How To Freeze Cookie Dough And Baked Cookies
Yesterday, I made homemade chocolate chip cookies. After about 30 minutes in the oven, I had a hot batch of delicious, warm chocolate chip cookies. I wanted to save some for later to enjoy them cold the next day.
And so I made a large batch of dough. I used half the dough to bake cookies and scooped the rest of the dough into individual balls to freeze later.
Slice and bake cookies – that’s what I did because that’s how I got fresh baked cookies.
I’m so glad that I froze cookie dough because now I can bake frozen cookies and cookie dough whenever I want. I can make them anytime I want, even when an unexpected visitor drops by.
Today I’m going to show you how to:
- Freeze cookie dough
- Freeze baked cookies
- My simple method for freezing baked cookies
- How to use frozen cookies
But why would anyone want to freeze cookie dough in the first place?Let me state some reasons:
1) It’s super convenient:
Yup! t’s true. You can make a large batch of dough and freeze it for later use. If you want to bake some, simply take them out of the freezer and bake them.
2) You can bake whenever you want:
Let’s say you want to bake cookies, but there is no time for it because of the tight schedule and other activities you have planned.
Baking frozen cookie dough is an excellent solution because you can bake them anytime, even when time is short.
3) You can make a preparation:
Do you know what is better than waiting for the dough to be baked in the oven when it’s hot and fresh?
Waiting for it to be baked when you can already taste it in your mouth, duh! What’s even better than that?
Then you know you can have them any time you want, even weeks after preparing the dough.
4) It’s economical:
When you have a large batch of dough, it makes excellent sense to freeze them. You can save money by not buying more ingredients for a few months.
5) It’s scrumptious:
Okay, this one speaks for itself. ;)2. ist out the steps to prepare and bake frozen cookie dough balls.
So, enough with the benefits, let’s get started with the preparation. I’ll show you how to freeze cookie dough in three easy steps.
Step 1: Prepare the dough.
Prepare the dough according to your favorite recipe. I like to use my own recipe for chocolate chip cookies because it yields delicious results every time, and it’s straightforward to make.
When I’m in a hurry, though, and don’t want to wait for the dough to rise, I use a simple cookie dough recipe from another website.
Step 2: Place the balls on a baking tray
There are many ways to do this, but I like using a spatula to place the dough balls on a baking tray. If you don’t want to dirty dishes, try using your hands. you can also try using a scoop or a spoon to place them.
Step 3: Freeze the balls
Once you have placed all the dough balls on the tray, it’s time to freeze them. After that, I flatten it so that the balls are correctly arranged in one layer.
You can also use aluminum foil to cover the tray before placing it in the freezer. This will prevent the dough from sticking when frozen.
Things to Remember
- Keep in mind that the dough will expand when frozen, so don’t place too many on one tray.
- You can also cover the dough balls with wax paper and place them inside a freezer bag. This prevents the dough from sticking on the foil or bag, and it’s also easier to stack them this way.
- When using freezer bags, make sure to flatten them before placing the dough balls on top of them. This way, you will fit more balls on one tray.
- Put the frozen dough in an airtight container and return it to the freezer.
Equipment You Would Need to Freeze Cookie Dough Balls
Now let’s move on to the equipment you would need in order to freeze cookie dough balls.
1) A large baking tray.
2) Freezer bags or aluminum foil.
3) A spatula, spoon, or scoop.
4) An airtight container to transfer the frozen dough balls in.
5) Parchment lined baking sheet is optional, but they may be helpful when working with a large batch of cookie dough. You can use one for each layer.
Though some of these materials won’t be necessary if you are working with a small batch of dough, I thought it would be helpful to include them in the list so you can prepare everything you need ahead of time.
Making a Large Batch of Cookie Dough Balls
I know what you’re thinking: making a large batch of cookie dough sounds great, but what if I want to bake them all in one go?
Well, that’s just fine! Here are a few things you can do:* Bake a little bit less and store the dough in the freezer. his way, your cookies will still be warm and fresh when you want to eat them. 🙂
- Bake the entire batch of dough, then separate the balls and freeze each layer separately. This way, they won’t stick together.
- You can also bake half of the batch of dough and freeze the other half. Then divide the balls in half and separate them on two baking trays before freezing.
- So there you have it: if your heart desires a large batch of warm, gooey cookies, you can do it with ease!
How to Defrost Cookie Dough Balls
The best way to defrost cookie dough balls is by placing them in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can place them on the counter for about an hour before you plan to bake them.
