I LIVE IN ALABAMA AND NEED TO MAIL COOKIES TO A FRIEND IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR A BABY SHOWER. HOW DID I DO THIS? DO I BAG THEM INDIVIDUALLY FIRST? OR JUST LET MY FRIEND DO IT WHEN THEY ARRIVE. I'M REALLY WORRIED 'CAUSE I'VE NEVER MAILED ANY COOKIES BEFORE. I'M PLANNING ON DECORATING THE COOKIES WITH FONDANT AND ROYAL ICING.

ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

I'm glad you asked this because I'd like to know too. My concern is that royal icing doesn't hold up in heat and cargo usually is not in air conditioned compartments.

Personally I would bag them first and use a layer of bubble wrap between them. I would pack it securely as to not allow movement. I honestly think that the royal icing would hold up fine to the heat but the fondant I am not sure about.

I actually did this last Christmas. I sent a tin of cookies with RI from Canada to Georgia, in a box with a number of other items. I wrapped each cookie individually in saran wrap, and then put bubble wrap in the tin and I think I put paper towel in the gaps, but I used bubble wrap between each cookie layer. She told me they arrived all in one piece. If the cookies are going to be bagged, I'd be inclined to do that at their destination.

I put each cookie in its own bag then bubble wrap each cookie. Place the cookies in a tight fitting box that has no room for cookies to move. Then place that box in a bigger box and put packing peanuts or shredded paper around it so the smaller box doesn't move around too much. RI does fine in the heat but I don't know about the fondant unless it is totally dried.

I was told by a friend of mine who works for the USPS, that if you're worried about temperatures affecting fondant/RI-covered cookies, to do the following:

1. Individually bag the cookies.
2. Pack them as snuggly in the box as you can, with bubble wrap preferably. Make sure there is NO movement in the box when you close it.
3. Send the cookies post office to post office. Overnight shipping, though costing a bit more, and doing it office to office, safeguards perishable items. The locations (yes, including their storage facilities) are in fact all A/C'd, so cookies, et al will be protected. Then have your recipient pick them up at the post office, and VOILA! No melted/harmed cookies!!!

Though I have yet to test this theory, I'm going to put together test batches and send them to AZ and to FL using these suggestions.

HTH, and keep us informed how you do!

~ Scott

Scott - thanks for posting that... what great advice!

I send cookies all the time (RI covered). Here are some threads that talk about shipping that you might find helpful.

shipping cookies
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-636536-shipping.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-633403-shipping.html

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-625384-shipping.html

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6862246.html#6862246