I really need some help here! I have a huge wedding order the end of May. It includes 400 frosted cookies. They are going to put them in cello bags and use them for favors. I am not sure what the best way is to frost them since I will have to stack them to store and transport them. I don't have a way to transport that many cookies and have them laying flat. I've not done MMF on a cookie before. I've only attempted to make MMF once. The cookies are going to be round with an "S" on them. Can anyone help me out?

Thanks!!!

Anna

I have recently switched from using RI on my butter cookies to MMF. I use the same cookie cutter to cut out the rolled MMF as I do the cookie dough. When the cookies come out of the oven, I place the MMF on the cookie while still warm. It adheres nicely to the cookie and once cool, can be stacked (I'd put wax paper or something between layers to protect the top of the cookie from absorbing any oils or getting crumbs on it.) Hope this helps.

My first thought was to get a large plastic container that is small enough to fit in a trunk or back seat. And put as many cookies as you can for the first layer without stacking, then layer with wax paper and continue doing that "lasagna" type method until finished. But I've never had to make that many cookies so I haven't done this before. Good Luck.

If you would rather them not lay directly on top of each other, you could...

get 1/2 sheet boxes(or whatever size fits in your vehicle), cardboards to fit those boxes(3 or so per box) and some portion cups or cookie cutters that are taller than the iced cookies....

line the box with parchment(optional), place four portion cups or cutters in box...2 at each end....layer cookies...place board...portion cups...cookies...board...cups...cookies...until box is filled.

I was reading the post before mine and had a thought. I would be careful how many layers deep you stack the cookies. I would think that the weight of too many layers will damage the bottom ones.

Thanks everyone! Would MMF add allot to the cost of ingredients over the cost of a crusting BC or RI? I already gave a price for the the cookies. I charged her $500 for 400 cookies. Do you think the MMF would be cost efficient for the price I quoted her? That sounds like the easiest way to do this and then pipe an "S" on with RI. Then I would just stack them on their sides rather than on top of eachother. I use big rubbermaid containers that are used for under the bed storage to transport cookies and sheet cakes. I like the wax paper idea. Do you think the "S" would get smashed if I did it this way? Thanks everyone for all your help! I'm kind of stressing about this huge wedding!! I also have a three teired stacked square wedding cake and 4 12X18's and an 11X15 to do for this wedding! Luckily it's not till May 24th so I have time to get all this figured out!!

Anna

I just finished making 335 cookies for Easter for a small Spanish school.When they were all done and icied and dried I packaged them.I stacked them sideways in rows.I would use a lrage box or plastic tub.You should also be able to make another row ontop since the cookies aren't that heavy.I had 2 apple boxes filled with the 335 cookies...not really that much!!Also....MMF isn't cost efficient unless you charge for it.I see that you charged her $500.00 for 400 cookies...Hmmm that is 1.25 a cookie...No way I could have done it for that!! I charged $1.50 per cookie with RI...Fondant would have been an extra $1.00 a cookie...Fondant is expensive!I have since uped my cookie prices to $2.00 each.It took me nearly 40 hours of work to do the cookies and I calculated I was making about $5.00 an hour..Hardly enough!! JMO.

I feel guilty charging more than that for a cookie. I live in a small town so can't get away with charging what I probably should be. What did you ice your cookies with? If MMF is too expensive for what I charged her, can you give me an alternative? I have to make a decent profit. Would it be okay to use a crusting BC and pipe the "S" with royal and then stack them sideways with wax paper between them?

I use Antonia74 cookie icing.The recipe is here on CC.I wouldn't use a BC icing as they never really dry hard enough to stack and just in case they smooshed.The butter in the NFSC recipe keeps the cookie soft enough so you don't break your teeth when you bite into it.I would think that RI is the best way and as cost efficient as BC.All you need for Antionias recipe is powdered meringue,cream of Tartar and icing sugar.You would need butter and shortening for the BC...so I would think the RI would be more cost efficient.I would also cover them in one step.Waste less time and less icing.I did this for the big ccokie order and it worked really well and was a time saver.Instead of doing 2 steps and outlining each cookie and then going back and flooding...I outlined and quickly went back and flooded with the same consistency icing.It has to be a bit thick but pourable...like the 10 steps rule with cookie icing....let it melt back into itself in 10 seconds...otherwise it will over flow on the edges...This worked really well!!

Pardon my stupidity but what does "let it melt back into itself in 10 seconds" mean? Thank you so much for all your advice, I really appreciate it!

Anna

Okay...I though maybe you would be uncertain.....The RI itself is quite thick when made..Put a few dolops into a bowl and mix in your color.Then start adding water and stirring...very little at a time.You want the icing to thin out but still be thick like a slurry.Keep adding water until you lift the spatula and the icing flows back into itself and disappears....usually within 10 seconds.Then you know it is ready.If it is too thin add thicker icing back in....It should be like heavy cream but still pipable from a bag with tip # 3.I outline the whole cookie and then start back and fill in...by the time you begin to fill in the edges will have started to setup not allowing the icing to overflow.If it flows over the edges after a few minutes then the icing is too thin.

Fondant is very expensive to buy. I have stopped buying fondant and make my own. I do cakes and cookies occasionally out of my house, so I have more time than money. I use Rhonda's ultimate MMF (http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-3183-5-Rhondas-Ultimate-MMF.html) and personally I find it very cost effective. About $3 for a batch that yields about 3 lbs. (sometimes more as more humidity usually means more powdered sugar.) I find the cost to be comparable to RI (the kind of RI I make uses meringue powder.) The powdered sugar cost is similar for equal amounts of RI and MMF. The cost of a bag of marshmallows isn't much when comparing to the cost of MP I use. I find the time it saves in frosting is worth the very slight price difference.

