Cookie Timeline Help!

Baking By Tarielena Updated 12 Apr 2010 , 9:48pm by EvMarie

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Tarielena Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 2:29pm
post #1 of 10

I'm making 200 cookies for a friend's wedding reception, and while I know what to do in regards to the baking and decorating, I don't know the best way to go about doing things on such a large scale!

I will be using NFSC recipe and royal icing. The cookies will be heart shaped with a solid color all over, and then random words like "love" written on top. The wedding is on Saturday, and they would like to be able to pick up the cookies sometime Thursday. Does that still give me enough time to get them done without them being stale for the wedding?

When would you start mixing up the dough, baking the cookies, etc. How long does the icing need to dry before they are ready to go? Also any random advice I should know is appreciated!

9 replies
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sambugjoebear Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 2:55pm
post #2 of 10

If you are bagging the cookies individually they will be fine for Saturday. I actually like my NFSC a few days old because they soften up just a little bit (but don't taste stale). You could bake today, ice tomorrow (let dry 24 hours), then bag on Wednesday. If they are picking them up late on Thursday then you could shift everything a day and bag early Thursday morning.

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Tarielena Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 3:22pm
post #3 of 10

They are going to be bagging the cookies themselves, does that change anything? Will they be fine in tupperware containers with parchment between the layers? I think they will be bagging Thursday evening sometime.

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bbmom Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 3:32pm
post #4 of 10

I would make the dough and cut out bake as many as you can today and tomorrow. Decorate tues and wed. let them dry a full 24hrs before layering them in the tupperware with parchment, especially if they will be handled by non-cookie people while bagging. They will be absolutely fine for a saturday wedding. I have had people eat cookies a month!!! old that were bagged and out on their counter and tell me they were still good. The only thing I notice as they get older(and we're talking weeks-not just a few days) is that the flavor tends to fade.
1.So bake today/tues 2.Decorate. tues/wed 3.dry overnight. 4.Tupperware on thurs. 5.Bagging thurs/friday perfect timeline.

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all4cake Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 3:32pm
post #5 of 10

Make the dough now (also the icing)...cut and bake them this evening...flood tomorrow...details Wednesday...box up Thursday.

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all4cake Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 3:48pm
post #6 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by bbmom

They will be absolutely fine for a saturday wedding. I have had people eat cookies a month!!! old that were bagged and out on their counter and tell me they were still good. The only thing I notice as they get older(and we're talking weeks-not just a few days) .




thumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif

I'm still eating on the extras from my daughters' showers...tomorrow will be 3 weeks that they've been baked. They're still as good as the first ones.

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Tarielena Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 5:10pm
post #7 of 10

Thanks so much for the advice everyone! I feel a lot better knowing that I don't have to worry about making them a little in advance. I was unclear in one area... it's not actually this weekend, the wedding is May 15th. So when the time comes, is it possible to make all the dough up the day before I will be baking, just to spread the work-load out a little more? Or is it better to make the dough the same day it will be baked?

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bonniebakes Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 5:17pm
post #8 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarielena

Thanks so much for the advice everyone! I feel a lot better knowing that I don't have to worry about making them a little in advance. I was unclear in one area... it's not actually this weekend, the wedding is May 15th. So when the time comes, is it possible to make all the dough up the day before I will be baking, just to spread the work-load out a little more? Or is it better to make the dough the same day it will be baked?




I actually like to make the dough the night before I plan to bake it (I wrap it extra well in plastic wrap).

But, you can also spread out the workload by baking the cookies a few batches at a time and freezing them (either decorated or not). Here are a few threads about freezing cookies.

freezing cookies
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-633905.html

freezing & using RI
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-632656.html

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all4cake Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 9:18pm
post #9 of 10

I also make mine the day before (or at least several...like 4-6 hours at least in advance). I liked doing it in steps and found the high count was less daunting that way....I was panicking big time...but before I knew it, they were all done...

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EvMarie Posted 12 Apr 2010 , 9:48pm
post #10 of 10

Here's a little tid bit - I made a bunch of these cookies. I set them in my giant plastic container I use for transport. I bagged them in the morning...and of course, the bags stuck to the icing!!!! I guess it didn't occurr to me that putting them in this container would be bad because it really isn't airtight. But, the icing did not dry. I had to alter the design a bit to cover the damage.

Just wanted to share that. I've been learning about these cookies for over a year now. I know better. But, still when you try so hard "not to spill the milk on the carpet"....that's exactly what happens!!!! Ha ha.

As far as freezing: I freeze cookies all the time. I have never tried with royal icing. But, I would box them with wax paper between layers, add a piece of bread to absorb anything icky & then freezer wrap. Works great.

Oh - another tip I got from CC....does everyone decorate the bottoms of their cookies? I know NFSC doesn't puff too much. And, I normally use a traditional sugar cookie so I always use the bottoms. But, it makes the cookie look just a bit more cleanly decorated.

Good Luck!!! You'll do great.

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