Mailing Cookies

Certain cookies tend to ship better than others do. We recommend that you do not mail cookies with custard or custard-like fillings or toppings, including cheesecake bars or Nanaimo bars. The custard could spoil, making a very unwelcome gift. For that matter, any cookie that requires refrigeration is not a good candidate for the mail. Another type of cookie that doesn't hold up well for mailing is one with a delicate, cake-like texture such as Madeleines. And now, on to the kinds of cookies that can be mailed all over the world.

Cookies that have a crunchy or hard texture such as biscotti, Mexican wedding cakes, crisps, Springerle, and shortbreads make excellent choices for mail delivery. They tend to be fairly sturdy, so you don't have to worry too much about breakage. And since they already have a fairly dry texture, drying out isn't much of an issue.

Cookies that have a slightly chewy texture, like chocolate chip, oatmeal, snickerdoodles, and white chocolate-cranberry cookies also ship well. These cookies tend to dry out if they are in the mail for more than a week, so if their destination is a long way off, you might want to ship them by express mail to ensure that they arrive just as tasty as when they were baked.

Macaroons and pignoli mail beautifully. Their chewy, moist textures only seem to improve after they've aged a few days.

Dense bar cookies such as fudge brownies, blondies and peanut butter bars travel well too. Be sure to individually wrap each one with plastic wrap to keep that moist, dense crumb from drying out.

Once you've baked and cooled your cookies, you're ready for the next step: packing them. There are a few guidelines you should follow when it comes to preparing cookies to be mailed. Follow these and your special packages should arrive fresh, in one piece, and great-tasting.

• Don't pack crisp and soft cookies together--the moisture from the soft cookies will seep into the crisp cookies, making them lose their delightful crunch. 
• Don't overstuff your container. Your cookies may be damaged. Likewise, don't under-pack your container. The cookies should fit snugly. If you have too much space, crumple up a bit of tissue paper to fill the holes.
• Pack cookies in a sturdy tin or airtight container. On the bottom of the container place a piece of bubble wrap, then line the container with parchment paper or cellophane, leaving enough to tuck over the top once the container is fully packed. Place one layer of cookies in the container. Cover with parchment paper. Arrange another layer of cookies, followed with more parchment paper, and continue this layering until the container is full. Tuck the cellophane or parchment paper over the top, then place another piece of bubble wrap on top, and seal your container.