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Even though there are plenty of tricks for storing already-baked cookies, let’s be honest. Nothing competes with the goodness of a just-baked cookie.
That’s why I ALWAYS have a stash of frozen cookie dough in my freezer.
(Secret confession: I pretty much feel naked without cookie dough stashed somewhere in my freezer).
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Having frozen cookie dough on hand means you can whip up a batch of homemade cookies any time in just minutes. This comes in handy in countless situations:
- You need to satisfy a cookie craving STAT and don’t want to bake an entire batch
- Company stops by unexpectedly (like your mother-in-law…)
- Back-to-school and other busy times
- Prepping ahead for Christmas baking or holiday baking
- Upcoming bake sales or parties
- Homemade gifts for teachers, students, new parents, neighbors, etc.
I’ve got lots of tips for freezing cookie dough included just below!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
Equipment Needed to Freeze Cookie Dough:
- Cookie Scoop
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Airtight container or freezer-safe Ziptop bag
Which Kinds of Cookie Dough are Best to Freeze?
Pretty much ANY drop-style cookie can be frozen successfully. Whether that be Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Double Chocolate Chip Cookies… or anything in between.
Believe me, I wrote an entire cookbook about cookie baking so I’ve frozen my fair share of recipes!
Notes on what to do with cookies rolled in sugar (like my Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies or my Crispy Gingersnaps) are below.
If you’re making cut-out cookies, such as Cut-Out Sugar Cookies or Gingerbread Cookies, where you roll out the dough and cut it into shapes with a cookie cutter, those cookies are best frozen after baking.
How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookies (or Any Drop-Style Cookie Dough)
- Make the cookie dough as the recipe directs.
- Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to portion out balls of dough in a single layer, onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Important Note: If the recipe calls for ‘marinating’ or chilling the cookie dough (which does magical things for your cookies!) then be sure to allow the dough cookie dough balls to chill in the fridge for 24-72 hours before freezing – learn why chilling cookie dough is important here.
- Place the tray of cookie dough balls flat in the freezer. Freeze until firm and solid.
- Remove the balls of cookie dough to a labeled and dated airtight storage container or freezer-safe bag.
How to Freeze Cookies Coated in Sugar
For cookies like Snickerdoodles, which are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, you want to wait until just before baking to roll in sugar. Here’s that method:
- Freeze the uncoated balls of cookie dough.
- Once ready to bake, roll in the sugar and follow the directions below for baking.
- If you find the sugar doesn’t stick as well to the frozen dough, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature until slightly more pliable, then bake as directed by the recipe.
Can You Freeze Glazed or Iced Cookies?
Glazed or iced cookies (like my Glazed Lemon Cookies) will get sticky and will no longer look nice, as the icing can weep. For best results, freeze the dough as directed below and wait until baked and fully cooled before icing or glazing.
You can also freeze the baked cookies as directed below, and wait until thawed and back to room temperature before icing or glazing.
Can You Freeze Sandwich Cookies or Filled Cookies?
For best results, freeze the dough as directed below and wait until baked and fully cooled before filling. Alternatively, freeze the baked cookies as directed below, and wait until thawed and at room temperature before filling.
How Long Can You Freeze Cookie Dough For?
You can store cookie dough in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Be sure your airtight container or ziptop bag is well-sealed, to prevent freezer burn.
Does Freezing Cookie Dough Change The Softness Or Thickness Of Cookies After Baking?
Generally, the colder the dough is when it enters the oven, the thicker the cookies will be! If you don’t wish to alter the thickness of the cookie, allow your cookie dough balls to thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed by the recipe.
How to Bake Frozen Cookie Dough
You can either let the dough completely defrost overnight in the fridge and bake as the recipe instructs. Or, if you’re impatient like me, you can bake from frozen. Here are the steps:
- Preheat the oven to about 20 degrees lower than the original recipe temperature.
- Remove however many balls of dough you need from the freezer and place on a parchment-lined baking pan.
