2021 holiday cookie box + tips
The most wonderful holiday offering: a giant box filled with treats! Welcome to the 2021 FMG Holiday Cookie Box, a square (or rectangular, or round) party house of delectable goodies themed for the season and ready to be consumed by lucky recipients.
Last year I released my inaugural 2020 cookie box, and because I’ve improved substantially at baking over the last 12 months – thanks, quarantine – this year’s excites me even more. Perhaps it’ll offer inspiration for your own sweet creation, and if you didn’t have plans to transform your kitchen counter into build-a-box workshop, maybe you’ll pencil it into the upcoming days.
The pictured box found a home with J’s run club, also known as my #1 fan club since they always receive the bulk of my baked goods even though 75% of them haven’t even met me. The layout is wonderful for groups and families, but also for an individual or couple you really adore as well. The box is not over the top, though it could be if you wish, and all the recipes are simple and accessible for all skill types. Not to mention, I’ve made all of them up and provided the how-tos, so you don’t have to do anything but warm up your oven and get your bake on.
Holiday Cookie Box Tips
The box can be as simple or complex as you wish, but these bits of advice will ensure the freshest of the bunch arrives at your recipients’ doorsteps, or directly in their hands, with little fear of the cookies being smashed or whisked away by devious mailmen. Which, I mean, if that happens, I can’t really help you there.
Step 1: Buy and assemble your box
You can opt for as thrifty as a *clean* shoe box wrapped in gift paper, or buy a sturdy offering from your choice store. Robe or t-shirt boxes are too flimsy for the job. Grab one of these for a deep square shape, which is what I used, or this trio if you have different sizes to create. Metal tins such as this precious one with a see-through lid work beautifully as well.
For the dividers, I cut up a corrugated six-slot wine carrier and used non-toxic glue to attach the strips to the base and sides of the box. Please don’t use super glue. Then, I lined each with parchment, which looks nicer than a wine advertisement and protects the cookies with an added barrier. You can also place bubble wrap beneath the parchment lining for extra padding. Cute cupcake liners work too for smaller cookies.
Step 2: Select your recipes and bake
I suggest you set aside a weekend for compiling your boxes. Baking takes time – a cookie box can be a real event! But a fun one, at that, especially because you have lots of dough to nibble on in the process. If you swing that way. Which I do.
My Cookie Box Recipes
Peppermint Bark Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Dulce de Leche Stuffed Mexican Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy Vanilla Orange Snowman Cookies
Brown Butter White Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Frosted Gingerbread Loaf with Sugared Cranberries (coming soon!)
Other great options:
Soft Double Dark Chocolate Espresso Cookies (a classic and one of J’s favorites)
Salted Bourbon Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Giant Turtle Cookies (huge winner among my coworkers)
Tips within tips:
1. Biggest, heaviest cookies on the bottom
2. Separate new layers of cookies with parchment. Fill in any spaces not occupied by cookies with additional parchment (e.g. the sides of each compartment)
3. Keep cookies refrigerated until ready to ship, especially the softer varieties like the Dulce de Leche cookies.
Step 3: Acquire cute ribbon and adornments
You can wrap up some of the cookies and help secure the box further with some nice ribbon. I used this red and white twine and a striped ribbon that doesn’t seem available anymore, but this one is similar.
Mini candy canes or little chocolate candies also fill in gaps nicely and give raging sweet tooths another munch to enjoy.
Step 4: Package the cookie box
Fit a slab of bubble wrap over the cookies and set the lid on the box. Tie with choice ribbon or twine. Grab a sturdy shipping box that fits the cookie box or tin with just a tiny bit of wiggle room. Fill the areas around and atop with packing peanuts or bubble wrap. Make sure that box is really snuggly buggly. Tape the flaps securely, attach the shipment label, and scribble FRAGILE on every crevice available. If the postmasters don’t get the hint from the writing on the box wall, they should be fired.
Step 5: Ship the box
Everyone has their favorite carrier, so choose yours, between Fedex, USPS, UPS, whatever. Get tracking on the package if possible. If you’re merely driving the box to a select location yourself, you might be able to skip step 4 entirely and just make sure the cookie box is securely fastened in your vehicle. I’d still package it, though, if it were me. If you can, buckle it in the passenger seat. Seriously. I do that with my plants whenever I transport them to mom’s before a getaway and it saves a HUGE mess every time.
Do not drop in it a drop box for fuck’s sake.
Funny enough, my favorite cookie of the selected bunch isn’t even a cookie, it’s that gingerbread loaf peeking out of the top left. I was delighted by how beautifully it cooked and even more delectable it tasted. I saved half of it for us after packing up the gift box. I couldn’t not enjoy a slice or two in the upcoming days with a batch of coffee, especially yesterday when I was holed up with booster symptoms and didn’t want to leave the couch.
That’s what I’ve got for you, kids. Any additional tips? Share them with me! I’m always a learning woman and would love to hear what on your checklist gets ticked off when making a cookie box.
Tried any of the recipes out, or assembled a box of your own? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me your slew of Christmasy creativity!
Check out the FMG 2021 gift guide series!
