If you haven’t frozen your cookie dough before, you’ve certainly been missing out! Freezing cookie dough is a super helpful technique to save time and keep cookies fresh. It’s especially helpful for busy moms and cookie lovers who just don’t have the time. Having surprise guests can be stressful, and learning to freeze cookie dough can save you from all those cookie emergencies. Learning to freeze your cookie dough is essential to have a batch of fresh cookies whenever you want!
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Why Should I Freeze My Cookie Dough?
- Convenience - Freezing your cookie dough is super convenient! It can save you so much time and effort compared to making a new batch every time. Freezing cookie dough means less to prepare, less to clean, and more cookies to eat!
- It’s great for small batches - If you only want a few pieces of cookies to eat each time, freezing cookie dough is definitely the way to go. Instead of needing to bake 12 cookies at once, you can easily get only the pieces that you need and bake them fresh anytime.
- Surprise cookie emergencies - I would consider cookie emergencies to be of greatest importance and urgency. Kidding aside, having frozen cookie dough can save from the stress of having surprise guests at home.
- Great for holiday baking - When making large batches of cookies for gift giving or for a holiday celebration, making cookie dough in advance can help you manage your time and avoid stress. Freeze the batches of cookie dough in the freezer and then bake them fresh when it’s time to eat it or to pack it.
- It can improve the taste of some cookies - Freezing cookie dough beforehand can actually improve the taste of some cookies! Although it completely depends on the recipe, I have found this to be true especially for recipes that need to be refrigerated or chilled before baking.
How to Freeze Different Types of Cookies
There are different ways of freezing cookie dough depending on the type of cookie that you are planning to make. For every type of cookie, there is the best shape to form your cookie dough into that will make it easier for you once it’s time to bake them.
Drop cookies (such as chocolate chip cookies) should be frozen in individual cookie dough balls or dollops since they are baked by dropping spoonfuls of dough into a baking sheet.
Slice-and-bake cookies should be shaped into logs before freezing to prepare them for slicing when ready to be baked.
Cookie cutouts can either be cut out before freezing or shaped into discs (to be cut out before baking). When choosing to shape them into discs, you need to thaw them overnight before cutting them out into shapes and baking.
Steps to Freeze Cookie Dough Balls
- Scoop your cookie dough into balls or dollops - Use a spoon or cookie scoop to measure the size of the cookie dough balls as instructed in the recipe.
- Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze it for 2-3 hours - Freezing the dough on a baking sheet prevents it from deforming and sticking together later.
- Transfer it to a storage container and store it in the freezer - Once frozen, place the cookie dough balls together in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
- Write the time and temperature - Write down the date when you froze the dough and the baking time and temperature instructions from the cookie’s recipe.
Steps to Freeze Cookie Dough Logs and Discs
- Shape the dough into a log or a disc - Using your hands, form the dough into a log or a 1-inch thick disc, whichever suits the cookie recipe you are making.
- Wrap it tightly - Using a cling wrap, make sure to cover the whole cookie dough and wrap it tightly. After covering it with plastic wrap, use foil to cover it as a second layer.
- Store in the freezer - Place the cookie dough in the freezer for up to three months.
- Write the time and temperature - Write down the date when you froze the dough and the baking time and temperature instructions from the cookie’s recipe.
Steps to Freeze Cookie Cutouts
- Cut out your cookies into cutouts - Follow the recipe instructions on cutting out your cookies.
- Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze it for 4-5 hours - Freezing the dough on a baking sheet prevents the cookie cutouts from deforming and sticking together later.
- Transfer it to a storage container and store it in the freezer - Once frozen, place the cookie dough cutouts together in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
- Write the time and temperature - Write down the date when you froze the dough and the baking time and temperature instructions from the cookie’s recipe.
How to Bake Frozen Cookie Dough
Cookie dough balls and cutouts
From the storage container, separate your cookie dough cutouts and balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Simply leave your frozen cookie dough to thaw on the counter for at least 10 minutes while you are preparing the oven and they should be good to go.
You can also bake them directly out of the freezer and simply add 1-2 minutes instead of the original baking time on the recipe. Make sure to watch your cookies during the last few minutes to see if they are already baked enough.
Cookie dough logs and discs
For logs and discs, unwrap your cookie dough and leave them to thaw until they are soft enough to slice or cut out. Then bake them as usual and they should come out fresh.
Note: For some cookie recipes, freezing the cookie dough sometimes changes the consistency of the cookie spread. Consider squashing the dough a bit with a spoon before placing them in the oven. Meanwhile, for cookies that tend to spread too much, freezing cookies can be a great solution to their thin spread.
Best and Worst Types of Cookie Dough to Freeze
Which types of cookie dough are best to freeze?
Most cookie recipes are fine to freeze unless recipe instructions state that they don’t. Cookie recipes that instruct you to let the dough chill in the fridge for a bit are the best ones to freeze, as well as cookie recipes that use a lot of butter and fat.
Any type of drop cookies, such as chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies, can be frozen well. Slice-and-bake cookies, such as shortbread cookies, icebox cookies, and butter cookies, have no problem with being frozen as well.
Which types of cookie dough don’t freeze well?
Thin and delicate cookies don’t freeze well. Don’t freeze cookies that have a runny or liquidy batter such as florentines, madeleine cookies, French macarons, and tuiles.
How to Freeze Baked Cookies
When freezing baked cookies make sure to let them cool completely before placing them in an airtight container. You can either wrap the cookies individually or layer them in a storage container. Just make sure that the cookies are properly sealed before placing them in the freezer.
When ready to bake, simply remove them from the container and place them on a plate to thaw until they reach room temperature. To make them as fresh as possible, place your thawed cookies in an oven at 275°F for 10-15 minutes.
Common Questions About Freezing Cookie Dough
How long can you freeze cookie dough?
Generally, you can freeze cookie dough for up to three months. Of course, this also depends on the recipe and ingredients used.
Can I freeze cookie dough that’s been rolled in sugar or other coatings?
Do not include any toppings or coatings such as sugar or cinnamon on your cookie dough before you freeze it. Coat the cookie dough right before baking instead.
Can I freeze no-bake cookie dough?
Yes, you can freeze no-bake cookie dough with no problem. Simply place the dough in an airtight container before placing it in the freezer. When ready to consume, leave it in the refrigerator for a few hours before thawing it on the kitchen table until it reaches room temperature.
How can I freeze cookie bars?
To freeze cookie bars, freeze the entire baking pan with parchment paper for at least 3 hours or until frozen. Once frozen, remove from dough from the baking pan and wrap it in a tight plastic cling wrap. Wrap it in foil as a second layer and place it in the freezer for up to three months.
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