So, in an effort to drum up business, I opened my big mouth and volunteered my "newbie" expertise to make cookies for an upcoming conference in my city. I volunteered before knowing the number of cookies I would be required to make. (Remember, I'm new!)
Anyway, I've got some time here...until the beginning of July....to make 500 cookies! 500!!! So here are my questions:
1. How far in advance should I start?
2. How long can I freeze completed cookies?
The design is fairly simple but I do have a full time job, a 13 month old, and I'm playing the role of a single mom until my husband returns from training in August. Any advice/help/tips will be GREATLY appreciated!
(I blame Antonia74 for my dilemma...she made that cookie baking/decorating recipe so easy to follow which created a big mouth cookie monster in me! 
)
Thanks in advance!
Katie
YIKES!!! 500 COOKIES!! RUN AWAY!!!
Sorry, not much help, huh?
This is from the www.kitchencrafts.com site...
You can freeze un-iced cookies or cookies iced with royal icing. Make sure your cookies are stored in an air tight container. When removing them from the freezer DO NOT open the container until the cookies are back up to room temperature. This will prevent condensation on the cookies.
How long?: This depends on your thoughts on how long you like to leave things in the freezer. Stored in an airtight container I'd say up to a month. If your life is so busy that you need to make the cookies more in advance than that you definitely need to slow down a bit. ....
Hope that helps,
kos
Good luck!!
When I worked freezing months in advance was the rule. For December cookies were started in Aug. or Sept. If you decide you need more time you might think about a Food Saver. You can get one on ebay. Someone on ebay sells bags that are a little different but much cheaper .
I neede this post.. I am doing cookies for my sisters wedding in august and am on vacation this week so I can get them going now.. cool beans.. off to the oven i go and gotta dig out my food saver....
Please make sure your cookies are frozen before you use your food saver. I Freeze put them in the saver and seal them 'till I fear they may break and then switch to just the seal. Other way is to just layer with wax paper in a one of those plastic containers that you can also put in the oven to cook. Firsi I put a large sheet of parchment in the container, then layer with waxed paper and the draw the parchment over the whole thing and put the lid on. After that I seal it all with foil and plastic wrap. A lot of work I know but worth it if you are short on time. I am just anal about it. you probably could forgo the foil and parchment. I have packed some already iced too. It all worked.
AliciaL, When I say frozen, meaning put them on a baking sheet unwrapped till frozen solid and then start packin.'
wow my hand is hurting just thinking about all of the decorating for 500 cookies!! are these free? God bless your soul...lol. I freeze cookies often when I have an order for only a dozen or two, because my recipe makes about 6 or 7 dozen, so I'll cut out lots of other shapes I think I might need in the upcoming months, and freeze them in airtight rubbermaid or tupperware with parchment in between each layer, or lay them flat in a ziploc freezer bag. Only thing I don't like about freezing is I can usually tell they're not fresh, because they're not as moist as they would be - but with an order of 500 fresh probably isn't an option.
Wow, 500 is alot of work. I would say freezing is the best way to go, but do you have enough space in your freezer? Maybe asking one of your friends or relatives can help you out?
Thank you for all of the advice! I'm going to do a test run this week and see how long it takes me to do a dozen. I'm not fully committed to it so I can always say no.
Yellobutterfly - no, I'd be charging for them. I'm thinking between $.55 and $.60 a cookie.
Surfergina - Good thinking on the "room in the freezer". I didn't even consider that. Thanks!
Katie
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