If you aren’t a professional baker, I assume that you don’t bake cookies every day or even every other day. Whether it’s buttery sugar cookies or classic chocolate chip cookies, you want them to store for a long time, to enjoy hassle-free snack time.
Freezing is the best way to preserve and store food items that we are well familiar with. But, can you freeze baked cookies? It would be a lot easier to freeze cookie dough. Even though freezing baked cookies is possible, you need to do a few things to make sure the taste and flavor aren’t compromised.
Why Would You Freeze Baked Cookies?
There are other ways of storing cookies. So, what makes freezing to give preference over all of them?
- The first and foremost reason is that no other method can store your delicious cookies as long as freezing can.
- When you bake too many cookies, freezing is a more convenient and practical solution for you to store.
- If you don’t want to bake cookies again within a week or two, bake one time, and then freeze them to enjoy them during snack time without doing much hassle.
So, as I mentioned earlier, you can totally freeze all your baked cookies without any issue; however, it’s much better to freeze the cookie dough instead. Freezing the dough allows you to store it for even longer than cookies. Also, forming cookies from frozen dough is quite easy and simple.
But, if freezing baked cookies is the only way you want to go with, you need to make sure the cookies don’t break when you take them out of the freezer. Also, be sure to let the cookies thaw prior to warming them up to eat.
Benefits of Freezing Cookies
- It’s possible even to store the cookies for six months or more
- Much easier to remove, thaw, and stick the cookies in the oven
- Less mess as the cookies are already formed and baked
Reasons that Might Discourage You from Freezing Cookies
- It takes a considerable period of time to thaw the cookies
- You need to carefully remove cookies from the freezer so that they don’t break
- After reheating the cookies, you might not get the exact same taste like freshly baked cookies, and it feels a bit dryer
Storing Cookies in the Freezer
When it comes to freezing cookies, there are many options to choose from.
Ziploc Bags
You can use ziplock bags, and put the cookies inside, seal it, and put the bags in the freezer. Later, you can take the bags out of the freezer any time you want.
Sealer Container
Using a sealed container is another convenient option for storing baked cookies. Make one layer of baked cookies on the bottom of the container. Place a sheet of wax paper over the cookies, and then make another layer placing the cookies. Repeat the process until the container is full.
Layering the cookies and separating each layer from another ensures that the cookies will not stick together while freezing. It will be much easier for you to put them out of the freezer as well.
Wrapping a Tray
Another option is to place the cookies in a tray and wrap the tray with a plastic wrapper, and then put it inside the freezer. This option requires more space in the freezer than others.
If you are to store cookies only for a month or less, consider applying this method. Storing the cookies more than a month following the method will make cookies to become freezer-burned.
All the methods I have mentioned are very effective for storing baked cookies in the freezer. However, the container option is the best one as it doesn’t let air enter into the container, and also separates the cookies to prevent getting stuck.
When you are about to bring the cookies out to eat, consider microwaving them instead of putting them inside an oven. It will make sure the cookies don’t get over baked.
Traditional Methods of Storing Cookies
Once you bring out the cookies from the freezer and microwave them to eat, it’s obvious that you will not be able to eat all the cookies at once. Freezing the cookies and bringing them out, and microwaving them again sounds quite tiring.
You can still store the remaining cookies using the most common household methods.
Sealed Container
Again, nothing beats sealed containers when it comes to storing bakery items for a week. The container prevents any air from getting inside it, so the cookies stay fresh for longer.
You don’t need to make layers of cookies for freezing room temperature ones. Normally place them inside the container, and leave at room temperature. When you bring them out of the container, the cookies will retain the shape as well as the texture soon.
Tortilla
Another great method is to line a container using a tortilla and put the cookies inside it. The tortilla will make sure the cookies are soft and well-textured even when you bring them out and eat them after a long time.
Freezing Cookie Dough
If freezing the dough sounds more convenient to you, and you don’t want to compromise with the taste, and take hassle for microwaving the cookies, no need to freeze the cookies.
You can easily store the dough as a cylinder, disc, or in a container. When it’s about removing the dough out of the freezer, all you need is to make dough balls and stick them in an oven.
This option allows you to use the necessary amount of dough to make cookies from. The rest of the dough can be kept inside the freezer for longer. If you want to eat freshly baked cookies every time, this is the option to go with.
Other than cookies, you can also use the dough and make the delicious edible cookie dough. The recipe doesn’t require baking.
Final Thoughts
After going through the article, you just learned how to store your baked cookies for longer.
So, the next time someone asks you ‘can you freeze baked cookies’ or what does it taste like to eat cookies that are stored inside a freezer, you know how to convince them.
Whether you want to freeze bake cookies or doughs, these are the things that you should avoid.