Hi JennT. I'm South African so I'm not sure sure how you will be able to judge this. I worked out the cost of a cookie and then just multiplied by 3. They are really not big cookies.

Thanks MSLOU. I was a little scared to do the baking and freezing thing but what I am going to do is to freeze a few cookies when I bake this lot and see how they turn out.

Definitely invite every friend you have to your house for a cookie-wrapping party...you'll need all the help you can get to get all those cookies wrapped. I'm impressed--I make these decorated cookies for a living and I don't think I could handle 1500! (But I'd sure love to try$$!) Congrats on your big order!

The order for the delivery of the cookies is on the 9th to be given out on the 14th. I started baking 2 nights ago........when would you think would be a safe time to start with the icing. I was going to start today.
If I do start today, will the icing (Antonia's recipe) still look good.

Regards
S

Is Antonia's a royal icing? For me, it seems too early, I wouldn't want to ice more than a couple of days before their due since you said they aren't going to be given out until the 14th. I hope someone else can give you a better answer!

How are you storing the baked cookie? If you are not freezing it, decorate now with royal icing so you can get them wrapped.

I'm storing the cookies in plastic containers and what I wanted to do was to ice and as soon as they are dry, bag them.

Do you think that will work?

Yes, I would probably do that, but it depends on the icing you use. Some thinned icings/fondants might crystalize on the cookie after a few days.

Jenn123

Shamani wrote=
..."when would you think would be a safe time to start with the icing. I was going to start today.
If I do start today, will the icing (Antonia's recipe) still look good."
(Just to save time on this thread.)

This is fascinating to me.
I'm feeling anxious for you Shamani!

kos

Ditto, Kos! I think I don't think I could sleep worrying about getting everything done!

Best of Luck, Shamani!!! I know you have had some great tips and really sounds like you have it under control! I hope all goes well!!!

Jenn123 - I'm using Antonia's icing recipe and the No fail sugar cookies.

What is in Antonia's icing? I don't see it in the recipe list?

Oh, I found a forum discussion. This what Antonia said:

"It is royal icing...just thinned. It gets hard enough to pack, but I let cookies dry 24-36 hours before I package them."

This really important. Make sure the icing is completely dry before bagging them. I think it will be fine to start now. Just be sure you don't stack too high. I don't know if the icing will absorb moisture from the cookie over time.

Just FYI I iced with antonia's icing a few weeks ago and put in freezer. When I pulled them out the darker colors were blotchy. Could just be me, but I was experimenting... I had them in a freezer container, so maybe the added help of the bag would protect them more.

Julia

I wasn't suggesting freezing after. Did I miss something? Ooops Don't freeze after decorating! Thanks acookieobsession!

I have made cookies with Antonia74's icing several times (using the no fail cookie recipe) and the icing looked good for a long time.

I made a couple of samples of the cat face cookies I did at Christmas time, and kept them in a container for over a month until it was time to make them for the shower (NOT to eat, just as samples to show) and they looked as good as they did when they were fresh.

hth!
Laura.

SO WHERE DID YOU FIND ANTONIAS RECIPES.
SHAMANI I HOPE U GET YOUR COOKIE ORDER DONE ON TIME. ARE YOU HALF WAY DONE? GOOD LUCK!
SULIE

SULIE --It's actually called "Royal Icing for Decorating Cookies" in the recipe section from Antonia74 (Helen). It's just shortened and referred to as "Antonia's recipe".
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-1983-1-Royal-Icing-for-Decorated-Cookies.html

Hope that helps. Welcome to CakeCentral!!

kos

HI,

Just an update as to how things are progressing.
Over the weekend we (DH and I) started with the icing and bagging. By last night we had 950 cookies bagged and there are another 200 waiting to be bagged tonight.
It seems to be going okay for now. One negative thing though is that the smell of cookies are really starting to get to me but I suppose that was expected. Oh and one more....my kids (a 4yr and 2yr old) keep stealing cookies. I did make about 100 extra for just in case and I'm hoping they have not eaten that much.
Thanks to all of you for the encouragement and tons of help. Not sure if I could be doing this without you.

Regards
Shamani

I'm keeping positive thoughts for you! Please, make sure and take some pictures!

Congratulations on your progress! I hope you are pleased with whatever you decided to charge! So much work!

After reading this thread, I'm simply amazed! I hope you take a picture of the finished cookies to show us!



And for your sake, I hope your kids haven't eaten 100 cookies too! Whew, I'd never get mine calmed down!

Good luck ~ you're in the home stretch now!

okay, between the kids, 2 nephews and DH, 52 cookies are missing.
Yesterday we bagged about 300 and tonight I'm doing the rest.....well that and having to baking another 60 cookies. Should be okay though.

HeeeeHaaaa
They are all done and I'm delivering this morning.

Gosh this was one long week. Just glad it's all over and done with. Now I'll just wait till the 14th to hear what people thought of them (nobody knows that I did them except the lady who ordered the cookies and her boss).

Thank you to everyone who gave advice and encouragment....don't think I could have done this without you guys (and DH of course).
I will post pics a little later.

Regards
Shamani

CONGRATULATONS! I'M IMPRESSED! I'm so happy everything worked out for you. I'll bet you don't want to see (or smell) anymore cookies for a while!

Shamani I cant beleve you made all of those cookies. Great Job!! Me and a friend were following your cookie story. We read today and found out that you finished we just smiled and we are so happy to hear that you had finished your order. We cant wait to see your pictures. We just realized that you are South Africa cool!
Congratulations!!!

Sulie V. from Texas

Well now that they are done relax and wait for all the praise you will here from your coworkers. I am sure they all will enjoy them. can't wait to see the pictures.

Shamani - Wow, way to go!
I feel your relief all the way up here in Georgia!

Let's see some pictures now!

kos

Shamani... first of all congratulations !!!!!!!

I just wanted to tell you that you have been my inspiration. I just started baking earlier this year ..I love to make cookies and people are starting to know this fact about me... so for Valentines I got talked into baking cookies for sale at my son's pre-school... I almost died when on Friday I got my order for 200 cookies .... then I thought of you....if you can do 1500 I can do a measly 200.....I got right to work with my buddy (the one that gets me into these messes) ... the good news is that I made enough money to buy myself a kitchenaid professional mixer that last week I thought was out of the question


p.s. can't wait to see the pictures!!!

WOW! At least they are paying for them! That's great!

we split the profits 50/50 with the school ....they ended up on the wining end since I put all the ingredients ... I was so encouraged I'm thinking of doing it again for easter