Cookie dough freezes superbly, and this can be a nice technique to plan forward for the vacation baking season, or so you may have heat, recent cookies every time that craving hits. Be taught the right way to freeze cookie dough from this complete submit, which features a video tutorial. I’ll present you one of the best methods to freeze various kinds of cookie dough, from drop cookies to cut-out cookies to slice-and-bake type.
I additionally embody directions for freezing baked cookies, in addition to cookie bars.
Have you ever ever made cookie dough simply to freeze it for later? Or freeze some cookie dough as an alternative of baking the entire batch? I do each on a regular basis, particularly with these chocolate chip cookies.
It’s so handy to have a stash of ready-to-bake selfmade cookie dough readily available, in case you end up in want of a fast dessert on the final minute. Possibly new neighbors simply moved in, a good friend had a child, otherwise you forgot concerning the faculty bake sale till the morning of… frozen cookie dough involves the rescue.
Make the dough when you’ve the time, and easily bake the cookies once you don’t!
This submit is a part of my Baking Tips class. Over time, I’ve printed dozens of articles and movies that aren’t solely recipes, however baking success suggestions that can assist you achieve confidence within the kitchen.
4 Causes Why You Ought to Freeze Cookie Dough
- Cookie dough freezes properly for as much as 3 months, so it’s an effective way to get forward for the vacations or different busy occasions.
- For drop cookies, you don’t want to attend for the dough to thaw—bake from frozen.
- You don’t should bake the entire batch without delay—you may bake simply 1 or 2 once you’re craving a freshly baked, heat cookie.
- Having a stash of cookie dough within the freezer means you might be at all times ready for a dessert emergency. 😉
In the present day I’m sharing with you my greatest suggestions for the right way to freeze, thaw, and bake cookie dough. Doesn’t sound revolutionary, however you received’t consider the confusion and errors one could make in relation to freezing and baking cookie dough. I initially printed this submit again in 2015, and have discovered just a few extra tips since. Completely happy to share them in the present day, together with a brand new video tutorial.
How one can Freeze Cookie Dough: Video Tutorial
Provides You Want:
- Freezer-friendly containers or zip-top luggage (I take advantage of and love these containers)
- Everlasting marker
- Plastic wrap if making cut-out or slice-and-bake dough
- Labels or masking tape
How one can Freeze & Bake Drop Cookie Dough
“Drop cookies” refers to cookie doughs that you simply scoop and drop onto the baking sheet, like oatmeal raisin cookies. I embody dough that you simply roll into balls on this class, as a result of it, too, requires little or no shaping—like double chocolate chip cookies and cake batter chocolate chip cookies.
Drop-style cookies take just a few additional steps earlier than freezing, however it’s value it as a result of the cookie dough can go straight from the freezer to the preheated oven for a deal with that’s prepared in about 10–quarter-hour. Right here’s the right way to do it:
- Chill the dough: If the cookie recipe you’re utilizing says to relax the dough earlier than scooping and rolling, you continue to must take that step.
- Form the cookies: After the cookie dough has chilled within the fridge, scoop and roll the cookie dough into balls (or form into tall columns, like I like to recommend for these chewy chocolate chip cookies). Place them on a lined baking sheet or plate, ensuring to maintain them from touching one another.
- Chill the cookie dough balls: Cowl the tray or plate and place within the fridge for 1 hour. This can set the cookie dough balls’ form, and stop them from sticking collectively within the freezer container.
- Switch the cookie dough balls to a container or bag: Place the chilly cookie dough balls right into a freezer-friendly container. It’s OK in the event that they’re touching one another now (for the reason that form has set).
- Label the bag or container with the recipe title, the date, baking temperature, and bake time (add an additional minute or two if baking from frozen), and place within the freezer.
- Freeze cookie dough for as much as 3 months: Labeling with the date will enable you to decide by when the cookie dough must be baked.
- Bake the cookies: Whenever you’re able to bake, preheat the oven. Place the frozen cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet, per your recipe’s directions. Add an additional minute or two to the bake time, as a result of the dough is frozen.
In pictures: Make and refrigerate the dough, if the recipe requires chilling the cookie dough. Then form into balls per your recipe’s directions. Refrigerate the formed dough balls to set their form:
Then place right into a labeled bag, and freeze for as much as 3 months:
Freezing Cookie Dough Coated in Sugar or Cinnamon-Sugar
For drop cookies rolled in a coating like sugar—corresponding to snickerdoodles, peanut butter blossoms, or chocolate crinkles—it’s greatest to freeze the cookie dough balls with out the coating.