I'm sure it's personal preference as well. My husband and I actually did a taste taste of butter cookies with RI (the recipe given in the how to decorate cookies tutorial) and Rhonda's MMF and we both preferred the MMF. Hope this helps.

Thank you!!! You have been VERY helpful!!!!

I think we have children the same ages! I have a son, Alex who is 8 and a daughter, Susie who is almost 5. We must be about the same age? I'm 32, 33 in June. It's fun to meet new people on here with which you have things in common.

Anna

I place the mmf on the cookie right after it comes out of the oven. The warmth softens the mmf and it sticks right to the cookie. You may need the play around with the thickness of the fondant. If it's too thin any slight bumps in the cookie will show through. Of course you don't want it too thick either. I haven't tried stacking cookies with crusting BC, so I'm not sure. There is also a recipe for rolled buttercream, but I have never used it. If nothing else try making up a test batch. My girls 11, 7, 5, and 2 love test batches!

I just made 100 wedding favor cookies that were the heart shaped wedding dress and tux. They were iced in royal icing and bagged. I stacked them in a box on there sides and was able to stack another row on top. I had to drive an hour and a half to the location and they arrived just fine. I dont know how the RBC would hold up I dont use it on cookies.

Here are some recent cookie bouquet centerpieces I made (haven't yet uploaded into the gallery yet.) They are butter cookies w/MMF and RI details.

I did 600 football shaped cookies for New Years day, with Antonia74 RI. They were not individually wrapped.
I used my 14x19 cake boxes, cake board on the bottom, and just layered them, with parchment paper between each layer. I had about 75 in each box.
I had no problems at all with breakage or damage!
Good Luck!

This is a greatly informative discussion!
I've read very good things about Antonia74 cookie icing.
I use rolled buttercream for my cookies - adhered with corn syrup - but must try applying when warm so the heat attaches it...I've read this several times on CC.
I personally do not think I would use the rolled buttercream for a large amount because it stays moist - I would be afraid it would not retain it's shape when stacked & transported.
I like the idea of stacking them on their sides.
Have you thought of making a practice run & driving around with them to see how they travel? I know it sounds kinda silly, but might alleviate some of your stress.
Good luck!!!!
You have quite a bit of baking to do.

I did 600 football shaped cookies for New Years day, with Antonia74 RI. They were not individually wrapped.
I used my 14x19 cake boxes, cake board on the bottom, and just layered them, with parchment paper between each layer. I had about 75 in each box.
I had no problems at all with breakage or damage!
Good Luck!

OMG! Chovest, your cookies are amazing!!! So beautiful!! I am very new to the cookie end of things. I can see I could learn alot from you!!! Thank you everyone for all your help. I keep going back and forth between MMF and Antonia's RI. If I did the royal, I could bake them way ahead and freeze them. Then get them out the day before pick up and decorate them. The bride is coming to pick them up the Wednesday morning before the wedding. She is going to bring her own containers to transfer them over to and then she is going to bag them herself. Her wishes. Yes, I DO have allot of baking to do! I think I have it all figured out though when I'll do what. I just have to get these cookies figured out. Right now I'm thinking the royal but does it taste good with the meringue powder, does it get really hard? I don't want anyone to think their cookie is dried out. I come from a small town. These people are not used to the fancy stuff here on CC! HA!

Anna

I recently had an order for 300 Tiffany style dresses (in my photos if you want to look). I iced them in Antonia74's RI. They were bagged and then placed in 2 boxes, just stacked. There were no problems during transport - not one broken cookie - and lots of compliments on taste.

RI dries hard - I usually let it dry for a minimum of 12 hours before I bag them and I prefer to wait even longer. It is hard to the touch but, when you bite into the cookie it is soft - no chipped teeth.

Thank you for the compliment. I love the look of monogrammed cookies, can't wait to see yours.

I really recommend antonia's icing. I always get such wonderful compliments on taste. I use it for almost all of my cookies. Once in a while I do use fondant depending on the design but, not for such a large order!

Good luck.

-Penny

Thank you for your sweet comments.

The RI does get hard enough to stack the cookies, but not crunchy. I do like RI on cookies, it is good. I just prefer the taste of the mmf a little more (and rolling it out and cutting w/ a cookie cutter is so much less time consuming than piping RI.) It does make it harder if you plan to bake them ahead of time and freeze them. I read that you can also adhere the mmf with corn syrup, but I haven't tried it. Someone else may be able to offer some insight there.

I only use Rhondas Ultimate Fondant and I do adhere with corn syrup. The syrup is in a squirt bottle. I will let the cookies cool over night. Then dab little dots of syrup around the cookie. The fondant is cut out with the same cutter and then attached to the cookie. They come out great. I tried a glace yesterday just for something different. Tomorrow its back to MMF.
Good luck

I only use Rhondas Ultimate Fondant and I do adhere with corn syrup. The syrup is in a squirt bottle. I will let the cookies cool over night. Then dab little dots of syrup around the cookie. The fondant is cut out with the same cutter and then attached to the cookie. They come out great. I tried a glace yesterday just for something different. Tomorrow its back to MMF.
Good luck

I always stand my cookies on edge so they are upright. They never get smooshed that way.

Is there a chance she could bring her containers over ahead of time so you could just stack the cookies in them and not trnasfer them from one box to another? It would be a lot easier and a time saver not to mention less handling and less chance for breakage. Just a thought.