Today is the day! I am finally sharing my 2020 Holiday Cookie Box with you guys. And while some of the cookies are tried and true favorites, there are also some new ones too! And you know? I’ve loved all my previous cookie boxes (see my boxes from 2017, 2018, and 2019). But this year’s box might just be my favorite. For the last three years I’ve done a square Christmas cookie box, but this year I switched it up with a slightly larger rectangular box and I could not love this box more! Why the switch up? Well, I’ve actually always wanted to do a large rectangular box but just never found the right one. This December I had the perfect box and figured if there was ever a year to make “my ultimate dream” cookie box, it’s this year. 2020 has been an interesting one, to say the least. So I feel like ending the year on an extra sweet note is the only way to do it up right! And to that point, this year especially, a cookie box feels like the perfect gift. I know many of you are celebrating the holidays a little differently, hosting smaller crowds, and staying home instead of traveling. If you aren’t able to see friends and family this holiday season, shipping them a cookie box, or dropping a box off at their doorstep, is the sweetest way to let them know you’re thinking of them this season. Trust me! This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions that I do every single year. I love setting aside a day just for baking cookies. The last couple of years I’ve gotten Asher involved as well. Together we bake away all day, it’s the best. We’ll usually spend one day in the kitchen baking, then another day packaging them up at night to be delivered or shipped the following day. It definitely takes some time and effort, but we really love putting these boxes together. It’s always so much fun! With that, let’s jump right in and talk about all the steps you’ll need to take to create the perfect box. I’ve learned a few tips and tricks over the years!
Step One: choose your cookies
When choosing your cookies, be sure to pick cookies, and or other desserts, that will hold up well in shipping. I like to choose cookies that are of different shapes and sizes. I find it’s nice to have a little variety in the box, so I’ll normally bake anywhere from four to six different cookies and then divide them between boxes. For this year’s box, I expanded a bit and baked up eight different cookies. Again, I figured it’s 2020…anything goes…and when it comes to Christmas sweets, the more the merrier! With that said, my box is large and you all will most likely be using smaller boxes, like the boxes we created with Etsy. If that is the case, just stick to four to six of your favorite cookies.
Here are the cookies used in my 2020 Holiday Cookie Box:
Salted Caramel Pretzel Snickerdoodles
Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Blondies (oldie but goodie HBH recipe)
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Crinkly Caramel Stuffed Brownie Cookies
The Santa Clause Cookies
Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies
Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars
Slice n’ Bake Salted Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookies
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies
Other Cookies That would be Great too!
Holly Jolly Santa Cookies Creamy Lemon Bars (leave the raspberries off) Vanilla Ginger Wreath Cookies Chocolate Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies Chai Gingerbread Cookies
Step two: Get a sturdy box
If you’re looking to order a box, I LOVE the cookie boxes we created with Etsy. They’re just the perfect size gifting and will fit four to six different cookies. These boxes are great for dropping off to neighbors and gifting to family and friends in town. If you plan to ship your box, I’d recommend putting the cookie box inside a sturdier box with bubble wrap or packing paper to secure the box and ensure none of your cookies get banged around during shipping.
(above is our Etsy collab box all filled up!) Alternately, you can use cookie tins as well. I love these festive square tins or these more classic round tins. Or, if you want to just ship just one cookie, give this Scalloped Treasure Cookie Box a try. It would be perfect for a batch of Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies. Tip: place bubble wrap in the bottom of your box. Then line the box with a very large piece of plastic wrap (use multiple layers if needed). Be sure to use a piece that is large enough to wrap overtop of the cookies when the box is full. This keeps the cookies safe and fresh.
Step Three: gather cute packaging and ribbon
I try to find festive plastic wrapping, food-safe tissue paper, and or ribbon, to wrap around my cookies. This gives your box that extra special touch. Tip: I always wrap cookies that I want to stay extra fresh in holiday ziplock storage bags and then add them to the box. If you want to use something a little cuter than storage bags or plastic wrap, try using holiday cellophane bags that can be sealed with ribbon, small holiday cookie tins or boxes, or food containers that will fit inside your box.
Step four: when to bake your cookies
As I mentioned above, I like to bake and decorate the cookies in the morning. Then I let them chill and package them up later that afternoon or at night. This way they are all ready to ship in the morning. Have fun and make a day of this with your girlfriends, kids, siblings, really anyone who loves to bake and listen to Christmas music!
Step five: package everything up
Packing up your boxes is probably one of the trickiest steps of sending out holiday cookie boxes. You’ll want to make sure that all the time you spent making cookies wasn’t wasted. First, you should know that these photos are a bit misleading. They do not represent how I would actually ship my box. My goal is to show off the cookies, but here are my best tips for actually packaging up the cookies and shipping out your boxes…
Step six: ship your box
I ship via UPS or Fed-Ex, I’ve found them to be pretty reliable. Ship your cookies via two-day air because it’s important to get your cookies to their recipient as soon as possible. My biggest tip? If possible, avoid the post office, in my experience, that does not end well.
And that’s all I have for you!! These are my best tips and tricks that I’ve learned throughout my past years of creating cookie boxes. Hoping this year’s 2020 Holiday Cookie Box inspires you all to make your own. It’s truly the best gift you can give…who doesn’t love cookies?! Question: What are all of you baking up this holiday season? What are your BEST tips in creating cookie boxes? I’d love to hear how you guys do it!
If you make your own 2020 Holiday Cookie Box, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
