Need to save some time baking? Everything you need to know about freezing cookie dough is right here!
Why You Should Freeze Cookie Dough
Freezing cookie dough is a huge time saver! You have no idea how many times I’ve been saved by having frozen cookie dough in the freezer. It works for emergency situations like kids having a playdate, an unexpected visit from family or when you need to take something over to your neighbor.
The dough is already prepped and ready to be baked. That means no mixing and no cleaning up bowls and spatulas. Really, the only thing you might need to clean is your cookie sheet and even then, I would suggest you use parchment paper so there’s nothing to wash at all!
These tips are going to be especially useful during the holiday season, am I right?
How you freeze your cookie dough depends on the type of cookie you are making. I’ve listed out four types and what you should do for each.
Drop Cookies
These are cookies you would “drop” onto your cookie sheet with a scoop or tablespoon.
Examples: chocolate chip cookies, Reese’s Pieces double chocolate cookies
Freezing: Scoop the dough and drop it onto a large sheet pan. You do not need to space them out because you are not baking them. Place them as close as possible to each other. If you have the freezer space, you can double wrap the entire tray in plastic tightly. If you don’t have the space, scoop the cookies out onto smaller trays and freeze them for about 30 minutes or until very firm. Then transfer the cookie dough balls into a Ziploc bag, seal and lay it flat in your freezer. Be sure to label it with the date. You can stack several bags on top of each other as long as the dough is firm from pre-freezing. Alternatively, you can also use plastic containers and layer the dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper.
Baking: Remove the number of frozen cookies you want to bake from the freezer and place them on a parchment covered cookie sheet, giving them enough space to spread. Bake as directed in the recipe. There’s no need to thaw but it may take a minute or two more to bake.
Sliced Cookies
These are cookies you would shape into a log first and then slice and bake.
Examples: holiday swirl cookies, pinwheel cookies, nan khatai, other shortbread cookies.
Freezing: Shape the cookie dough into a log and wrap it in wax or parchment paper and then plastic wrap tightly over it. Label it with the date and freeze.
Baking: Logs need to thaw either on the counter until pliable or in the refrigerator the night before. Slice the cookies with a sharp knife and place them on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet, giving them enough space to spread a little. Bake as directed on the recipe.
Rolled cookies
Rolled cookies are the ones you have to roll into a ball with your palms. Most of the time, it’s because these cookies are then rolled into some sort of coating like sugar or cinnamon before being baked.
Examples: gingersnap cookies, snickerdoodles
Freezing: Scoop out these cookies into even portions and roll each one into a ball. Lay them out on a parchment covered sheet pan and either wrap the entire pan twice and tightly with plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can place the sheet pan in the freezer until the balls are firm and then transfer the balls to an airtight plastic container or a freezer bag. Do not add the coating to the frozen dough.
Baking: When you are ready to bake, pull out the number of frozen dough balls you want to bake and roll them in their coating. There’s no need to thaw. Just place them on your parchment lined cookie sheet and bake according to the recipe.
Cut Out Cookies
This type of cookie dough needs to be rolled out and then cut into shapes with a knife or cookie cutters.
Examples: sugar cookie dough, gingerbread cookies, chocolate peppermint sugar cookies
Freezing: Shape the dough into a flat disk about 1 inch thick. Double wrap it with plastic wrap and label it with the date.
Baking: Let the dough thaw only to the point where you can start rolling it out. Roll it out to ¼ inch thickness and make your cut outs. To prevent spreading, I like to chill the cut outs one more time before baking for either 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer. Bake as directed in your recipe.
Cookies Pictured in this Post
- Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies
- Christmas Nan Khatai
- Gingersnaps
- Basic Sugar Cookies
In general, you can freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. Do you have other cookie time saver tips? I'm sure my other readers would love to hear about it. Share them in a comment below.
Yield: 1 batch frozen cookie dough
Need to save some time baking? Everything you need to know about freezing cookie dough is right here!
Materials
- plastic freezer bags or saran wrap or freezer containers
- feezer sized baking sheets
- parchment paper or wax paper
Instructions
For drop cookies:
- Line a sheet pan (a size that will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Portion out the dough with a cookie scoop, placing each scoop on the sheet pan.You do not need to space them out because you are not baking them. Place them as close as possible to each other.
- Freeze the cookies by placing the entire tray in the freezer for a few hours or until the cookie dough is firm. Then transfer the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag, seal and lay it flat in your freezer. Be sure to label it with the date. You can stack several bags on top of each other as long as the dough is firm from pre-freezing. Alternatively, you can also use plastic containers and layer the dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper.
- Baking:Remove the number of frozen cookies you want to bake from the freezer and place them on a parchment covered cookie sheet, giving them enough space to spread. Bake as directed in the recipe.
For sliced cookies:
- Shape the cookie dough into a log. Tightly wrap the log in wax paper and twist and tuck the ends.
- Place the entire log in a plastic bag or wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap.
- Baking: Logs need to thaw either on the counter until pliable or in the refrigerator the night before. Slice the cookies with a sharp knife and place them on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet, giving them enough space to spread a little. Bake as directed on the recipe.
For coated cookies:
- Line a sheet pan (a size that will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Scoop out these cookies into even portions and roll each one into a ball using the palms of your hands.
- Place each ball on the sheet pan as close as possible to each other. You should not coat the balls in anything.
- Freeze the cookies by placing the entire tray in the freezer for a few hours or until the cookie dough is firm. Then transfer the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag, seal and lay it flat in your freezer. Be sure to label it with the date. You can stack several bags on top of each other as long as the dough is firm from pre-freezing. Alternatively, you can also use plastic containers and layer the dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper.
- Baking:When you are ready to bake, pull out the number of frozen dough balls you want to bake and roll them in their coating. There’s no need to thaw. Just place them on your parchment lined cookie sheet and bake according to the recipe.
For cut out cookies:
- Shape the dough into a flat disk about 1 inch thick. Double wrap it with plastic wrap and label it with the date.Freeze.
- Baking: Let the dough thaw only to the point where you can start rolling it out. Roll it out to ¼ inch thickness and make your cut outs. Bake as directed in your recipe.
