Last Updated on August 21, 2022
This post covers whether you can take cookies with you when you fly and the best place to pack them.
The short answer is you can pack solid cookies anywhere you like and in unlimited quantities, but cookie dough might be better packed in checked bags.
Read on to find out why.
The TSA Rules About Cookies
The airport security checkpoint in the United States is controlled by the Transportation Security Administration.
They decide what can and can’t be taken on to planes.
Here’s what they say about whether you can fly with cookies in your luggage:
So cookies are not banned from US planes and you can take cookies through airport security.
You can pack cookies in carry-on luggage or in checked luggage.
Keep in mind there is a risk that your checked luggage could be lost and baggage handlers have been known the throw luggage around which could lead to your cookies being broken.
Items also occasionally get stolen from checked luggage so if your cookies look too tasty then it’s possible they could go missing from your bag!
Overall the most sensible place to pack cookies is in your carry-on bag.
You shouldn’t need to remove your cookies or other baked goods from your suitcase during the screening process.
However, if for example, you pack homemade cookies in a metal tin then it might be a good idea to remove the tin from your bag and place it in a separate bin.
That way the metal tin won’t obstruct the view the TSA officer using the x-ray machine gets of inside your bag.
It’s not crucial, but a plastic container might be a better option to avoid delays.
Bringing Cookies On International Flights
If you are traveling internationally and departing from the US then the TSA rules apply.
However if you are departing from a foreign country then the airport security rules from your departure country will apply.
Most countries around the world permit cookies and baked goods to be packed in hand luggage or checked baggage.
Cookies are a popular souvenir that many travelers bring home with them so it’s the type of food that travelers pack frequently.
Bringing Cookie Dough On A Plane?
While solid baked cookies can be taken on a plane, raw cookie dough is a much more tricky subject.
The TSA told Michelle that raw cookie dough is good to go through airport security.
But when Ellen asked the same question the answer was a lot more cautious.
The question is whether or not cookie dough, or any food for that matter, is solid or if it’s malleable enough to fall under the TSA liquids rule.
If you can pour it, pump it, squeeze it, spread it, smear it, spray it or spill it then it must follow the TSA liquids rule.
You can squeeze and smear cookie dough so it might not be allowed through airport security. It will come down to the judgement call of the TSA officer that inspects your luggage.
If your cookie dough must make it to your destination the only way to make sure is to pack it in checked luggage or to make sure that it is frozen solid when you go through airport security.
Still Unsure? Ask The TSA
If that doesn’t answer your question then you can reach out and ask the TSA on Twitter about your specific situation.
Taylor got the green light to pack these fortune cookies in her carry-on bag:
And the TSA told Lauren that solid food items, including cookies, are allowed in carry-on bags in unlimited quantities:
Cookie mix is permitted in hand luggage since all ingredients are dry although the powders rule applies.
You can bring whole fresh eggs with you if you want to bring a dry cookie mix and make your cookie dough at your destination.
The Bottom Line
Cookies that have been baked are classed as a solid food by the TSA.
All solid food items are permitted to be packed in your luggage when you fly, even if your cookies are homemade.
Raw cookie dough is a grey area. The TSA officer that inspects your luggage at the checkpoint will make the decision since there is no written policy about cookie dough.
As a general rule, all solid foods are freely permitted in hand luggage whereas liquid foods are restricted.