This time of year, it seems like everyone's love language is cookies. Housewarming party? Here are some cookies to warm up your new home! Holiday gathering? Dessert is covered with these cookies! Family get-together? Don't worry! I'll bring the holiday cookies.
What does all this cheer leave you with? Lots and lots of leftover cookies. This doesn't even include the dozens of cookies you might have made this season to enjoy within your home or to share with others.
Everybody loves cookies, so having some left over is never really a bad thing. But they won't stay good forever sitting in a plastic Tupperware container or crumbling into a ziplock bag. Can you freeze them though? Or will that totally dry them out, or cause them to get furry with freezer burn?
The answer is actually, yes! You can absolutely store your cookies in the freezer. But there are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your frozen cookies.
Let cookies cool completely before freezing.
Letting the cookies come all the way back to room temperature before throwing them in the freezer will help prevent them drying out, or freezing in a warped shape. You should also freeze them on a baking sheet, flat, before transferring to a plastic bag.
Not all cookies freeze the same.
If you have delicate cookies (like pizzelles) or heavily frosted cookies, these could lose some of their flavor and beauty in the freezer. Most other cookies can withstand the cool temps.
They can last for months this way.
If giving out holiday cookies is your go-to gift in the winter, the freezer will be your friend. Most cookies will stay good for up to six months in the freezer, meaning you can get baking as early as July!
You can freeze cookie dough, too!
Whether you scoop it into balls or freeze it in a log, cookie dough can keep in the freezer for a few months. So if you would rather bake them fresh each time you're in the mood for a snack, this hack is for you. Just make sure you label the containers with what kind of cookie dough is inside, and defrost in the refrigerator overnight for best baking results.
Bake now, frost later.
If you are obsessed with sugar cookies, opt to do the hard work now. You can roll out the dough, punch out the shapes, bake them off, and freeze. Or you can punch out your shapes and freeze that dough raw! Either way, you save the decorating (a.k.a. the fun part) for another time—say, a themed party?—and get the labor-intensive part done now.
Defrost your frozen cookies properly.
When pulling them out of the tundra, let the cookies sit out until they reach room temperature. Then, you can decorate with icing or reheat them for a few minutes in the oven.