Why? I discover the coating tends to soften and disappear in the course of the freezing and thawing course of, so it’s greatest to roll the cookies within the coating simply earlier than baking.
Observe the identical steps as above, besides when you find yourself able to bake the cookies, take away the cookie dough balls from the freezer and let sit out at room temperature for about half-hour. Allow them to thaw just a bit bit in order that the coating will stick. After half-hour, roll the dough balls into the sugar or no matter coating your recipe requires. No must bake for an additional minute or two right here, as a result of the cookies can have defrosted barely.
How one can Freeze Lower-Out Cookie Dough (Like Sugar Cookies)
For cut-out cookie dough that must be rolled out earlier than chopping into shapes with cookie cutters, like sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies, the method is a bit of totally different. Right here’s the right way to do it:
- Divide the dough in half: After you’ve made your dough, divide it in half. Smaller items are merely simpler to work with.
- Flatten every half right into a disc about 1 inch thick. I do the identical factor once I make and freeze pie dough.
- Wrap and label: Tightly wrap every disc of dough in plastic wrap, and label with the recipe title and date. I simply use a bit of tape as a label, nothing fancy.
- Freeze cookie dough for as much as 3 months.
- Thaw the dough: Switch the wrapped disc or discs of cookie dough to the fridge the day earlier than you propose to bake the cookies, and let it thaw within the fridge in a single day.
- Roll out the chilly thawed dough, lower into shapes, and bake in line with your recipe’s directions.
Freezing this dough is useful should you’re planning to host a cookie decorating day.
How one can Freeze Icebox or Slice-and-Bake Cookie Dough
Icebox cookies, also referred to as slice-and-bake cookies—like these sprinkle slice’n’bake cookies and cranberry orange icebox cookies—are just like cut-out cookie dough in that they’re fast to prep to freeze, however then want a bit of thaw time earlier than you may slice and bake them. Right here’s what to do:
- Divide the dough in half: Similar to with the cut-out cookie dough, this makes the dough extra manageable.
- Roll into logs: Roll every half right into a log form, per your recipe’s directions.
- Roll logs into coating: In case your recipe requires rolling the cookie dough logs right into a coating like coarse sugar or sprinkles, you may go forward and do this now.
- Wrap and label: Tightly wrap every log in plastic wrap, and label with the title and date.
- Freeze cookie dough for as much as 3 months.
- Thaw the dough: Switch the wrapped log or logs of cookie dough to the fridge the day earlier than, or at the least a few hours earlier than you propose to bake the cookies.
- Slice and bake: As soon as the dough has thawed sufficient so that you can lower with a knife, slice the cookies and bake in line with your recipe’s directions.
It is a nice query. If the cookie dough is especially sticky, it might be tough to roll into balls AND additionally roll into balls that received’t stick collectively within the freezer. I at all times counsel chilling in case your cookie dough recipe requires it, after which scooping and rolling into balls to freeze.
Need to make M&M cookie bars and even chocolate chip cookie cake? You may freeze that dough, too. Put together the cookie dough in line with the recipe’s directions. Refrigerate the dough for about half-hour, after which wrap the chilly dough tightly in plastic wrap and add a label with the title of the recipe and the date. Freeze for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, after which press the dough into the baking dish and bake per the recipe’s directions.
Delicate cookie doughs/batters don’t maintain up properly within the freezer. For instance, I keep away from freezing French macarons batter, madeleine batter, lace cookies batter, and chocolate-swirled meringue batter. Even should you let the doughs/batter thaw first, the outcomes won’t be the identical. See every particular person recipe for detailed make-ahead directions.
Freezing Baked Cookies & Bars
As a substitute of freezing cookie dough, you may freeze baked cookies like almond biscotti, spritz cookies, and sugar cookies (earlier than adorning).
After your baked cookies have cooled utterly:
- Place them on a baking sheet and freeze till strong (this manner they received’t stick to one another within the freezer).
- Then, layer in a freezer container with parchment between every layer, or fastidiously place in zip-top luggage. Label the container if desired.
- Freeze as much as 3 months.
- Thaw the cookies (nonetheless lined) within the fridge, or at room temperature.
You can too freeze baked bar cookies like peanut butter blondies or homemade brownies. Cool them utterly, lower into squares, then layer between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer container or zip-top bag. Once more, freeze for as much as 3 months.
I hope all of this helps. As at all times, let my group and me know when you have any questions. Listed below are all my cookie recipes. I normally be aware freezing directions in every recipe as properly—at all times test the Notes part of the recipe card.
