Question for everyone...has anyone ever done shrink on their cookies? If so, please send me your thoughts. I like personally tying them up in the clear bags w/ the ribbons, but was thinking if you could do a nice shrink wrap job, why couldn't you still slip it into the bag w/ a ribbon. Double the freshness! Anyway...send me your thoughts on this idea please.

Much appreciated!
C

I shrink wrap all my RI cookies. I buy the shrink wrap bags, which come in tons of sizes and all you need is a blowdryer. Works great! Then I put the cookies in clear cello bags, tied with some ribbon and they look beautfil! Shrink wrapping really helps maintain the freshness.

I use both, depending on how long they need to last. I think the shrink wrapped ones last longer for shipping but I don't see why you couldn't do both for presentation, that sounds like a great idea to me!

Cookie creations...oh my gosh, that is awesome! Where do you get the bags?!? Please don't keep me waiting...please send more info!

Thanks for the help. I didn't think it could be that easy...figured I would have to buy one of those machines for $250 plus!

Thanks! I buy my shrink bags from Papermart. I've checked tons of vendors and they seem to have the best prices as long as your order is at least 3 lbs. Any order under 3 lbs they charge you $3 fee. I've been working on a successful shipping process for awhile and I find this works GREAT! So far no broken cookies and I've shipped all over the US including Canada. Buy a few different sizes to accommodate all your cookies. There's always that one that just doesn't fit lol.

Thank you so much for sharing your shrink wrap idea with us. Here's a silly question - is Papermart located in your city or online? Thanks again!

Sorry! online www.papermart.com They're located in CA. I'm on the east coast and even their shipping cost, for me, is very reasonable. I haven't found a vendor yet that's been able to beat their prices once you include shipping cost.

Me again...couple of more questions...is this bag food grade...I found 80 gauge that stated food grade vs. non food grade. These that you buys must be the 100 guage...seems to be the only gauge they sell.

Question 2...you said you buy various sizes...how much excess do you allow around each cookies...if the the cookie is details edges...it is shrink around it pretty well?
I was thinking of getting a box of 6 x 6 bags and trying them...especially since it is 500 per box.

Question 3...how do you seal the bag before you shrink wrap it?
Could you send step by step instructions on how you do this?!?

Please....
Thanks!

Yes, I buy the 100 gauge and they work great! The cookies are very secure, it's awesome! The 3 sizes that I use most are 6x6 and 6x4, the 6x7 I use for the jumbo size and big odd shaped cookies.

I try to have each cookie fit as snug as possible but sometimes I have to use a bigger bag just because of the shape of the cookie (poinsettia's, snowflakes and anything with arms and legs are good examples). In cases like this I fold the opening back over the back of the cookie and will actually trim off as much as an inch or more at the opening of the bag if there's alot of extra. I find they shrink great as long as you use the right size. The bag will only shrink up to 40% so you can't use a big bag for a small cookie it will come out bunchy, look terrible and not securely shrink around the cookie. I used over 1500 of these bags over Christmas time so I love that they come 500 per box!

Here are some basic instructions on how to use the shrink bags (keep in mind I've made probably every mistake possible using these )

1) First the bags have ALOT of static so I recommend holding the bag up to (or over) the cookie to see if it fits (may not always). If you try to jam a cookie that's too big into the bag any crumbs, loose decorations and oils from the cookie will stick to the bag (I've tossed the bags when I've made this mistake - looks awful) It is possible to, ever so gently, squeeze a cookie into a small bag. - done that too .

2) Place the cookie in the bag and fold the top over the back of the cookie.

3) Seal the bag closed with just a tiny piece of tape at either the center of the opening or (if a big ackward shaped cookie) at the biggest / longest part. i.e. I've angled my scarecrow cookies in the bag and the longest part was an arm or leg. That's the point where I've placed a small piece of tape just to keep the opening closed to help with sealing it when using the heat to shrink.

