Here are some suggestions for freezing cookie dough if you can’t bake the entire batch of cookies in one sitting. Drop cookies are the simplest to freeze, and they must be put in an airtight plastic container, frozen for about 4 hours, and then thawed before use. Do not freeze adorned cookies with colored sugars or sprinkles; keep them in the refrigerator as an alternative. Unwrap the frozen dough and roll it out in the morning.
Freezing them can be a simple way to keep them out of your reach today—to unfreeze and savor later in the week—if you ever need to practice portion control with a large batch of cookies. Following these instructions may teach you to freeze cookies and keep your goodies appetizing.
How to Freeze Cookies?
Around this time every year, I receive alot of inquiries regarding how to bake double and treble the number of cookies to be kept for later. I created this straightforward tutorial on freezing cookie dough and baked cookies and, as a result, going back to the basics.
There isn’t anything better than just-baked cookies; we can all agree. Try freezing half or full batches of your baked goods instead of creating a large quantity and letting them sit on the counter to dry up. This way, you may always have nicely made cookies on hand, even months later! Whether baked or not, most cookies can be frozen; both methods are excellent for keeping them fresh. What to do correctly is as follows:
Freezing Baked Cookies
Baked cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to three or four weeks.
- Allow cookies to cool after baking thoroughly. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment, then put them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag and mark with the name and date. Place flat in the freezer after pressing out extra air. You can flat-stack freezer bags to save space.
- Most cookies can be frozen in their current state; however, decorated cookies may need to be wrapped separately or divided using waxed paper or parchment.
- When you’re ready to eat one, take it out and let it cool to room temperature or reheat it briefly in the oven. Alternately, if you’re pressed for time, microwave it for 10 seconds at a time. Never microwave or heat-adorned cookies.
Freezing Cookie Dough
For up to three months, most cookie doughs freeze nicely. Don’t forget to label the packaging with the date, cookie, and baking directions.
Drop Cookies: Cookie dough should be rolled into balls as you would when ready to bake cookies. On a parchment or silicone-lined sheet, put them. Place in a freezer zip-top bag after freezing for an hour (or until solid). Freeze by squeezing out the air.
Cut-Out Cookies: Shape the dough into one or two flat disks for cut-out cookies. Wrap twice in plastic and then freeze flat.
Slice-and-Bake Cookies: Form the dough into one or two logs, then double-wrap it in plastic to avoid freezer burn and freezer odor absorption.
Tips for Freezing Cookies
So, congrats on being proactive and preparing to start this year’s cookie-making early! Your new closest companion is the freezer. We’ll go through the best cookie types to freeze, how to keep cookie dough in the freezer, and much more.
1. Some Cookies Don’t Freeze Well
Cookies already covered in frosting, chocolate, or powdered sugar, as well as delicate cookies like these chocolate almond pizzles and peppermint meringues, should not be consumed. It’s possible for anything else too! You can typically bring them back to life for a short period in a moderate oven if they lose some of their flavors in the freezer (or even a dusting of powdered sugar).
2. Some Doughs Can’t Be Frozen, Either
Thinner batters don’t hold up as well as thick, sturdy doughs, like those used to make the drop, cutout, and icebox cookies (this Christmas cookie dough is a good example!). The best action is to make thin-batter cookies, then freeze the finished products.
3. It is Simple to Freeze Baked Cookies
To freeze previously cooked cookies, arrange them in a single layer on a sheet pan or other big, flat surface. Once the individual cookies are frozen, freeze them in an airtight container with a flat bottom and layers separated by parchment or waxed paper.
4. Cookie Dough Freezes Even Better
The dough can be frozen in various ways, depending on the type. Drop cookie dough can be frozen solid or portioned into balls. The latter makes it exceedingly simple to bake them off at the drop of a hat. Roll the icebox cookie dough into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap or wax paper, and put it in a zippered bag.
5. Thaw Your Dough Properly
Allowing frozen dough balls, logs, and discs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator is your best chance. (Yes, there will be more planning!) If you’ve frozen drop cookie dough balls or pre-cut cutout cookies, lay them on the baking sheet and let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before baking as the recipe directs.
Which Mistakes Should be Avoided When Freezing Cookies?
This paragraph’s advice is focused on freezing cookies while they are still in the dough stage. You can make specific errors at this stage of baking and freezing cookies, such as failing to consider the requirements of each distinct dough or delaying adding garnishes like powdered sugar.
