Baking cookies ahead of time - advice?

Marzipan13

I'm baking German gingerbread heart cookies (Lebkuchenherzen) for our favors w/ boxed mix & royal icing - how far ahead of time should I bake these (400), and how long can I store them?  I expect to freeze them, but wasn't sure how long gingerbread cookies will keep.  Our wedding is in mid-September!

Any avid bakers have any ideas, especially for storing gingerbread cookies?

Thank you!!

emmyg65

You can generally bake something like that at least two months in advance if you wrap it well before you freeze it, but you might want to test a batch just to be sure. 

More info here: http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2012/05/yes-you-can-freeze-decorated.html

ohannabelle

Don't believe the internet when it tells you royal icing can't be frozen. You can. Just make absolutely sure that no moisture can get in, and thaw it at room temperature. Gingerbread is sturdy, and freezes beautifully.

Be sure your royal icing has set up completely, so you don't have breakage on the details.

Package cookies for freezing in individual ziplock bags, then in a sturdy plastic container. (If they 're super detailed, lay paper towels or tissue between to avoid crushing. Then (because I'm paranoid of freezer taste) I wrap the actual container in layers of Saran Wrap. This also discourages random cookie thievery. 

It's probably overkill, but better safe than stale.

I can personally answer for two months of freezing, and they still taste great. No cookie has ever gone undiscovered for longer than that, in our house.

(I'm on a cookie bender this week. Wilton has the cutest wedding cake and wedding dress shaped cookie cutters ever. Dying of adorable, and sugar.)

[Deleted User]

I love what you are doing for favors. I wish I would have thought of that. It would have been another great way to bring in my german family. We did a dual language ceremony to accomodate my non english speaking german guests.

Marzipan13

@Erikan73  - Thank you!!  FI & I are going to Oktoberfest for our honeymoon, so we thought Lebkuchenherzen would be appropriate   (We traveled to Munich with mutual friends back in 2011, and have loved the place ever since - never had the chance to go to Oktoberfest though!)


Thank you, everyone, for your advice!  I'll be baking them later this month!

[Deleted User]

OMG....so jealous of your honeymoon plans. Have fun!!!