Save time and always have fresh-baked cookies ready when you want them with these tips for how to freeze cookie dough! In this post I'll tell you which kinds of cookie dough (and baked cookies, too) are best for freezing and exactly how to package everything up so it stays fresh in the freezer. Keeping a stash of cookie dough in the freezer is one of my favorite baking tips that will save you time and stress during Christmas cookie baking season and all throughout the year!
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When I moved to Philly shorty after graduating college, a bakeshop opened near my apartment that would deliver freshly baked cookies at almost all hours of the day or night. Still-warm-from-the-oven cookies ready to eat whenever I wanted? Yes please! Let's not talk about how many times my roommate and I ordered cookies at 2AM after a night out.
I've since learned that on-demand fresh cookies isn't as much of a luxury as I'd once thought, because it's just as easy to whip up a batch of your favorite cookie dough and store it in the freezer until your next cookie craving. This way you can quickly bake cookies whenever you want and have fresh, homemade cookies ready to eat in just minutes. And there's no delivery charge!
And when it comes to holiday baking, freezing your cookie dough is a total game changer. Alternate title options for this post were "How to Simplify Your Holiday Baking" and "How to Reduce Your Holiday Stress". Because seriously, knowing how to prep your Christmas cookie dough ahead of time so that you can have fresh-baked cookies throughout the season as you need them is such a time-saver. It's going to CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
Here's everything you need to know about how to freeze cookie dough:
How to Freeze Scoop or Rolled Cookie Dough
Use this method for cookies that get scooped or rolled into balls, like chocolate chip cookies or molasses cookies.
- Place the cookie dough scoops or balls onto a cookie sheet (you can place them close together; no need to leave extra space since we're not baking them yet) and place the cookie sheet in the freezer (or fridge, if the tray won't fit in the freezer). Let the dough sit in the freezer for 1 hour to firm up.
- Transfer the cookie dough scoops/balls to a plastic freezer bag or a freezer-safe container. Label the bag or container with the date, type of cookie dough, and baking instructions including oven temperature and bake time.
- Place the bag/container in the freezer and freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- When you're ready to bake the cookies, remove the dough from the freezer and preheat your oven. Bake the dough 1-2 minutes longer than the recipe called for, since the dough will be frozen.
How to Freeze Slice-and-Bake Cookie Dough
Use this method for cookies that get rolled into a log, sliced, and baked, like shortbread cookies.
- Roll the cookie dough into a log per the recipe instructions. Wrap the dough log tightly with plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped log into a plastic freezer bag or a freezer-safe container. Label the bag or container with the date, type of cookie dough, and baking instructions including oven temperature and bake time.
- Place the bag/container in the freezer and freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- Just before you're ready to bake the cookies, move the dough to the fridge and let it sit for an hour or two to thaw.
- When the dough has thawed, remove the dough from the fridge and preheat the oven. Slice the dough log per the recipe instructions and bake.
How to Freeze Roll-and-Cut Cookie Dough
Use this method for cookies that get rolled out and cut with cookie cutters, like gingerbread cookies.
- Wrap the unrolled dough tightly with plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped dough into a plastic freezer bag or a freezer-safe container. Label the bag or container with the date, type of cookie dough, and baking instructions including oven temperature and bake time.
- Place the bag/container in the freezer and freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- Before you're ready to bake the cookies, move the dough to the fridge and let it sit overnight to thaw.
- When the dough has thawed, remove the dough from the fridge and preheat the oven. Roll out the dough, cut it into the desired shape(s), and bake per the recipe's instructions.
How to Freeze Baked Cookies
- Place your baked cookies into a plastic freezer bag or a freezer-safe container with a piece of parchment or waxed paper between each layer of cookies.
- Label the bag or container with the date and type of cookies.
- Freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
- Let your cookies thaw overnight before decorating or eating.
- NOTE: For cookies that will be frosted or decorated, it's best to freeze the undecorated cookies and to add any frosting/decorations to the cookies after they've thawed.
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