1. Freezing the Incorrect Doughs
Although there are a few exceptions, most cookie doughs freeze nicely. Tuiles, florentines, lace, and puzzles are thin, fragile cookies that are best made fresh because their liquidy mixtures don’t freeze well, either cooked or unbaked.
Use this advice: Cookies like chocolate chip or oatmeal drop cookies, shortbread slice-and-bake cookies, and sugar and gingerbread cut-out cookies are the ideal cookie doughs to freeze.
2. Freezing Them Already Wrapped in Powdered Or Granulated Sugar
You’ll need to put off a few tasks, like coating the cookies with sugar, until immediately before baking. If you use powdered sugar to create the crinkles on your crinkle cookies, the sugar may clump and make an unattractive coating rather than baking up as it should. Instead, hold off on rolling them until just before baking.
Use this advice: Wait until right before baking any cookie dough to roll it in powdered or granulated sugar. After this last step, your make-ahead cookie will look and taste as fresh as possible.
3. Not First Freezing Them Individually on Baking Sheets
You can freeze baked cookies effectively, especially those indicated above that also freeze well as doughs. Still, if you dump all those peanut butter cookies in a container and stick them in the freezer, you’ll be disappointed when you want to grab a few. To avoid this, they must first be frozen solid individually.
Follow this advice: Baked cookies should be frozen on baking sheets lined with wax or parchment paper until stiff before transferring to a freezer bag or another airtight container.
4. Freezing Them with Frosting And Other Decorations
While you can freeze baked cookies that have already been adorned with icing or filled with jam or ganache, those components don’t freeze very well; you’ll get better overall results if you add them after the baked cookies have been thawed.
Follow this advice: Don’t ice your sugar cookies or jam between your sandwich cookies or thumbprints until they’ve thawed from the freezer.
5. Thawing Them in the Freezer-Safe Containers
If you thaw baked cookies in the containers they were stored in a while in the freezer, the condensation that occurs during the thawing process may stay on the cookies and cause them to become soggy. When defrosting, it’s best to remove them from their freezer bag or airtight container to avoid condensation.
Follow this advice: Remove frozen baked cookies from their containers and lay them on a platter lined with paper towels to thaw at room temperature.
Can You Put Cookies in Ziploc Bags to Freeze?
You have a variety of alternatives for freezing cookies. First, put a Ziploc bag to use. Place the freshly made cookies in the bag, secure them, and store it in the freezer for future use. The cookies can also be kept in a jar that is well sealed.
How Should Frozen Cookie Dough Be Baked?
To bake your cookies, you don’t need to thaw frozen drop cookie dough; we don’t suggest it. Start by setting the oven to a temperature about 15 degrees Fahrenheit lower than specified in the recipe. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet prepared with parchment as soon as you remove them from the freezer. To allow for spreading, space them as your recipe directs. Bake as usual, adding a few minutes to account for the cooler dough and hotter heat. The cookies are done when the bottoms are golden, and the edges are just beginning to darken.
What Type of Cookie Dough Freezes the Best?
Chunky drop cookies, such as chocolate chip or oatmeal-raisin, are scooped into balls and “dropped” directly onto a baking pan. They are the best and easiest cookies to freeze (or frozen first), and this dough doesn’t need to be thawed before baking and stores wonderfully.
Slice-and-bake cookies, whose dough is rolled into a log and frozen before being cut into rounds and baked, also freeze nicely. When you try to cut slice-and-bake dough directly from the freezer, it can be a little crumbly and firm, so it has to thaw slightly at room temperature to soften before slicing. Be aware that the slice-and-bake dough cannot be refrozen after defrosting.
Cutout cookies can also be frozen. Your dough can be rolled out and then frozen in sheets between parchment paper (stack the sheets in a rimmed baking sheet and double wrap it in plastic wrap). Remove one or more sheets when making cookies, then use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies—additionally, baking and cutting frozen dough results in extra-crisp edges. Alternatively, you could carefully wrap and freeze entire dough balls, defrost them the next day in the refrigerator, then roll them out, cut them, and bake them. Cut-out dough cannot be refrozen when thawed, just like slice-and-bake dough.
Conclusion
Cookie dough or baked cookies can be frozen to save time. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to have some freshly made cookies on hand for when you have guests, as your family and friends will no doubt gladly attest.
Once your cookies are frozen, it’s crucial to carefully and gradually defrost them. Please read the package carefully as it may not be able to freeze them. Cookies containing colored sugars and sprinkles should generally not be frozen. Within a few days, they need to be defrosted. To keep your cookies from splitting, double-wrap them. Sandwich cookies should also not be frozen because doing so could harm the filling.
