7 Mistakes to Avoid When Freezing Baked Cookies or Cookie Dough (2024)

FAQs

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Freezing Baked Cookies or Cookie Dough? ›

In most cases, I prefer to freeze cookie dough over freezing baked cookies. That way, you still get the nice homemade smell and softness of the cookies when they come out of the oven. But if you want to get the whole job done, you can certainly bake the cookies, then freeze them later.

In most cases, I prefer to freeze cookie dough over freezing baked cookies. That way, you still get the nice homemade smell and softness of the cookies when they come out of the oven. But if you want to get the whole job done, you can certainly bake the cookies, then freeze them later.

Delicate cookie doughs/batters don't hold up well in the freezer. For example, I avoid freezing French macarons batter, madeleine batter, lace cookies batter, and chocolate-swirled meringue batter. Even if you let the doughs/batter thaw first, the results will not be the same.

Properly stored in an airtight container or bag, cookies can last in the freezer for up to six months.

Drop cookies, like chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin, are the easiest to freeze. To do so, place portioned dough in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, then you can transfer the dough to zipper-lock bags, says Schreiber.

Wrapping and Freezing

In general, any cookie dough containing fat, like butter or shortening, tends to freeze well. But cookie doughs that rely on whipped egg whites for volume and texture will be tough to freeze. For example, meringues and macarons will not freeze well.

For best quality, freeze for two months. Homemade cookie dough should be stored in small containers in the refrigerator for two to four days or freeze for two months. Alternatively, small quantities of dough can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator as needed.

Many popular cookie doughs—including chocolate chip cookies, gingersnaps, peanut butter cookies, and sugar cookies—are among those that can easily be frozen.

Freeze Your Cookie Dough, then Microwave a Cookie!

Rather, I scoop out 6 or so to bake right away, then scoop the rest of the dough onto a separate cookie sheet.

Frozen cookie dough balls do not need to be thawed out before baking unless you've been given specific instructions that say to do so. For many cookie doughs, for example, shortbread-style or slice-and-bake cookies, baking immediately from frozen will give you the best results.

What is the best container to freeze cookies in? ›

Place baked cookies in sealable plastic containers designed for the freezer. Freeze cookies for up to one year. Don't use themed tins (say, for Christmas cookies). Transfer cookies to such containers once you've removed them from the freezer.

Wait for the cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature and enjoy.

While you can freeze baked cookies already decorated with icing or filling with jam or ganache, those ingredients don't freeze incredibly well; you'll get better overall results if you add them after you've thawed the baked cookies.

Prepare the dough – If the dough is firm enough, roll it into balls. If the dough is too soft, portion it onto a wax paper lined baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Wrap it up – Wrap each dough ball in plastic, transfer to a freezer ziploc, and freeze for up to 6 months.

And if you want to freeze cookie dough for later, both our cookie dough rolls and our Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake! ™ cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months in advance. You'll need to defrost the rolls of cookie dough before slicing and baking, but our Ready to Bake! ™ cookies can be made straight from the freezer.

The colder your dough is before it heads into the oven, the less it will spread during baking, which makes for loftier cookies. The chilling phase also gives the flour in your dough time to hydrate, just like pie dough, which translates into a cookie that's more chewy than cakey.

As you can imagine, utilizing the freezer is an alternative way to chill your cookie dough if you are in a hurry. As a rule of thumb, aim to chill the dough in the freezer for about a quarter of the time you would typically refrigerate it. So, if you can't do an hour in the refrigerator, do 15 minutes in the freezer.

Freezing cookie dough gives the butter in the dough the chance to become firmer. Colder butter disperses through the cookie more slowly causing a more structured and complex cookie. Cold butter also causes the cookie to spread less creating a final product that is softer and meltier.

Beyond the convenience factor, freezing cookie dough also helps preserve the flavor and texture of the cookies. By freezing the dough at the right stage, you can lock in the freshness and prevent the ingredients from degrading over time.