to them that these are "party favor" cookies that are very detailed and time-consuming and may not be the most appropriate thing for their child's party.....so I sell them on something else....like cupcakes or a cupcake cake....works every time! I stand my ground when it comes to my cookie pricing. They are difficult, back-breaking work and I won't sell myself short on them.....just too much time invested in them! Get as much as your market will allow....but be sure you're offering them to the "right" market.

There is a CBD store not far from me and they sell their one cookie on a stick for $6.95. I've given them as gifts in the past (school bus driver, etc.), but I have never tasted them for myself and I've heard they aren't great. If they can sell them for $6.95, someone out there is willing to pay it since they have a store front to pay for.

I tell people a dollar an inch and watch them get all uncomfortable. Some buy, some don't. I also mention that they cannot go to the local grocery store and get what I design so I don't fret it. My work is specialized. HOWEVER, I often get people who want 6 or 8 dozen for a party and I charge $2.00 a cookie in that instance. I don't like to sell by the dozen, but I made an exception this past Christmas for a girl and I charged $20/dozen for 3 and 4 inch snowflakes all bagged up with ribbon. It just depends on how much business you want.

jen1977 - you really need to check what your market can handle - period. (Come on gang, haven't we all watched the HGTV show on price of homes through out the U.S? A $300,000 in one area and you get a mansion and in another area you get a bungalow! Even certain jobs have rural salaries in my area. Remember - not every market can tolerate top dollar.) So call around local bakeries and get their pricing. Check out their style of cookies also. Are they higher-end or lower-end cookies, and how similar are they to your cookies and go from that point.

Then remember, you are not making homemade cookies; you are making custom cookies and do not undersell yourself!

The bake shoppe that I used to work at charged $1.75/cookie (about 3-4" size). That was a starting price, more depending on the details and if they wanted them wrapped. Where I work now, we start at $1 and that's what I charge when I do them for my "customers". I think it all really depends on the area that you live in and the details given to each cookie.

Thanks everyone! There's is only one place that I know of here that sells decorated cookies, and it is an upscale market, and their prices are crazy high. I may do $1 per inch for fancier decorated cookies, and a little less for basic/simple/plain designs. Cambo is in my area....maybe I can get these prices here if she is!

Hey Jenn....yes, you can absolutely get these prices! I got your message....I'll give you a call!

Where is Brookville? LOL!!

I'm not in an upscale neighborhood per se, but there are a lot of uppity developments in my city that I'm pretty sure could handle that price. Fairlawn is where the CBD store is and that's less than 10 minutes from here, so I might try that price (depending on what I find out from using the cookie matrix and if I can get good enough!), but maybe give a quantity discount thing if they order more than 2 dozen, etc. Actually, CBD is higher than the $1 per inch theory since they have the overhead of a store front. I can always compare my prices to them and people will realize that mine taste better and are cheaper than theirs!

edited to say, duh, think I asked that before, near Dayton right?

I am making cookies as we speak - they are hand-cut paisley shaped cookies - about 3x4ins in size. I will be outlining them in in painted gold lustre dust, filling in with royal icing, sprinkling with disco glitter and finishing with a few gold dragrees on each cookie. I've charged my customer E3,75 (about $4.90) each, but have given her a 6 for the price of 5 discount. So for 32 cookies she is paying me E94,50 (about $125). She never said a word about the price, and I think it's fair - I've just put 1 1/2 hours in cutting and baking the cookies, will spend at least 1 1/2 hours outlining and painting them and then several hours finishing off the decoration - plus the bags and ribbons!

Wow! I am amazed at the prices. I live in a very price concious community. My compitition is Albertson's and Wal-mart. I hate being compaired to them. I bake my cakes and cookies from scratch with-in a day of the order due date. I customize everything I do. Granted, I am no Colette Peters, I do believe my product is way better than the grocery store.

Anyway, I made 22 doz., 4 inch sugar cookies with six different designs for Valentines day and only charged $0.75 per cookie. I thought that was a good deal. Then, I read all of these posts and now I think I was way underpriced.

It's funny, as I was delivering the cookies to the intended recepients, one of them had a 6 inch cookie with a simple golf decoration. It was on a stick and shrink wrapped. I couldn't help but wonder what someone paid for that.

Well, I am done venting and thinking out loud. Thanks for reading.

After my first couple decorated cookie orders I settled on about $3.50 for a 3-4 inch cookie in a bag and tied with ribbon. It still sounds high to me, but they are so much work! In a few situations I've been embarassed to quote that price for fear the customer will laugh at me, but no one has laughed yet. And no one has turned me down based on the price. I'm with Cambo... these are specialty cookies that you can't get just anywhere and they are meant for more of a special occasion as a favor.

That being said- I'm in San Diego where you have to pay $400k for a 2 bedroom apartment/condo. I guess this market can handle the price for my cookies. ha-ha!!

Yes, Brookville is a suburb of Dayton, about 20 minutes Northwest.

Has anyone checked out Toba Garretts web site? I kid you not, she asks $15 and higher for her cookies. Now granted she's Toba Garrett but I've seen ALOT of cookies here that are just as good if not better.

Cookie pricing has been a hot subject lately. I offered my Valentine cookie bouquets (4 cookies and coffee mug) for $10, but did let folks know I would normally charge $15. These are time consuming, depending on the detail needed. I can see lowering prices for very simple decorated cookies, but heck, even my local grocery store charges $4-$5 for a 4" decorated cookie!

deb

I have found that regular customers are happy to pay the going price when it's understood these are custom cookies, but I also find unfortunately that 'friends' are the only ones who place orders then haggle over price once it's completed? not fun so now I discourage some from ordering unfortunately.

Very interesting topic!
Not every cookie is created equal. I agree with the $1 per inch pricing, except not every 4" cookie is worth $4, there is a wide range of decorating quality out there. But it is something to strive for.

Bonjovibabe-
I can't wait to see your paisley cookies! They sound beautiful.

MichelleM77-
I think your Easter bouquet looks great! Great colors and variety of cookies.

Leslie

I wasn't talking about anyone's cookies in particular. Just saying a plain, minimally detailed 4" cookie should get a different price than a very detailed 4" cookie.

Man oh man. Oh geez here we go again! Let's not lock the thread.

I certainly don't think Elfie meant anything negative at all by her Toba Garrett comment. She was simply making a statement. This thread is about price of cookies-not who's better and deserves to charge more.