How to Freeze Cookie Dough (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to freeze raw cookie dough? ›

You can freeze that dough, too. Prepare the cookie dough according to the recipe's instructions. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, and then wrap the cold dough tightly in plastic wrap and add a label with the name of the recipe and the date. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and place in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

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.

If you freeze right away and skip chilling your dough, you won't get the same benefits; it's like the dough is in suspended animation and the flour/starch won't be able to absorb moisture because the moisture is frozen. The chemical processes that happen while the dough is marinating can only happen in the fridge.

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.

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.

Think of macarons, pizzelles, madeleine, Florentine, and fortune cookie dough. These don't hold up well in the freezer, and even if you thaw them, they won't bake as well. These cookies usually require a fresh cookie dough batter to be baked successfully.

Most cookie dough will last a cool 3-5 days in an airtight container or other airtight situation. It may even be good up to one week, you'll just need to use your best judgment at that point.

Place the cookies into an airtight container lined with aluminum foil or plastic food wrap. For best results, wrap the cookies individually in plastic food wrap. If the cookies aren't wrapped individually, separate them with layers of aluminum foil or plastic food wrap.

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.

Can you freeze cookie dough in Tupperware? ›

Airtight containers: Place the cookie dough in an airtight container, such as a Tupperware or glass container, and store it in the fridge for 2-4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. Parchment paper: Scoop the cookie dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and use the paper to wrap the dough into a ball.

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

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.

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.

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.

Here's what our Test Kitchen recommends when quickly chilling cookie dough in the freezer: Place the cookie dough in the freezer for one-quarter of the recommended refrigerator time. The dough can be wrapped in plastic, scooped into balls for baking on a cookie sheet, or left in the mixing bowl, covered.

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.

Cutout Cookie Dough:

Cover each disk in plastic wrap, then place in a resealable gallon freezer bag. Freeze the wrapped dough on a flat surface to help hold its shape (this makes it easier to roll out later). To thaw cookie-dough disks, unwrap one and place on a lightly floured surface to start rolling out.

Placed rolled cookie dough onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan, and freeze for an hour until solid. Transfer to a ziploc bag or airtight container and label.