hi all im new here and i am planning on making some sugar cookies for my son'd birthday in a week. I plan on putting a fondant overlay on top of the cookies. I wanted to know if i made the cookies now would they last for the party in a week. and how should i store them in order for them to be fresh for the party. Im jst trying to do as much ahead of time so im not swamped at the last minute trying to get everything done

Absolutely they'll be good for the party! Layer them in a lidded container with parchment between each layer so the butter doesn't bleed into the other cookies or on the fondant. You can keep them out at room temp or put them in the fridge. I'd advise against freezing though. Could ruin the decorating.

That is a great question. i was wanting to make valentine cookies and was wondering how far in advance i could make them. anyone know how long they are good for?

there are lots of past threads on this topic, so if you do a quick search you'll find a ton of information and lots of opinions (and experiment results)....

I can tell you what I do. I use the NFSC (recipe on this site), and I don't like to let more than 3-5 days go by between baking and delivering. If I'm sending them somewhere, I like to have less than 7 days before they reach their destination and will be eaten.

that said, however, a lot of people allow more time with no problem. I'm very food safety conscious, and I have a very good sense of taste and smell, so I like things to be very fresh. here's a recent thread on just that topic (edited to add link) http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-660400-fresh.html

Also, you should know that many people have frozen cookies, both after baking/before decorating and after decorating with good results. Here's one thread about freezing to get you started...
freezing cookies
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-633905.html


hope that helps!


Bonnie

Just my personal opinion, mind you, but I think they lose their fresh taste after only 3 days. I usually bake ahead, and thaw and decorate a minimum of two days prior to delivery.

NFSC stay fresh for more than a week if wrapped up or put in a cello bag

When i do cookies i usually make the dough, cut out my designs then freeze them. This can be done anytime.The day before they are needed,I bake(they usually need a little extra baking time from frozen) and decorate them, let them dry over night. Package the next morning.