4) Turn the cookie over, decorated side down. Starting at the bottom of the bag, use a blowdryer to shrink the bag and work your way to the opening side of the bag. When I've started at the opening side, air gets trapped in the bag, it begins to shrink creating a huge bubble around the cookie. Useless at this point . Carefully press down slowly on the bag if you see that it's getting puffy and work the air out gently as you continue to shrink the bag, working it out of the last opening.

5) Turn the cookie over, decorated side up and shrink using the blowdryer.

If you see or have any bunches after shrink wrapping simple turn the cookie over, decorated side down. Use the blowdryer to heat up the bunches and work them to the backside of the cookie, flattening them out a bit as well. The texture of the bag is like plastic when completed, but if you use the heat on the bag it gets mushy to make working out any mistakes / bunches easy! This way the front of the cookie always looks great! Bunches are almost guaranteed when you use a bag that's too big.

The size I use the most is 6 x 6. I find that size fits just about every cookie I make except the small ones which 6 x 4 seems to work perfectly.

I hope this explains my process. If you have any questions let me know! I'm SO much better as showing this process than writing it

wow...great response!

What do you do with the piece of tape...remove it after they are done?
Are those the only 2 size bags you tend to use? 6x6 and 6x4? Most of my cookies are either 3 inch or 4 inch cookies...a few that are bigger.

I wonder if the company would send me a few samples...doubt it, but guess it would be worth a phone call. Even for the price...worth experimenting with, and if suck at it, wouldn't be a whole lot I guess.

I think this would be a great way to package cookies if you were putting them in a tin. Just might have to order a box to give it a try.

Thanks so much for your help.

Sorry... had another thougth/question for you.
Do you feel this extended the freshness/shelf life any of these cookies. I use the No Fail Sugar Cookie recipe. Was curious if you thought this made them fresher than just tying them in a bag.

Weighing my options...that's all.
PS. Wish you lived closer for a hands on tutorial, but think I can figure out your instructions with some trial and error.

Sometimes I remove the tape if I can get at it that is When the shrinking begins sometimes it's hard to remove it. I use such a small piece of tape that I'm the only one that's ever noticed it

The 6 x 6 bags I use the most! My cookies are the same size 3 - 4 " sometimes bigger and are generally very thick. I find the 6x6 works great and it's the size that I started with last year when I first began experimenting with shrink wrapping. After all the mistakes I now buy 6x4 and 6x7 for the smaller and larger ones and don't have to order those nearly as often as the 6x6.

Papermart customer service is very accommodating but I would think if they sent you samples they'd probably charge you an arm & a leg .

Shrinking wrapping absolutely extended the shelf life by 1 or 2 weeks at least!! I experimented by shipping them to friends first. I made some fresh, decorated and shrink wrapped them, waited and shipped them out a week later. The shipping took 3 days and when they received the cookies they said they tasted delicious and extremely fresh, loved them! They were shocked when I told them afterwards that the cookies were baked 2 weeks ago. These are people that have eaten my cookies for years. That was great!! This process really comes in handy when baking VERY large orders of 300+ cookies that have to be shipped. Shrink wrapping then putting them in cello bags really helps to maintain the freshness.

My cookies are sugar cookies and my recipe is somewhat similar to the NFSC recipe. It's a recipe that I played with over 15 yrs ago and really like it!

Believe me I made SOOO many mistakes when I first started using them. I'll be happy to answer any questions about the shrink wrapping when you get them!!! Good Luck!

This is a great thread! I have thought of shrink wrapping too, and now that I know that it extends the life of the cookie that much, I'm definitely going to purchase some of these bags!

Cookiecreations: Wow your cookies are gorgeous!!!
Thanks for all the info on shrink wrapping! If I ever get up the nerve to sell my cookies, I'll be using this method.
Thanks, Leslie

Also try www.stockpkg.com for Poly Olefin Shrink Bags. These bags are food grade.