Can you freeze decorated sugar cookies? Yes, you absolutely can! You can freeze them un-iced or decorated. Let’s dive into all of the best methods for how to store royal icing cookies.
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How to dry cookies decorated with royal icing
First, let’s make sure our cookies are dried properly to begin with. Make sure your cookies are drying on a flat surface (like a baking sheet–NOT a cookie drying rack with expose holes underneath the cookie). As long as the cookie is iced and is on a flat surface, the only part of the cookie exposed to their air are the sides.
You MUST wait until your cookies are completely dried before you can store them in an airtight container. You CANNOT put royal icing cookies in an airtight container until the icing is hard to the touch. This takes about 8 hours.
Read this post for more information on how long it takes royal icing to dry and troubleshooting icing not drying correctly.
How to store royal icing cookies
Short-term storage
Once the cookies are completely dried they can be stored in an airtight container (either just stacked on top of each other or for a safer storage in between layers of PARCHMENT–not wax). Whether or not you need to put parchment paper in between depends on your cookie recipe (some stick together more than others–I’ve never had that issue with my recipe) and/or if they’re decorated (generally speaking I’d recommend there always be something separating the cookies if they’re decorated).
I will store cookies this way (either un-iced or decorated) for up to 1 week. If I know I’ll be using them after 1 week, then I’ll freeze them.
Long-term storage
If keeping the cookies for longer than 1 week, I recommend freezing. For freezing, I recommend layering the cookies in between PARCHMENT (not wax) paper in an airtight container (unless you heat seat them like I do, then you don’t need to do this!).
For larger quantities of cookies I have a larger container where I can store two layers of cookies upright. So many cookies!!
How to thaw/defrost:
When you’re ready to defrost, you MUST leave the cookies in the container on the counter (and/or still in their heat sealed bag) until they are fully defrosted. If you take them out too early when they’re iced the icing will melt/bleed as it defrosts. I usually give them at least 6 hours to defrost. Cookies can stay frozen for at least 6 months (but I’ve gone longer!)
How far in advance can you make the cookies?
If you want to make your cookies in advance… totally doable!
1 week before event: I start the process UP TO 1 week before the event and don’t do any freezing in this time period (either of the icing or cookies).
More than 1 week before event: I usually like to freeze baked un-iced cookies and prepped fresh batches of icing (I’m always paranoid iced cookies will not defrost correctly, even though that RARELY happens). You CAN completely decorate and freeze before the event though!
Check out this post for more detailed instructions on how to store royal icing.
How long do decorate sugar cookies last?
On the counter in an airtight container, I’d say up to 3-4 weeks. Personally, I prefer to eat them within 1 week or freeze them. Frozen properly, they can easily lats 3-6 months (or more!). You can even freeze dough before it’s baked (just makes sure it is VERY securely airtight!).
If you prefer to fully decorate your cookies and then freeze so they are ready to go, that works too! For fully decorated cookies, I recommend heat sealing them individually before stacking vertically in an airtight container.
How long do sugar cookies last with royal icing? Sugar cookies with royal icing can last up to 2-3 weeks when stored properly in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
If you have enough of one color icing to warrant using a container, again make sure that you lay cling wrap over the surface of the icing and choose a container that can get an airtight seal. You can freeze small amounts of icing in sealed piping bags!
Sugar cookies, like most cookies, can be frozen, but if you are planning to decorate your sugar cookies with frosting, freeze before decorating. As with most cookies, you can freeze sugar cookie dough or freeze baked sugar cookies.
After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze them, then store them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag labeled with the name and date. Squeeze out extra air and place flat in the freezer. To save space, you can flat-stack freezer bags.
If you want to make your cookies in advance… totally doable! 1 week before event: I start the process UP TO 1 week before the event and don't do any freezing in this time period (either of the icing or cookies).
Unless a recipe tells you otherwise, you should always store sugar cookies at room temperature to make sure that they taste as good on day three as they did on day one. Keep them in a cool, dry area of your kitchen; any additional humidity may change their texture, particularly with frosted sugar cookies.
How long does it take for the icing to dry? It takes at least 6 hours for flood consistency royal icing to dry completely, but I always allow the base layer of icing to dry overnight to be on the safe side.
When you're ready to thaw your baked cookies, let them sit at room temperature or heat them up in the oven for a couple of minutes. When it comes to thawing dough, baking the cookies an extra few minutes should do the trick to ensure they're completely defrosted and ready to eat.
To prevent sticking when you store your cookies, arrange them in a single layer and add a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper between layers. (Here's why you should bake cookies on parchment paper, too!)
By putting wet royal icing in the fridge you are not only preventing the icing from actually drying, but the humid environment will also likely make the colors bleed. That said, once the cookies are dry you CAN store them in the freezer.
After your cookies are baked and iced with royal icing, they can be frozen. Once your iced cookies have completely dried, place them in an airtight container, like a plastic freezer bag or Tupperware, with sheets of waxed paper in between any layers, and pop them in your freezer.
You'll know it's bad if you open it and it has puffed up a lot (bacteria growth) and/or it smells sour. If you're using pasteurized egg whites or fresh egg whites in your royal icing recipe, shelf life is generally lowered by about 50% for countertop, and 25% for fridge, and remains the same for freezer.
Corn syrup helps give shine and also a soft-bite to your icing. Without corn syrup, your royal icing can be as hard as a rock, and no one wants to chip a tooth on a cookie. I use 1 Tablespoon of Karo Light Corn Syrup in my icing recipe. I've seen some cookiers use more but this ratio works well for me.
Can you freeze edible cookie images on a cookie? You certainly can! This cookie was in the freezer for 6 weeks. The edible cookie image looked the same as when it came off the copier.
Remember to always use an airtight container, or even freezer bags. I almost never throw away my extra icing when done with a project, and freeze them straight away in the piping bags.
The cookie icing is best if used within 2 years of the packaging date. You can contact Signature Brands or go to the FAQ's page of their website for instructions on reading the lot code if no best by date is printed on the packaging.
Yes! If you want to freeze this treat, first, cut the cookie into 12 pieces. Then set the frosted cookie cake onto a sheet pan and place it in the freezer for about an hour, or until solid. Be sure to label and date, and then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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