Whether it’s chocolate chip, lemon or simple vanilla cookies, there aren’t many people who can deny that freshly baked cookies are heavenly. But what happens if you’ve got carried away? Can you freeze cookies successfully, or should it be avoided?
Can You Freeze Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze cookies for up to 4 months. Once baked and cooled, place them onto a lined baking tray and freeze for a few hours until solid. Once frozen, bag them up before returning them to the freezer.
How to Freeze Cookies
If you’re looking for the best method for freezing cookies, then here are the steps you’re going to want to take before you just throw a bag of cookies into the freezer and hope for the best:
- Cool
If you have baked your own cookies, you must give them ample time to cool to room temperature. It’s never a good idea to put warm food in the freezer. - Flash Freeze
Place your cooled cookies in a single layer, not touching one another, on a lined baking tray. Then place this in the freezer, trying to keep it as level as possible. - Remove from Tray
After 3 to 4 hours, your cookies should be frozen hard. Remove the tray from the freezer and carefully remove each cookie from the tray. - Bag Up and Freeze
Place your cookies into a freezer bag, seal the bag up tightly and return them to the freezer.
Doing it this way will ensure the cookies don’t freeze together, so you can remove as many or as few as you need at any time. The other option is to layer them up between pieces of wax paper in an airtight container.
Freezer-Friendly Cookie Recipes
Try out one of these delicious recipes that are perfect for freezing:
How Long Can You Freeze Cookies?
Cookies can generally be frozen for up to 4 months.
Whether they’re baked or unbaked, the key to freezing cookies is to store them properly. This involves cooling cookies completely if they’re baked, sealing them well in freezer bags or airtight containers, and putting them in a part of your freezer where they won’t get crushed.
Although they’re safe to eat for longer than this, you’ll find that the texture dried out and the flavour disappears if you leave the cookies in the freezer for much longer.
Cookies keep for quite a long time in the fridge. They will keep in a Tupperware container for up to 2 months. You can also keep them for 2 weeks at room temperature.
How Do You Defrost Cookies?
If you want to defrost an already-baked cookie, then remove it from the freezer and allow it to defrost at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Of course, this will differ if you have thick, chunky cookies.
If you want it warm, throw it straight into a warm oven for 10 to 15 minutes. This is how I prefer my cookies, and who doesn’t?
If you’re particularly impatient, you can even do so in the microwave for 10 to 15-second intervals.
To thaw frozen cookies, it’s best to place them on a wire rack at room temperature and let them sit for about 2-3 hours. This ensures they defrost evenly without becoming too soggy or losing their texture.
Can You Refreeze Cookies?
You can, but you must consider whether it’s worth doing so.
When you refreeze thawed cookies, they will become drier when you defrost them for a second time, making them taste almost stale – as if you’ve left them on the side for a little too long.
You need to ask yourself, is it worth it?
Instead, we’d strongly recommend that you only thaw enough cookies at a time.
Do Cookies Freeze Well?
Nothing beats a gooey, warm chocolate chip cookie straight from the oven. There is simply no denying that.
However, frozen cookies can still taste delicious, and if you freeze cookie dough, then you’ll still get to experience straight-from-the-oven gooey cookies.
Layer With Wax Paper
When storing cookies in a container, put a layer of wax paper between each row of cookies. This helps prevent the cookies from sticking to each other and also maintains their shape during freezing and thawing.
Sources
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