Easy tips and ideas for baking, freezing and shipping your special
Christmas Cookies
Christmas Cookie Tips
(Baking, Freezing
and Shipping)
BAKING BASICS
Don't overmix the batter once flour has been added--that
toughens dough.
Use cookie sheets that are at least 2 inches smaller
in length and width
than your oven, so air circulates properly.
Grease cookie sheets only when the recipe calls for
it; because some cookies have a
high-fat content, greasing isn't always necessary (and definitely
not with a nonstick pan).
When greasing is required, do so lightly and evenly,
using a paper towel or crumpled wax paper.
Shape cookies to roughly the same thickness; it ensures
even baking.
Bake one cookie sheet at a time on center rack of oven,
for best results.
If baking two sheets at a time, rotate halfway through baking
for more even baking.
Check cookies at minimum baking time to avoid overbaking.
Remove cookies from sheets with a spatula as soon as
you take them out of the oven;
this, too, prevents overbaking.
Cool cookie sheets to room temperature before placing
more dough on them.
A hot cookie sheet will melt the batter.
Cool bar cookies in pan slightly before cutting to
keep them from crumbling.
THE BIG FREEZE
If you're short on time now, freeze dough for baking
later. You can even freeze baked
cookies until you're ready to mail them.
Divide dough into small sections (to allow for quicker
defrosting); freeze in a
heavy-weight plastic bag to prevent dough from absorbing freezer
odors.
Raw dough can stay up to two months in the freezer.
Defrost in refrigerator prior to baking.
Freeze drop cookies directly on cookie sheets.
Once cookies are frozen, transfer to heavy-duty zipper-lock
bags.
Cool baked cookies completely before wrapping and freezing.
To freeze baked cookies, first place in foil or plastic
wrap, then store in airtight
containers. For cushioning, use crumpled up wax paper between
cookie layers.
Cookies will last two to three months in the freezer.
SHIPPING STRATEGIES
Avoid mailing brittle cookies--chewy, soft, drop cookies,
bars, or squares will survive best.
Use a sturdy cardboard box or tin lined with impact-absorbing
wax paper or bubble wrap.
Wrap each cookie individually--or in pairs, back-to-back.
Use plastic wrap or foil.
Place heaviest cookies on the bottom; cushion each
layer with wax paper
(if cookies are well wrapped, newspaper will do).
Seal the container with tape and place in heavy-weight
box; fill in space with
crumpled newspapers, popped popcorn, or bubble wrap.
Clearly mark the package as fragile.
Give
credit where credit is due...
I got this wonderful tips page from this website: http://www.homearts.com/gh/food/12cookb2.htm
For more fun ideas, check it out!
