How to Make a Christmas Cookie Box

This is a little bit different than my usual blog posts, but I'm excited to share with you this how-to guide on putting together a cookie box, or boxes for your loved ones this Christmas! We'll be using the cookies from this year's "12 Days of Christmas Cookies" and I look forward to doing this annually for you all!

In this post I talk about:

Choosing what cookies to make
Planning a baking day
Choosing what cookie box to use
Assembling a cookie box
Shipping a cookie box

I give different options for making a cookie box to gift to someone local to you, and for shipping to someone far away. I hope these tips are helpful and encourage you to make your own cookie box(es) for your friends and family this year!

How to Put the Box(es) Together

1. Pick Your Cookie Recipes

See a list of different cookie photos at the end of this blog post for some inspiration!

My 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Include:

If you're shipping your cookie box, I would suggest sticking with cookies that will hold up well through the process. I would count out the gingerbread whoopie pies, gingerbread cheesecake cookies and Oreo cheesecake cookies for sure. I'm afraid they may not ship as well, especially if you're in a warm climate like me in Florida hehe!

2. Plan A Baking Day

Making all these cookies will take a lot of time! (Especially if you're planning on decorating sugar and gingerbread cookies.) You'll want to give yourself a few days to make everything. I think it's realistic to plan to make 4-6 different kinds of cookies in a weekend or two day time frame. Anything more and it may get a little stressful.

Most of the cookies in this blog post, with the exception of the whoopie pies, will be completely fine for 1-2 days in an airtight container while working on other cookies. (All the cookies, except the whoopie pies, will stay fresh around 4 days in an airtight container, but you'll want to make sure you include a day for shipping and then some time for the people receiving the box to enjoy the cookies while they're still fresh.) So, I would suggest making the cookies and then shipping them as soon as possible.

You can also store some in the freezer while making the others, and then let them thaw before packaging up. I would say the longest you'd want to leave the cookies in the freezer for maximum freshness is 3-4 days. If you do plan to freeze some while making the others I suggest storing the cookies in an airtight plastic baggie as soon as they are cooled, then popping them directly into the freezer.

3. Choose Your Box

Once you've chosen the cookies you want to make and have a baking plan it's time to choose a box to put them in!

If you're gifting the box to someone locally you can use a box similar to the one shown here. I found mine at Target for $5! It makes for a really pretty presentation and after a few cookies are eaten from it, your receiver can simply wrap it up with plastic wrap! You can also use metal cookie tins with lids they sell at many stores during the holiday season.

If you're planning to overnight ship a cookie box to a loved one, I would use a sturdy cardboard box with a lid like these or a cookie tin.

4. Assembling the Box

Depending on how you will gift/use your box will determine how I would suggest assembling it. These photos are really just for show and do not reflect how I would actually put a box together to overnight ship. However, if you're just putting a cookie box together for a Christmas party or to gift to someone locally, as previously stated, you can totally assemble it like pictured!

To Gift Locally:

Group cookies of the same sort together
Lay some cookies on their sides and stack others together
Use ribbon to tie some together to make it look extra cute!
Diversify the box by putting small cookies next to big cookies and chocolate cookies next to gingerbread or sugar cookies etc.
Include other Christmas treats like candy canes and chocolate to make the box look even cuter

To Overnight Ship:

Group cookies of the same sort together
Choose cellophane baggies like these to wrap each cookie group in I like to then tie decorative Christmas ribbon around each baggie to make it look more festive.
Use the provided zip ties to securely close each bag, then tie different kinds of Christmas ribbon around each to make it look more festive
Place the wrapped cookies in the box and use tissue paper to "pad" any open spaces to prevent the cookies from breaking
Close the box and secure it with tape. Wrap a wide ribbon around the box to make it look extra Christmasy
Include a hand written card on the side for an extra special holiday touch

5. Shipping Your Box

Once you have your box all ready to go with the cookies wrapped up tightly in their baggies for maximum freshness and lid secured, you're ready to ship! Place your cookie box in a larger cardboard box filled with tissue paper, packing peanuts or bubble wrap. Add in your card if sending one. Tape up the box and label it as fragile so that they get shipped as nicely as possible. You've spent so much time making these cookies, you want to ensure they get to your loved ones completely in tact! Now you're ready to ship! I would definitely encourage overnight shipping your cookies so they are still totally fresh when your loved one receives them!

I hope this guide was helpful. These are all the tips I can think of that I would personally do to put together a cookie box to gift to someone! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas full of love and cookies!

Cookies to Include in Your Cookie Box

Here are a list of Christmas Cookies to inspire you!

Brownie Cookies

Chewy, chocolatey brownie cookies with crinkly, shiny tops, gooey centers and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Find the recipe here.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Extra chewy gingerbread cutout cookies have soft centers, are full of warm Christmas spices and are decorated super cute! Find the recipe here.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These double chocolate peppermint cookies are full dark chocolate and peppermint flavor, with chewy centers and melty chocolate chips in each bite. Find the recipe here.

Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies

Sweet and salty Christmas cookies filled with pretzel and potato chip pieces, M&M's, white chocolate chips and sprinkles! These are sure to be a hit this holiday season! Find the recipe here.

Red Velvet Cookies

These red velvet cookies are chewy with a slight hint of cocoa and pools of melty white chocolate chunks. Find the recipe here.

Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies

These are chewy gingerbread cookies, stuffed with a creamy cheesecake filling and rolled in spiced sugar. They're the perfect Christmas treat and every gingerbread lover will adore them! Find the recipe here.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate thumbprint cookies are rich and chewy dark chocolate cookies with velvety smooth chocolate ganache centers. Find the recipe here.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

These are dark chocolate cookies, stuffed with creamy Oreo cheesecake filling and rolled in sugar. They're super decadent cookies and every Oreo lover will adore them! Find the full recipe here.

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Soft, buttery, chewy, melt in your mouth, cut-out sugar cookies decorated with simple icing. A true classic. Find the recipe here.

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

Fudgy and chewy dark chocolate cookies with white chocolate peppermint Hershey Kiss centers! Find the recipe here.

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Gingerbread whoopie pies are soft and fluffy gingerbread cookies, full of warm Christmas spices and are filled with luscious cream cheese frosting. Find the recipe here.

Spritz Cookies

Easy, classic, buttery, melt in your mouth spritz cookies with simple sprinkle decoration. Find the recipe here.

Peppermint Bark Christmas Crack

Buttery toffee covered crackers, topped with a layer of dark chocolate and peppermint white chocolate, sprinkled with crushed candy canes. Find the recipe here.

Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Soft, chewy and buttery peppermint sugar cookies dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. Find the recipe here.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

These are the best chewy peanut butter cookies! They're super easy to make, with extra chewy centers, lots of peanut butter flavor, crispy edges and the perfect "bite". Find the recipe here.

If you end up using these ideas to put together cookie boxes please tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Comments

Cynthia Carbajal

January 25, 2023 at 5:36 pm

Hi Ginny,
I was wondering if you would be so kind to share, how much would you sell your Christmas box of variety cookies for? Approximately?
I am contemplating, maybe doing something like that for next Christmas, but not sure if it would be profitable.
Thanks for your input.
Cindy