DIY Holiday Cookie Trays: Creative Gifting Ideas with American Greetings & Target
The holiday season brings with it a special kind of magic, and for many, that magic is synonymous with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked cookies. Gifting homemade holiday treats to neighbors, friends, and family is a cherished tradition, a simple yet profound way to spread cheer and show appreciation. While the cookies themselves are undoubtedly the stars of the show, their presentation plays a crucial role in making that gift truly unforgettable. This year, let’s transform ordinary cookie platters into extraordinary expressions of festive joy with these fun, easy, and incredibly creative DIY cookie tray ideas!
This post has been sponsored by American Greetings. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When it comes to holiday baking, I approach it with serious dedication. Each year, my kitchen becomes a bustling cookie factory, producing hundreds of delicious treats destined for grateful recipients. In the past, I confess, my cookie trays were rather uninspired – functional paper plates haphazardly wrapped in plastic. But this year, I vowed to elevate my cookie gifting game. I’m thrilled to share three incredibly easy and charming cookie tray ideas that utilize just a few simple materials, all conveniently found at my favorite one-stop shop: Target!
What You Need to Make These Festive Cookie Trays
Creating these delightful cookie trays is surprisingly simple. Here’s a breakdown of the essential items you’ll need, most of which you can easily gather during a single trip to Target:
- Plastic/Paper Plates: Forget the flimsy options! I highly recommend opting for sturdy plastic or high-quality paper plates. I discovered some adorable, durable plastic plates in Target’s dinnerware section for just a few dollars each. These are perfect for gifting because recipients don’t have to worry about returning your fancy serving dishes, making the gift entirely hassle-free for them. Look for festive colors or subtle holiday patterns to add an extra touch of cheer.
- Greeting Cards: The card aisle at Target is a treasure trove of beautifully designed holiday cards from American Greetings. Their diverse collection ensures you’ll find options that perfectly match your style, from classic and elegant to modern and whimsical. For gifting multiple trays, consider their holiday boxed card sets found in the Christmas section, which often offer a better value than purchasing individual cards. For the free printables, cards around 5.5 x 7.5 inches work best – a common size you’ll find in Target’s selection. These cards serve as the base for our personalized, character-themed messages.
- Printable Envelope Attachments (download here): These fantastic free printables are the secret to transforming plain, solid-colored envelopes into charming holiday characters. They add an incredible amount of personality and visual appeal to your typical cookie trays, making them truly stand out.
- Tools: You’ll also need some basic crafting tools: Saran Wrap (or other plastic food wrap) to keep your cookies fresh, clear Tape for securing elements, and sharp Scissors or an Exacto Knife for precise cutting of the printables.
How to Assemble these Easy and Charming Cookie Trays
Now that you have all your materials, let’s dive into the fun part: assembling these adorable and personalized cookie trays. The process is straightforward and can even be a delightful activity to do with family members of all ages!
Step 1: Print Your Festive Templates
Using your home printer, print out the festive Christmas printables onto quality cardstock. I highly recommend using this specific cardstock because its weight and finish give the cut-outs a professional and durable feel. Make sure your printer settings are adjusted for cardstock to ensure the best color saturation and crisp lines.
Step 2: Precisely Cut Out the Shapes
Carefully use sharp scissors or an Exacto knife to cut out each of the character shapes from your printed cardstock. An Exacto knife can be particularly helpful for smaller details, ensuring clean edges. Take your time with this step, as precise cutting makes a big difference in the final look of your decorated envelopes. Once cut, set these adorable pieces aside for decorating.
Step 3: Personalize Your Note & Seal the Envelope
This is where the true heart of your gift comes to life! Take a moment to personalize each American Greetings card with a heartfelt note. Whether it’s a simple holiday greeting, a message of gratitude, or a shared memory, a handwritten note adds immense value and personal touch to your gift. I genuinely appreciate the bright and modern vibe of American Greetings cards at Target; as a designer, I always seek out well-designed options. Seriously, how cute is a holiday donut card with actual 3-D SPRINKLES?! And the red cards, a personal favorite, even boast subtle glitter accents (though hard to capture in photos), making them even more joyful and bright. Target consistently delivers, for the umpteenth time!
Once your message is penned, carefully slip the card into its corresponding envelope and seal it. This secures your heartfelt message, ready for its festive transformation.
Step 4: Decorate Envelopes with Charming Character Cut-Outs
Now for the really fun part – bringing your envelopes to life! With your envelopes sealed and printables cut, it’s time to transform them into festive characters. Simply use double-sided tape or a glue stick to attach the faces, mittens, and feet to each envelope. Get creative with placement to give each character its unique personality. For example, you can have a cheerful snowman, a jolly Mrs. Claus, or a playful reindeer peeking out. Then, use a marker to add the recipient’s name or your “from” name to the front of the envelope, tying it all together beautifully.
