I have an order from a lady who wants decorated cookies to be used as place markers for a dinner party she's having. She want them a week in advance and thinks that guests will keep the cookies rather than eat them. So I need a recipe for cookies that can be made in advance and produces pretty tough cookies. Something nice and unbreakable but also edible in case someone does decide to eat theirs. Any ideas? please help!

OMG...that's like wanting to have your cake and eat it too lol...

In the interest of making them edible, what about suggesting she advise people who would like to keep their cookies, to harden them and then lacquer for preserving...

I think gingerbread might be the way to go. Think about the gingerbread houses that are made ahead and kept for ages!

I made my mom a cookie bouquet with no fail sugar cookies from this site and decorated in antonia74's royal icing and she still has the bouquet and they look like the day I mailed it to her (they're in my photos) they were for VALENTINE'S DAY.......they were shrink wrapped though.....so maybe you should look into individually shrink wrapping them, then if someone wants to keep it , it should be fine just like that for a long long time I would think! I mean if someone is REALLY serious about keeping it they could easily get some spray shilac or laquer and spray away sealing in everything!

I second gingerbread!

Sorry I guess I don't get it saving a cookie I mean I save things from weddings matchbooks, napkins and such but cookies I never thought people would save a cookie from a wedding outside of bride and groom maybe. Sorry I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around this one. Please don't bash me to hard. Cookies are to be eaten in my book kind of like the cake. I don't eat much of either only on special occasions BUT

who knows......people are weird!!! My mom still has her bouquet in tact........it's like a decoration in her kitchen now!! I know I know...she nuts LOL