Christmas Cookies... When Do You Start Baking? Question And Vent...

[AKL_Megs]

How early do YOU start your Christmas Cookies?

I swear, with my MIL, it's like two steps forward and three steps back.

We WERE making progress with our relationship, and there she goes again with the criticism...

A bunch of my friends were baking today, so we've been posting pictures on Facebook as we baked. It's been fun to see the different cookies!

Well, MIL has to comment that my cookies will "never stay fresh until Christmas."

Funny... I've been making them for about 10 years the week before, and she's always loved them. I have a feeling she won't touch them this year! Oh well, more for us!

So, who else has started baking?

 

[castmemberb4]

We start Saturday and we're behind !
Should have shipped some to CA by now.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Tell her that Santa doesn't care. He eats any cookie.


Properly stored cookies will keep, provided they are cookies meant to keep. You can freeze them or whatever.

And if she won't eat them...MORE FOR YOU!!!!

I bought cookie dough, so we will bake and decorate as needed.

Had thoughts of shipping cookies, but it is our transitional year and we are still adjusting to routines and such. I just can't send cookies that I technically bought in the store.

 

[Pigeon]

I freeze mine. I started about a week ago. I can just pull out the ones I need to make up plates throughout the holidays.

 

[crazelion]

I bake 5 dozens cookies today. I don't have one cookie to show for it. I guess keeping 10 kids today because school is out.

I will try again tomorrow. I hope they last more than day.

I am bringing cookies to family dinner next week and I not sure between the 3 kids and my mom that they will last.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I was going to do some today because the kids were out of school, but I was completely out of sugar DH came home early from work in the snow and icy roads and I made him stop and get me some! School canceled again tomorrow so we can work on them then.

 

[NAB]

I usually start mine two weeks before. They keep well up and pass Christmas.

Keep them in air tight containers. I have been taking assorted cookie trays to different event the last week . Then take most of them I home for Christmas for my family. They love them.

 

[goodeats]

I've learned to ignore all posts/comments on Facebook from 'older' people. They just don't get how to be TIC or understand other people are being sarcastic. Maybe she was joking and she couldn't pull it off on Facebook?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't care about when I bake cookies in relation to Christmas. If someone were to comment on it, I would think they are silly and ignore it.

I don't if I am baking ANY cookies this year. I might buy them. Or if I can get my dd's to help, then I will make them.

 

[maslex]

Seriously, this year for Thanksgiving was the first year EVER that I've ever made my cookies ahead of time and froze them.

I always make them the day of or the earliest, the night before. This year will be no different. Since I have the whole day of Christmas Eve off, I will probably get my stuff done during the day. And whatever I make, will go to my brothers that night and then to my SIL's the next day.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have making for 2 days and still not done. You can send cookies my way I will eat just about anything.

 

[BroganMc]

I baked some sugar cookies Thanksgiving weekend when the kids helped me put up the train garden. That batch didn't survive through Sunday. Kids ate them as soon as they came out of the oven.

I plan to make more this weekend. Chocolate chip and sugar cookies on the menu. I'd love to do the stained glass cookies my sister plans but it'll probably be beyond me. (She has the advantage of 2 boys who will have fun whacking jolly ranchers to crumbs for the ingredients.) And I have the neighbors coming over to see the train garden.

Cookies don't go stale in a week. That's just crazy talk.

Unfortunately one of the problems with the internet is that it is much easier for those annoying people in your life to get their licks in. This is why I am very selective on how I use Facebook or who I friend. Ignore it and enjoy.

 

[Bonnie151]

I'll be baking tomorrow. I always do everything (tree/decorations/baking etc) one week before Christmas. If I do it any earlier, Christmas still seems too far away!

 

[lisajl]

I baked some sugar cookies Thanksgiving weekend when the kids helped me put up the train garden. That batch didn't survive through Sunday. Kids ate them as soon as they came out of the oven.


QUOTE]


This is how it is at my house! LOL!!

 

[lovesmurfs]

I made some pb blossoms last week -- in a tin (far away from kids' hands...) and I'm going to make some other kinds through the weekend. I've never had a problem with cookies going stale when I keep them in tins with waxed paper. Tell DMIL to pound sand.

 

[RitaE]

I suppose if there was actually a chance of a cooking lasting in this house of over a week I might worry about it going stale before Christmas.

But that is clearly not an issue we face.

 

[princesshannahsmom]

We are starting tomorrow. I work and even though I have Christmas Eve off, I would be up until the next day baking cookies if I waited until then!! My list of cookies and treats is LONG!

Butterscotch Brownies,English Toffee Squares, Fantasy Fudge, Peanut Butter Fudge, Butternut Balls, Ornament Cookies (fun and yummy!), Norwegian Wreath Cookies (again, fun and yummy, but a pain to make!), Stained Glass Cookies, Cherry Thumbprints, Butterscotch Haystacks, Good ole chocolate chip cookies, Peanut Butter cookies, Chocolate and White Chocolate dipped pretzels, Chocolate and White Chocolate dipped Pringles, Red Velvet Cookies
Danish Wedding Cookies (I guess not really a Christmas cookie, but gramma loves em!).

We will fill the tins and wrap them in wax paper. They will be fine for Christmas. Stale by Christmas? That is just silly talk!

ETA: I am not a crazy baking maniac EVER, EXCEPT for Christmas. That list is long, but I DO NOT bake during the year, so we go all out at Christmas!

 

[mickeyboat]

This is OT - but you guys just reminded me of my grandmother sending Christmas cookies every year. She had a beautiful silver cookie tray which I have in my home now. I need to make some cookies this weekend.

 

[okeydokey]

If you keep them in a tight container they will be fine. Ignore MIL, why invite the drama into your life. Let her think what she wants.

 

[C.Ann]

DGD and I will be baking tomorrow - late for us!!

When I used to bake hundreds and hundreds of cookies (literally - family & friends requested tins full every year, as did all of the employees where my late DH worked), I started on December 1st and baked for 3 weeks straight.. All of the cookies were stored in tin containers (with Saran wrap placed on top - before the lid) and stored in a bedroom in our house that was very cold.. Not once was there ever a "stale" cookie..

I had a friend that went by the same schedule I did - and baked just as much as I did.. She stored hers in a similar fashion - out on her enclosed front porch that had no heat.. Again - never a stale cookie..

Actually none of our cookies started tasting a tad less fresh until New Year's Day.. It's all in knowing how to store them..

My mom always started her baking the day after Thanksgiving.. No stale cookies then either..

Keep them sealed tight - somewhere as cool (or cold) as possible and they'll be fine.. Promise..

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When the time comes for your MIL to "taste" one of your cookies and remarks that it tastes "stale", look very, very shocked and confused and say, "That's odd - this is the new batch I made yesterday..

Does she think the packages of cookies she purchases in the store were freshly made an hour before they were placed on the shelves??