Even Extra Baking Success Ideas
Cookie dough freezes superbly, and this can be a nice technique to plan forward for the vacation baking season, or so you may have heat, recent cookies every time that craving hits. Be taught the right way to freeze cookie dough from this complete submit, which features a video tutorial. I’ll present you one of the best methods to freeze various kinds of cookie dough, from drop cookies to cut-out cookies to slice-and-bake type.
I additionally embody directions for freezing baked cookies, in addition to cookie bars.
Have you ever ever made cookie dough simply to freeze it for later? Or freeze some cookie dough as an alternative of baking the entire batch? I do each on a regular basis, particularly with these chocolate chip cookies.
It’s so handy to have a stash of ready-to-bake selfmade cookie dough readily available, in case you end up in want of a fast dessert on the final minute. Possibly new neighbors simply moved in, a good friend had a child, otherwise you forgot concerning the faculty bake sale till the morning of… frozen cookie dough involves the rescue.
Make the dough when you’ve the time, and easily bake the cookies once you don’t!
This submit is a part of my Baking Tips class. Over time, I’ve printed dozens of articles and movies that aren’t solely recipes, however baking success suggestions that can assist you achieve confidence within the kitchen.
4 Causes Why You Ought to Freeze Cookie Dough
- Cookie dough freezes properly for as much as 3 months, so it’s an effective way to get forward for the vacations or different busy occasions.
- For drop cookies, you don’t want to attend for the dough to thaw—bake from frozen.
- You don’t should bake the entire batch without delay—you may bake simply 1 or 2 once you’re craving a freshly baked, heat cookie.
- Having a stash of cookie dough within the freezer means you might be at all times ready for a dessert emergency. 😉
In the present day I’m sharing with you my greatest suggestions for the right way to freeze, thaw, and bake cookie dough. Doesn’t sound revolutionary, however you received’t consider the confusion and errors one could make in relation to freezing and baking cookie dough. I initially printed this submit again in 2015, and have discovered just a few extra tips since. Completely happy to share them in the present day, together with a brand new video tutorial.
How one can Freeze Cookie Dough: Video Tutorial
Provides You Want:
- Freezer-friendly containers or zip-top luggage (I take advantage of and love these containers)
- Everlasting marker
- Plastic wrap if making cut-out or slice-and-bake dough
- Labels or masking tape
How one can Freeze & Bake Drop Cookie Dough
“Drop cookies” refers to cookie doughs that you simply scoop and drop onto the baking sheet, like oatmeal raisin cookies. I embody dough that you simply roll into balls on this class, as a result of it, too, requires little or no shaping—like double chocolate chip cookies and cake batter chocolate chip cookies.
Drop-style cookies take just a few additional steps earlier than freezing, however it’s value it as a result of the cookie dough can go straight from the freezer to the preheated oven for a deal with that’s prepared in about 10–quarter-hour. Right here’s the right way to do it:
- Chill the dough: If the cookie recipe you’re utilizing says to relax the dough earlier than scooping and rolling, you continue to must take that step.
- Form the cookies: After the cookie dough has chilled within the fridge, scoop and roll the cookie dough into balls (or form into tall columns, like I like to recommend for these chewy chocolate chip cookies). Place them on a lined baking sheet or plate, ensuring to maintain them from touching one another.
- Chill the cookie dough balls: Cowl the tray or plate and place within the fridge for 1 hour. This can set the cookie dough balls’ form, and stop them from sticking collectively within the freezer container.
- Switch the cookie dough balls to a container or bag: Place the chilly cookie dough balls right into a freezer-friendly container. It’s OK in the event that they’re touching one another now (for the reason that form has set).
- Label the bag or container with the recipe title, the date, baking temperature, and bake time (add an additional minute or two if baking from frozen), and place within the freezer.
- Freeze cookie dough for as much as 3 months: Labeling with the date will enable you to decide by when the cookie dough must be baked.
- Bake the cookies: Whenever you’re able to bake, preheat the oven. Place the frozen cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet, per your recipe’s directions. Add an additional minute or two to the bake time, as a result of the dough is frozen.
In pictures: Make and refrigerate the dough, if the recipe requires chilling the cookie dough. Then form into balls per your recipe’s directions. Refrigerate the formed dough balls to set their form:
Then place right into a labeled bag, and freeze for as much as 3 months:
Freezing Cookie Dough Coated in Sugar or Cinnamon-Sugar
For drop cookies rolled in a coating like sugar—corresponding to snickerdoodles, peanut butter blossoms, or chocolate crinkles—it’s greatest to freeze the cookie dough balls with out the coating.
