Cookie Favors--Am I crazy?

allikl62

I have been planning on making cookies for favors for a while.  Both FI and I love cookies, and I definitely want to do something edible.  But now I'm starting to wonder if it is going to be too much work.

We are estimating that we'll have about 200 guests.  My plan was to do sugar cookies and frost them in our colors, then put them in those clear plastic bags and seal with a sticky address label.  Maybe add a ribbon depending on time.  I debated doing them ahead of time and freezing them, but really I don't have much freezer storage and I'm worried about taste.  I feel like taking a day to make these the week of the wedding won't be too awful...especially since my mom and sisters have agreed to help out.  I'm trying to get as much done as possible before hand like the escort cards, seating chart, etc so I don't have as much to do that week.  Am I setting myself up to be stressed out about this or do you think I'll be fine?  Any time saving tips/suggestions?

abbeylynne06

I would suggest making them ahead of time and freezing them.  I know you said you don't have much freezer space... do you have friends or family who could take a few boxes of them to keep for you? 

Stuff comes up during wedding week that needs to get done... plus, I know that for me, by the time the week before the wedding came around, I was done.  I just didn't care if any of those little details got done or not.  If it's something you really want to do, I'd suggest doing as much as you possibly can ahead of time.  Or else you might end up scrapping it due to lack of motivation (if you're anything like me).

DaughterOfHelaman2709

If you have someone with a vacuum sealer, that can help retain freshness, but honestly, taste isn't all that affected with the freezing process.  I would most definitely do them ahead of time because you aren't going to want to do them the week of the wedding. 

cmkuno

I think you could do it!  I agree with you that I'd be worried about taste if you freeze them.  However, I have heard you can make up the dough in advance and freeze or refrigerate it, so that could help cut down on some time.  

I might do a test batch to see (a) how many cookies the recipe yields, so you know how much dough to make up, and (b) you can determine exactly how long they stay good for after they're baked.  Doing that should help you plan and decide whether making 200 cookies is even feasible.  

Have you priced out what it would cost to get them from a bakery?  That might also help you decide if the savings is worth the time investment and stress.  

If you decide to do it, just make sure you're organized and get everything else done in advance.  I feel like most brides (even the procrastinating ones like me) don't have too much left to do by the week before the wedding.  Little things will come up, but I don't think devoting one day to making cookies is going to be a big problem.

culbycheese

I wouldn't frost them before you freeze them, but it can certainly be done....

We ended up buying our sugar cookies because I didn't want to deal with them- quite frankly, it was enough of a hassle just bagging them and putting a ribbon on- and I just tied it in a knot and let the ends dangle! lol

We got 13 dozen cookies for $170- not cheap, but worth it to not have to stand and ice 170 cookies and all that.

Maybe you could check around to bakeries and see if they have any deals on bulk purchases. We got our cookies at Christine's, and their price for a dozen was actually 13 cookies.

cwimer6154

You can definitely make the dough ahead of time and freeze it but I agree with PP, I wouldn't frost then freeze them.  I am having a cookie buffet for favors too but I asked my family and FI's family if they would be so kind to make them for me and thankfully they all agreed!  Some of them are making them fresh and some are freezing the dough early and then baking them off during the few days before the wedding so they are fresh.  I would see if you could get more people to help so they are as tasty and fresh as possible.  Good luck!

mtrapin

I did this a year ago. The weekend before the wedding (yes this sounds crazy), FI and I made all the dough on Friday, we baked all the cookies on Saturday, and a couple of awesome knottie friends came over and we iced them all that Sunday. We froze an extra 50 cookies just in case, and had a ton of extras but this is totally doable. I have pictures, the guests LOVED the cookies. One friend still talks about how she went around at the end of the night and scooped up the ones left behind. GL HTH.

Sue-n-Kevin

It's doable. I bake a LOT at Xmas time, and decorating cookies has always been something we look forward to.

If you insist on doing it (even though I do a lot of baking, I'd probably buy them), I agree with everyone, especially about doing a sample recipe to see how many cookies you get, how delicate they are, how they freeze, and how they taste after freezing. I doubt it will have any negative effects on the cookies if you freeze them.

I also agree that you probably want to freeze them unfrosted. I've frozen flat sugar cookies in large batches, with wax paper & paper towels between the layers. Very large gift boxes, like those from Macy's, or shoe boxes,  are perfect for this.

If you are having anyone help you, you might want to have them do the baking & decorating all at one house, either yours or another friend or family member's. Ovens cook differently, and what might take 8 minutes in one oven can take 10 minutes in another. You probably want to make sure the sizes & "brown-ness" are the same. Also, depending on what colors you are using to decorate, you want them to all be the same, ie the same depth of color.

Good luck. I'll give you credit for being ambitious, LOL.

queenfm85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_cookie-favors-am-crazy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:88Discussion:cf40f503-3ad5-4864-ba82-3e39f81e901bPost:5ee5d6c8-4f20-4d08-b7de-42d9536e7290">Re: Cookie Favors--Am I crazy?</a>:
[QUOTE]I wouldn't frost them before you freeze them, but it can certainly be done.... We ended up buying our sugar cookies because I didn't want to deal with them- quite frankly, it was enough of a hassle just bagging them and putting a ribbon on- and I just tied it in a knot and let the ends dangle! lol We got 13 dozen cookies for $170- not cheap, but worth it to not have to stand and ice 170 cookies and all that. Maybe you could check around to bakeries and see if they have any deals on bulk purchases. We got our cookies at Christine's, and their price for a dozen was actually 13 cookies.
Posted by culbycheese[/QUOTE]


Yeah I think I'm going to do my cookie favors from Christine's too. Were they good? :)

megs92831

Here's an idea.  I am doing a cookie table at my reception.  I have about 8 different people making like 5 dozen cookies.  They will be all different kinds and they are going to give me a recipe for the cookie.  Then our favor will be a family cookie recipe book.  Just an idea.

culbycheeseWed160630

In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddings.com/Sites/Weddings/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_cookie-favors-am-crazy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:88Discussion:cf40f503-3ad5-4864-ba82-3e39f81e901bPost:ed09e828-0096-4ce3-a8d8-c554f773de04">Re: Cookie Favors--Am I crazy?</a>:
[QUOTE] Yeah I think I'm going to do my cookie favors from Christine's too. Were they good? :)
Posted by queenfm85[/QUOTE]

<div>They were DELICIOUS! Everyone loved them, and they turned out so cute! We got little goldfish that we had iced in teal and fuchsia to match our cake topper. We got a lot of compliments on them!</div>

LindsayTiz

I'm thinking about cookie favors too...probably some hearts and maybe an M for my new last name Still thinking it might be an insane idea for a 350 person wedding, but we will see!

allikl62

Haha...OK guys, I think I might be more conflicted than before I asked!  I guess I need to ask around and see how many people we can have that day to help.  I think it's doable if we get enough hands and have a little production line.  If I end up killing myself I'll report back to tell the rest of you not to be like me!