Were you planning to bake some cookies, but now you’re unsure you’ll have the time? Then you’re likely wondering if you can freeze your cookie dough – and how. You’ll also wonder if thawing is necessary or if you can bake from frozen.
And I have your answer. My name is Michelle, and I’ve made my fair share of cookie dough and stashed it in the freezer. I’ve also made plenty of cookie dough from frozen. And it’s not complicated.
If you want to learn how to freeze cookie dough and bake from frozen, I can help! Just follow my handy how-to guide below.
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How to Freeze Cookie Dough
There are many reasons why you might want to freeze your cookie dough.
Maybe you decided you weren’t in the mood to bake a batch. Perhaps you got called into work unexpectedly. Or maybe something else happened. But whatever the case, you need to freeze your dough for a later date.
Luckily, you can – and it’s pretty simple, too! Here’s how to do it:
1. Roll the Cookie Dough Into Balls
After you mix all of your cookie dough ingredients, it’s time to shape them into balls – just like you usually would.
Read your recipe’s directions to determine the size of the cookie dough balls. Most of the time, cookie dough balls will be about an inch in diameter.
Place them on top of a baking sheet or another similar item. Place the cookie dough balls about half an inch apart. Since they won’t be baked at this point, they don’t need as much space between them.
2. Freeze for One Hour or Longer
Now, slide the baking sheet covered in cookie dough balls into the freezer.
You only need to let the cookie dough balls chill for about an hour in the freezer. They do not need to be covered.
If you need more time, don’t worry – they don’t have to come out of the freezer in an hour. You can leave them in for as long as needed. (So, if you’re headed out to an eight-hour shift, you can leave your cookie dough balls in the freezer while you’re gone without worry.)
3. Toss into a Bag or Container
At this point, your cookie dough balls will be nice and firm.
However, you don’t want to leave them uncovered in your freezer on a baking sheet. Not only will this ruin your cookie dough balls, but it will take up a lot of much-needed space in your appliance.
That said, it’s time to toss your frozen cookie dough balls into a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container.
4. Freeze For Up to 12 Months
You can leave your cookie dough balls in the freezer for up to 12 months.
However, I recommend baking them within two months.
After the two-month mark, they will begin to lose quality – and who wants to eat sub-par cookies?
How to Bake Cookie Dough From Frozen
Although it’s easy to thaw frozen cookie dough before baking, it’s not essential.
You can bake cookie dough that’s entirely frozen.
Here’s how:
1. Preheat Your Oven
The first step is to preheat your oven.
You don’t need to adjust the temperature because you’re baking from frozen. Use the recommended baking temperature on your recipe. For most cookies, that will be 350F.
2. Place Frozen Cookie Dough Balls on the Baking Sheet
While your oven is preheating, remove your frozen cookie dough balls from their respective container or bag.
Then, place them on your baking sheet.
You’ll need to space the cookie dough balls a little further apart – at least two inches.
3. Bake!
After the oven has successfully preheated, it’s time to start baking those yummy frozen cookie dough balls!
Slide the baking sheet into the oven.
Allow the cookies to bake until they’re fully cooked. You will need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time since you’re baking from a colder temperature. Usually, two additional minutes do the trick, but you may need to add more.
The best thing to do is to check for signs your cookies are done. You can tell your cookies are ready to be taken out of the oven when they exhibit a golden brown temperature, and there is no longer any sheen on top. You can also stick a toothpick into the center and see if it comes out clean. If so, they’re done!
4. (Optional) Cool and Freeze
Want to utilize your freezer again?!
No problem.
All you need to do is cool your cookies on a cooling rack.
Allow them to cool entirely before stashing them in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container. If you want to increase the freshness, you can wrap each cookie separately with plastic wrap before storing it in a bag or container.
Frozen cookies should be consumed within 12 months – but as I always say, the sooner, the better!
FAQs
See? I told you that freezing cookie dough and baking it from frozen wasn’t complicated! In fact, it’s a cinch! If you want to learn more about this interesting topic, check out below. There are a few frequently asked questions asked by readers just like you!
You can bake frozen cookie dough without thawing it! All you need to do is preheat your oven, place the frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet (spaced at least two inches apart), and bake. You’ll need to tack on a few additional minutes to ensure they’re done.
You can freeze raw cookie dough and bake it at a later time. When it comes time to bake it, you don’t need to thaw it or do anything “special.” Simply place the frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as you usually would, adding a few extra minutes to make sure they’re fully cooked.
You can freeze cookie dough, bake the frozen cookie dough, and then freeze the cookies. Ensure the cookies are cooled entirely before attempting to store them in the freezer. Place your cookies in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container for up to 12 months (the sooner you eat them, the better).
You Can Easily Freeze Cookie Dough and Bake From Frozen!
Freeing cookie dough is simple. Just roll it into balls, chill it, and store it in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container. When ready to bake it, place the frozen balls on a baking sheet and bake as usual.
Do you ever freeze your cookie dough? How do you do it? Share your method with us in the comment section below so we can give it a try!
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