Homemade cookies packaged in novelty cookie jars make great presents for any occasion. Once the edible contents are all eaten up, the cookie jar can still be kept or used by the recipient. It’s like sending two gifts in one package!
However, sending a cookie jar filled with treats to loved ones from afar can look intimidating for some. Cookies are fragile items that can break or go bad easily if not properly handled. The cookie jar, which can be made from breakable materials like glass, ceramic and even plastic should also be packaged properly to protect it from the rough shipping environment. Here are some helpful tips on how to properly pack and ship cookies in a cookie jar.
Only ship cookies that are known to have a long shelf life such as shortbread, ginger snaps, peanut butter, raisin-oatmeal, and sugar cookies. They are also not as fragile as other cookies that can crumble when exposed to vibrations, falls and bumps during transit. Do not ship cookies with custard or cream fillings as these require refrigeration. Cookies with chocolate chips are also not recommended because the chips tend to melt.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before packing them to avoid condensation which encourages the growth of bacteria and shortens their shelf life.
Pack them neatly inside a cookie jar that has an air-tight lid. Fill the jar with cookies such that there is no space left for the baked goods to move around. Crumpled parchment paper can be used to fill up the jar. Place the lid on and make sure that it will not pop open.
Wrap the entire cookie jar generously with bubble wrap secured with packaging tape to prevent it from unfurling. Place the cookie jar in a sturdy cardboard shipping box with at least two inches of packing peanuts on the bottom.
Fill the sides of the box with more packing peanuts, keeping the jar in the center. The box should be well-packed up to the top of the cookie jar. The jar should not shift or move when the box is closed and shaken.
Seal the box with packaging tape, ensuring that all seams and openings are reinforced with packaging tape. Address and label the package and take to your local post office or shipping company. Choose the fastest option possible so that the cookies remain fresh.