How to Freeze Cookies to Enjoy Later
If you find yourself needing to make your cookie dough or even fully bake your cookies ahead of time, there are steps you can take to freeze them. Depending on the type of cookie, they have to be prepped and frozen in different ways. Here are a few pointers to ensure you have the best-tasting cookies no matter when you make them.
What to Freeze — The Cookie or the Dough?
So, what do you want to freeze exactly, the cookie or the cookie dough? Luckily for you, there are steps to properly freeze both. Freezing cookie dough takes up less room, makes it easy to transport, and lets you bake your cookies whenever you’d like. Generally speaking, doughs with a good amount of butter or fat will freeze better than others. These include cookies such as shortbread, gingerbread, drop (such as oatmeal, chocolate chip, or peanut butter) and sugar cookies. Most doughs can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For drop cookies, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a tray lined with Glad® ClingWrap. Freeze for around an hour and then transfer into a Glad® Freezer Zipper Gallon Bag. The gallon bag will give your cookies double seal protection and help prevent freezer burn.
For slice-and-bake cookies, you’ll want to shape your dough into logs and wrap tightly in Glad® Press’n Seal® to seal in freshness. Cut-out cookies have a similar process, except the dough needs to be flattened out before wrapping. After that, you’re ready to freeze your dough.
How to Freeze Cookies
Freezing baked cookies is a super easy way to get ahead when it comes to prepping for holidays, get-togethers, and everything in between. After you bake your cookies, allow them to cool completely. Once they’ve cooled down, place them in a Glad® Freezer Zipper Gallon Bag. Depending on the type of cookie you’ve made, some may need to be individually wrapped or separated from the bunch with Glad® ClingWrap.
Thawing Frozen Cookies
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.