Why? I discover the coating tends to soften and disappear in the course of the freezing and thawing course of, so it’s greatest to roll the cookies within the coating simply earlier than baking.
Observe the identical steps as above, besides when you find yourself able to bake the cookies, take away the cookie dough balls from the freezer and let sit out at room temperature for about half-hour. Allow them to thaw just a bit bit in order that the coating will stick. After half-hour, roll the dough balls into the sugar or no matter coating your recipe requires. No must bake for an additional minute or two right here, as a result of the cookies can have defrosted barely.
How one can Freeze Lower-Out Cookie Dough (Like Sugar Cookies)
For cut-out cookie dough that must be rolled out earlier than chopping into shapes with cookie cutters, like sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies, the method is a bit of totally different. Right here’s the right way to do it:
- Divide the dough in half: After you’ve made your dough, divide it in half. Smaller items are merely simpler to work with.
- Flatten every half right into a disc about 1 inch thick. I do the identical factor once I make and freeze pie dough.
- Wrap and label: Tightly wrap every disc of dough in plastic wrap, and label with the recipe title and date. I simply use a bit of tape as a label, nothing fancy.
- Freeze cookie dough for as much as 3 months.
- Thaw the dough: Switch the wrapped disc or discs of cookie dough to the fridge the day earlier than you propose to bake the cookies, and let it thaw within the fridge in a single day.
- Roll out the chilly thawed dough, lower into shapes, and bake in line with your recipe’s directions.
Freezing this dough is useful should you’re planning to host a cookie decorating day.
How one can Freeze Icebox or Slice-and-Bake Cookie Dough
Icebox cookies, also referred to as slice-and-bake cookies—like these sprinkle slice’n’bake cookies and cranberry orange icebox cookies—are just like cut-out cookie dough in that they’re fast to prep to freeze, however then want a bit of thaw time earlier than you may slice and bake them. Right here’s what to do:
- Divide the dough in half: Similar to with the cut-out cookie dough, this makes the dough extra manageable.
- Roll into logs: Roll every half right into a log form, per your recipe’s directions.
- Roll logs into coating: In case your recipe requires rolling the cookie dough logs right into a coating like coarse sugar or sprinkles, you may go forward and do this now.
- Wrap and label: Tightly wrap every log in plastic wrap, and label with the title and date.
- Freeze cookie dough for as much as 3 months.
- Thaw the dough: Switch the wrapped log or logs of cookie dough to the fridge the day earlier than, or at the least a few hours earlier than you propose to bake the cookies.
- Slice and bake: As soon as the dough has thawed sufficient so that you can lower with a knife, slice the cookies and bake in line with your recipe’s directions.
It is a nice query. If the cookie dough is especially sticky, it might be tough to roll into balls AND additionally roll into balls that received’t stick collectively within the freezer. I at all times counsel chilling in case your cookie dough recipe requires it, after which scooping and rolling into balls to freeze.
Need to make M&M cookie bars and even chocolate chip cookie cake? You may freeze that dough, too. Put together the cookie dough in line with the recipe’s directions. Refrigerate the dough for about half-hour, after which wrap the chilly dough tightly in plastic wrap and add a label with the title of the recipe and the date. Freeze for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, after which press the dough into the baking dish and bake per the recipe’s directions.
Delicate cookie doughs/batters don’t maintain up properly within the freezer. For instance, I keep away from freezing French macarons batter, madeleine batter, lace cookies batter, and chocolate-swirled meringue batter. Even should you let the doughs/batter thaw first, the outcomes won’t be the identical. See every particular person recipe for detailed make-ahead directions.
Freezing Baked Cookies & Bars
As a substitute of freezing cookie dough, you may freeze baked cookies like almond biscotti, spritz cookies, and sugar cookies (earlier than adorning).
After your baked cookies have cooled utterly:
- Place them on a baking sheet and freeze till strong (this manner they received’t stick to one another within the freezer).
- Then, layer in a freezer container with parchment between every layer, or fastidiously place in zip-top luggage. Label the container if desired.
- Freeze as much as 3 months.
- Thaw the cookies (nonetheless lined) within the fridge, or at room temperature.
You can too freeze baked bar cookies like peanut butter blondies or homemade brownies. Cool them utterly, lower into squares, then layer between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer container or zip-top bag. Once more, freeze for as much as 3 months.
I hope all of this helps. As at all times, let my group and me know when you have any questions. Listed below are all my cookie recipes. I normally be aware freezing directions in every recipe as properly—at all times test the Notes part of the recipe card.