- Bake the cookies for 2 to 5 minutes longer than the original recipe instructions, or until the cookies are golden at the edges but still slightly ‘wet’ looking at the very center.
Why Do You Have To Lower The Temperature When Baking Cookies From Frozen?
Using the above technique helps the cookie dough melt and spread out evenly from a frozen state. If you bake exactly as the recipe directs, you’ll likely get cookies that spread and crisp too much at the edges but stay super thick and undercooked in the center.
How to Freeze Baked Cookies
Practically all unfrosted, unglazed cookies can be frozen. Cut-out Cookies (like sugar cookies) freeze particularly well in airtight containers for up to 1 month. I like to place pieces of parchment paper between each layer, for easy removal later. Defrost to room temperature before decorating or serving.
If you’re enjoying something like chocolate chip cookies, you can also defrost and refresh in a 300°F oven for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until warmed through. An oven works better than a microwave, which will usually result in mushy cookies.
My Favorite Cookie Recipes to Freeze:
More Cookie Science Articles:
- Best Baking Pans
- Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans
- How to Bake THICK Cookies
- Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda – what’s the difference and how to test for freshness
- How to Cream Butter & Sugar
- What Does Sugar Do in Baking? (spoiler alert: it’s way more than just sweetening!)
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
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Ingredients
- 1 batch of cookie dough
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough as the recipe instructs. Freezing works best with drop cookies (i.e. chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, etc.). Cut-out cookies actually freeze well after they’re baked!
- Roll the cookie dough into even balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet that fits flat in your freezer.
- Freeze the balls for 1 hour, or until solid. This prevents the balls from sticking to each other.
- Remove the balls to a ziptop bag or an airtight container. Be sure to label with the date, recipe name, baking temperature, and baking time.
- Freeze for up to 6 weeks. You can get away with freezing for longer but the quality may start to lessen.
I loved this recipe and I recommend it to everyone who wants to learn it too. padeiroseconfeiteiros.com
This recipe is AMAZING! I followed this recipe to a T and I made sure to weigh the flour and the sugar. I chilled it for 4 hrs then baked 3 cookies to test and then I baked 12 more cookies after 24 hrs of marinating, both times they were delicious! The consistency, size and softness of the cookies were perfect! I’ll see how long it stays soft & chewy after baking, I also froze the rest of the cookie balls so I’ll be curious to see if they are as good after being frozen. Thank you!
Perfection!
How long typically does it need to freeze before storing in bags?
1 hour, as the written recipe indicates!
OMG….really great, it makes me feel alive again after hard working days, the taste is great and quite strange.
I think it’s hard to do fnhuwng nor too hard its taste is very good
Hi there, I was wondering if you could explain the reasoning behind lowering the temp. by 20 degrees? I’ve also read on other sites to bake at original recipe temp. but increase baking time.
Lowering the temperature helps the cookie dough melt and spread out evenly from a frozen state. If you bake as the recipe directs normally, you’ll likely get cookies that spread and crisp too much at the edges but stays super thick and undercooked in the center. Hope that helps 🙂
Hi,
Do you know if you can freeze baked cookies if you baked them from frozen cookie dough?
In other words could you make the cookie dough, freeze it, cook from frozen, let them cool and put them back in the freezer again?
Does the baking process make it so that the first freeze no longer counts?
Many thanks.
I like my cookies soft, Will freezing the dough change that?
It shouldn’t change the texture of the dough once baked!
This was very helpful. I was wondering if you had any recipes for sugar free cookies.
This is how we made cookies at the bakery I used to work at. Always cooked from frozen. Except we did not leave space between each dough scoop as you showed here. Pretty muched shoved as many on a sheet tray as possible. Never had any problems with them sticking together, thougmanye freezing time I’m sure was longer. We stored them on the sheet tray in a loose plastic sleeve/bag, and they probably were used up in a week or two.
I love how easy this can be, and with guests coming for Christmas, I can start early. I’m making peanut butter kiss cookies, and I roll each ball in sugar before I stick them in the oven. Do I roll the balls in sugar before or after I freeze them? Thanks!