You can also defrost them in the microwave or by using a warm oven, but I don’t recommend it. Microwaves can get hot, and they might start cooking the dough instead of just defrosting it.
On the other hand, the oven temperature might not be able to defrost the dough properly, which could result in a gooey, half-baked mess.
How to Use Frozen Cookie Dough?
Now that you know how to freeze cookie dough, it’s time for the best part: eating!
Following is the usage of frozen cookie dough:
- You can simply bake them along with the dough and enjoy warm, fresh cookies.
- You can scoop the frozen cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, then place it in the freezer and freeze it for about an hour. once you take the dough out of the freezer, run a sharp knife through it to create your desired shape (square or round, for example) and bake them as usual.
- If you don’t want to bake the frozen cookie dough, take it out of your freezer at least an hour before you plan to eat it. This way, it will defrost properly and taste just like fresh cookies!
- You can also use the dough in other desserts such as ice cream sandwiches, truffles, and tartlets.
- If you don’t have time to bake the cookies, simply roll the dough into a log and place it in a freezer bag. You can slice off as many cookies as you want and bake them whenever your heart desires.
How Long Can You Keep Cookie Dough in the Freezer?
Well, it’ll depend. If you follow all of the steps and keep your dough in an airtight container or freezer bag, you can keep it frozen for up to three months.
Extra Tips!
- Make sure not to overmix the dough and only mix until everything is well combined. Doing this will ensure that your dough doesn’t become too tough once frozen.
- Place the dough balls on a baking sheet before freezing them if you want to bake them later. This way, they won’t stick together. If you don’t need to do it, don’t worry about it.)
- You can also use cookie dough ice cream in your favorite recipes. Just add a scoop or two of “cookie dough chunks” to your batter before baking and enjoy the delicious results!
- If you live in a warm climate, make sure to keep the dough in an airtight container so it won’t start defrosting on you while you’re away from home.
- To keep your dough fresh for longer, consider using a plastic bag to store the dough in the freezer.
- Once you’re ready to enjoy your cookies, just let them defrost on your countertop or in the refrigerator overnight!
Conclusion
There you have it! Now you know how to freeze cookie dough and how it can be used in your kitchen.
Hopefully, this article helped you learn all the necessary information about freezing dough. Always keep checking back for more articles about food and cooking!
If you have any questions or if something is unclear, feel free to comment below!
I’ll be happy to help you out!
Here are some great posts for freezing pizza dough and freezing naan bread.
How to Bake Frozen Cookie Dough?
You can simply bake frozen cookie dough as you normally would. Just make sure that the baking sheet is cold and line it with parchment paper to prevent the dough from sticking.
As long as you are still freezing your dough, the process is simple.
All you have to do is take out all of the cookie dough balls, cut out cookies, and put them on a baking sheet, then place the baking sheet into airtight containers and freeze it for an hour.
Once the dough has been frozen, you can place it in a freezer bag and put them back in your freezer.
What Can you do with Frozen cookie dough?
Well, there are many ways to use frozen cookie dough. For example, you can make chocolate chip, homemade cookies, cookie balls, ice crystals, use them for dessert cuisine, etc.
How to Freeze Cookie dough? Simple method!
Simply, you should keep your dough in an airtight container. Here is my favourite autumn trail mix cookie dough recipe.
How to Freeze Cookie Dough Without Cream Butter?
You can simply avoid adding cream butter by reducing the butter in your dough. Or, simply add more flour if you are not happy with the results. You can also go for baking powder or eggs instead of cream butter.
What if I forget to take the Cookie dough out of the Freezer?
If you are too busy to take out the dough from your freezer, you can simply leave it in there for up to three months.
How long do I need to thaw my frozen Cookie Dough?
You’ll need to thaw the dough on your countertop or in the refrigerator overnight. You can also defrost the dough in the microwave for a little bit, but you have to keep checking up on it because microwaves tend to defrost things unevenly.
How to Keep Cookie Dough Frozen?
As long as you are still freezing your cookie doughs, the process is simple. All you have to do is take out all of the cookie dough ball, cut out cookies with a sharp chef’s knife, and wrap tightly in a baking sheet.
Next place the baking sheet into an airtight container and freeze it for an hour. Use the cookie dough that has been frozen; you can place it in a freezer bag and put them back in your freezer.
Is there anything I should know about Freezing Cookie dough?
Yes! You should always chill when freezing cookie dough before you try to freeze it. Why? Since you are dealing with butter, if you freeze it immediately after making the cookie dough, it will get solid and turn crumbly!
However, you will freeze it in excellent shape if you chill it!