It’s hard to pick a favorite among these little characters; each one has so much charm! I’m particularly fond of the wannabe-elf snowman, playfully picketing the North Pole – it adds a touch of whimsical humor. However, I must admit, Mrs. Claus probably knows her way around a cookie kitchen better than anyone, so I’d definitely take her cookies over a reindeer’s any day!
Step 5: Elegantly Wrap Your Cookie Plate and Attach the Card
With your charming cards and envelopes customized, it’s time to bring everything together. Arrange your freshly baked cookies neatly on your chosen plastic or paper plate. Once arranged, carefully wrap each plate tightly in plastic wrap to ensure the cookies stay fresh and delicious. This also helps prevent any cookies from shifting during transport. Finally, use a piece of tape (double-sided works wonderfully for a seamless look) to attach the decorated card on top of the wrapped cookie plate. This makes the personalized message and festive character the first thing your recipient sees, adding an immediate touch of holiday cheer.
Expert Cookie Tray Tips for a Perfect Presentation
Beyond the festive packaging, a few simple tricks can elevate your cookie trays from good to absolutely glorious. These tips will help ensure your cookies are not only beautifully presented but also perfectly enjoyed:
- Think Small for More Variety: One of my favorite tricks for making cookie trays is to bake cookies slightly smaller than you typically would. I always use a one-tablespoon sized cookie scoop. This not only allows you to yield more cookies from each batch, but the bite-size portions also encourage people to try all the different kinds without feeling overwhelmed or guilty. Plus, who wants to be the “animal” that puts a half-eaten cookie back on the tray? (LOL!)
- Choose Durable Cookies: When selecting recipes, consider cookies that hold up well to handling and don’t crumble too easily. This ensures they look as good when they arrive as they did when they left your kitchen.
- Mind the Frosting: If you’re including frosted cookies, make sure the frosting fully sets and hardens before packaging. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a messy tray of smeared icing, which detracts from the visual appeal.
- Arrange for Visual Appeal: Don’t just pile cookies on! Arrange them thoughtfully, mixing different shapes, sizes, and colors for an inviting display. You can stack them slightly or create small clusters.
- Consider Dietary Restrictions: If you know your recipient has allergies or dietary preferences, it’s thoughtful to include a small, discreet label listing ingredients or indicating if certain cookies are nut-free, gluten-free, etc.
- Secure for Transport: If you’re traveling with your cookie trays, ensure they are securely placed in a box or bag to prevent shifting and damage.
My Favorite Cookie Tray Recipes for Holiday Gifting
To fill your beautifully packaged trays, you’ll need some truly delicious cookies! Here are some of my go-to recipes that are consistently crowd-pleasers and perfect for holiday gifting:
- Perfect Cut Out Sugar Cookies: These are a holiday staple for a reason! They’re incredibly versatile and can be decorated to match any theme. Whether you use homemade royal icing or a good quality canned frosting, the key is to ensure it sets or hardens completely. This prevents smearing and keeps your cookies looking pristine on the tray. I often use a simple snowflake cookie cutter for elegant, easy snowflakes. Their firm texture makes them ideal for stacking and transport.
- Chocolate Brownie Cookies: Unlike the more traditional powdered sugar cookies that often include coconut, these brownie cookies are a guaranteed hit with kids and adults alike! They’re delightfully chewy, intensely chocolatey, and incredibly easy to make. Kids especially love helping to roll the balls in powdered sugar before baking. Their rich flavor provides a wonderful contrast to lighter sugar cookies on a diverse tray.
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies: These are another beloved favorite in our household and are usually the first to vanish from any cookie tray! The combination of soft peanut butter cookie and a melty chocolate peanut butter cup is simply irresistible. For added variety and visual interest, try using a mix of regular and white chocolate peanut butter cups in your batches.
- How to Make The Perfect (Soft) Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Brownie Cookies using Bisquick
- Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Isn’t this a fun and rewarding project? As I mentioned earlier, one of my favorite aspects of these DIY cookie trays is the incredible convenience: you can literally pick up every single supply you need at Target. Then, it’s just a matter of baking your delicious treats and assembling these charming gifts! Get the kids involved in the process – older children can certainly help with cutting out the printables, and younger ones can help write simple messages or place cookies on the trays. No matter how perfectly (or imperfectly!) your homemade cookies turn out, you can guarantee that the thoughtful, personalized, and festive packaging will make up for it and leave a lasting impression.
When you’re out shopping for your holiday cards this year, be sure to take a moment to explore the wonderful and festive options offered by American Greetings at Target. Their beautiful designs and quality cards are the perfect starting point for making your holiday gifts truly special.