Here is my ????????'s
If I make some cookies in advance, how can I store them so that they don't get stale.. What recipe do you recommend?? (sugar/chocolate chip if possible) should I use... And if I add them to a stick and wrap them, how can I ensure they will last for a least a week on the stick.. I really want to make these for family members, but I need to make them at least a week in advance.. Newbie to cookies, so I know I will have lots of mistakes and I want plenty of time to make up for my boo boo's.. TIA!!!
OH YEAH.. what icing to you recommend using say if I make a heart, I want to fill it with red icing and maybe ontop of that some white for some writing..

bump...

answering about freshness.....i put each cookie in a cycliphane bag and tie with curly ribbon...if no air gets in they will stay fresh for over a week. now i get my bags at hobby lobby in the gift wrapping section...they are 36 larger bags for $1.99 or 46 smaller bags for $1.99 they keep cookies fresh, and individually wrapped, and you can see the cookie too.

i use sugar cookies and usually decorated with my reg. cake icing, it just takes longer to dry.
good luck

I highly recommend the No Fail Cookie recipe and Antonia's royal Icing. I have use both lots of times now and they are by far the best combination I have come across. The cookies really hold their shape and are firm but still soft to bit into. The icing is easy to make and great to work with. I have had cookies that were a week old and they were fine. I have also baked cookies and frozen then uniced. The next time I made a fresh batch, I also defrosted the frozen ones after decorating them, myself along with others couldn't tell a difference.

Hope that helps!

Have fun

I, too, was wondering if it's possible to do choc. chip cookies as cut-outs?? Has anyone done this before? I wonder if they hold ther shape ok.....?

I've never had much success with getting chocolate chip cookies to hold their shape. I do know there is a chocolate sugar cookie recipe like the no fail sugar cookie recipe Antonia uses. Maybe either one would work and just add some chocolate chips but that might be hard to cut out with chips in them. If you get brave, you might want to try adding mini morsels, they would probably be easier to cut.

I've never tried this but I read you can bake regular chocolate chip cookies and use the flat backs to decorate just like you would a sugar cookies. No idea if that would taste good though, LOL.


Hope that helps!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

I like the mini-chip idea...seems like it would be easier to cut out. I'll probably try adding some to the sugar cookie recipe and see how it does. If it doesn't work out well...I have 5, 3 and 1 yr old kids (plus DH) who'll make 'em disappear! lol

Here's a recipe I've used a few time using the mini chocolate chips

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=29551

Sandra

I have used a recipe for chocolate chip rollouts (mini chips) I have two problems with them. First, I have a hard time getting them from the roulpat to the pan so I would reccoment rolling them out on the pan or silpat. They always seemd to crumble due to the chips.
2nd, everyone that ate the iced cookies said they were WAY too sweet. So if possible I would reccomend not doing the flow icing, just perhaps doing the writing.

I shrink wrap all my cookies for bouquets. they stay fresh...and it adds stability (shipping or transporting). i get the bags from ebay (make sure they are food safe)

How exactly do you make the shrink wrap "shrink"?? lol I bought a roll of it as well as a few different sized bags at Hobby Lobby...but it doesn't say how to make it shrink around the item your wrapping it with. Any tips? TIA!

I don't know about the shrink rap, but as far as cookies go, I really like the rolled chocolate cookie recipe on the kitchengifts.com wesite. They are a chocolate version of the No-Fail Sugar Cookies and they are really good. As far as the chocolate chip cookies are concerned, I tend to agree with CakePrincess. I think baking and then cutting while they are still warm might work.

As far as icing is concerned, I like Antonia's the best. It is very easy to work with and tastes very good. I hope this helps.

Now my question...I saw a rose cookie bouquet on this site and was wondering if anyone knows if there is a special cookie cutter that you need to make them.

Cindy

i actually use the bags, but you could make your own with a little more work. Before I bought the tools (first starting) I used a hair dryer. I have since bought a heat gun. Anyway, you need to make the bags by cutting the size you need to make a square when folded in half. Then seal 2 edges (you can get a new curling iron for this). Put cookie in the bag, then close the top with a twist tie. Then shrink with the dryer. gently press down to release any air. We first tried using tap to seal over, but that looks bag when it is done. Also, if you choose to seal the top with the iron too, becareful because you will have trapped air, then you have to prick with a pin or somethign to release, then reseal.

I do reccomend you get the premade bags though....much less work.

Good luck.

When I used to make and sell my own soap, I would take the good heavy duty saran wrap and wrap the bar then use a piece of tape to hold it together in the back. Then take a heat gun and use it on the saran wrap. It used to shrink a tiny bit and the tape held it all together.

I haven't tried it with cookies yet but dont' see why it wouldn't work the same. I think there was only one brand of the saran that worked but can't remember which one.

I used to put a label over the tape and you could do the same with your cookies. : )