Julia M. Usher posted:I don't sell anymore either, but when I did (ha! I'm sounding a lot like @Aproned Artist, aren't I?), I would bake as close to delivery as possible, while allowing enough time to decorate on the tail end. I typically would try to make the entire process take no longer than a few days, and would enlist help (one of my employees) on the decorating end if I expected that part to take longer. I always made my cookie dough in advance, froze it, and then baked it off to order. Still do.
@SugarDotCookies also has an online course about planning your baking and decorating, I believe, so you might check that out. She might also have some quick tips to share here.
Thank you Julia! I do have an ebook/class all about the steps involved in my dough process. Basically - I bake on Mondays then decorate Tues, Wed, and Thurs for weekend orders. Whatever I decorate, I finish that day and bag up the next. My dehydrator is what allows me to always finish what I start the same day. Hope that helps. 