Can You Freeze Snickerdoodles?

5 minutes

Snickerdoodles are a timeless cookie and a staple of the holiday season. You may want to get ahead of things as the holiday’s approach, but is it possible to batch-prepare them and pop them in the freezer? You bet!

How to Freeze Snickerdoodles

Freezing snickerdoodles couldn’t be easier! There are a couple of different ways that you could do it (already baked, or unbaked dough), and we’ll take you through both of them……but freezing it to bake later gives the best results:

Baked Snickerdoodles

1. Bake per Recipe
   Follow your usual snickerdoodle recipe.
2. Cool
   Allow your freshly baked snickerdoodles to cool completely on a wire rack. This prevents excess moisture from being trapped inside, which could lead to soggy cookies or freezer burn later.
3. Flash Freeze
   Place the cooled cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours to flash freeze. This keeps the cookies from sticking together during storage.
4. Label Freezer-Safe Bag/Container
   Choose either a freezer-safe bag (I prefer quart-sized because that’s how many my family will eat at one time) or container, and then label it with the item name and date. (This is much easier if you do it before putting the cookies inside.)
5. Store in Freezer-Safe Bags
   Once the cookies are completely frozen, transfer them to your labeled freezer-safe bag or airtight container.

Unbaked Snickerdoodle Dough

1. Make Dough per Recipe
   Follow your usual snickerdoodle dough recipe, but do NOT bake.
2. Portion the Dough
   After mixing the dough, roll it into balls as if you were preparing to bake them. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
3. Flash Freeze the Dough Balls
   Place the coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they aren’t touching. Freeze for 1-2 hours until the dough is firm.
4. Label Freezer-Safe Bag/Container
   Choose either a freezer-safe bag (I prefer gallon-sized when freezing the dough balls) or container, and then label it with the item name and date. (This is much easier if you do it before putting the cookies inside.)
5. Store for Later
   Transfer the frozen dough balls into your labeled freezer-safe bag or container. If you haven’t yet, be sure to label the bag. The dough can be baked straight from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes (2-3) to your baking time.

** Once in the freezer, the dough balls can be kept for up to three months

3 Tips for Freezing Snickerdoodles

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our Top 3 Tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing snickerdoodles to have the best results:

Roll in Cinnamon-Sugar Before Freezing
For best results, roll unbaked dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture before freezing. This way, they’re ready to go straight into the oven from the freezer without any extra steps.

Remove Excess Air
Make sure to remove as much excess air from the freezer bag before sealing, as the aromatic and flavour compounds within the snickerdoodles will evaporate over time.

Label Everything
Unbaked biscuit dough all looks the same in the freezer. Don’t forget to label your bags or containers with the date you froze the cookies and what they are. This also helps you enjoy them at their best quality.

How Long Can You Freeze Snickerdoodles?

Cooked snickerdoodles can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. After that, they may start to lose their flavor and texture, but they will still be safe to eat if properly stored.

Uncooked snickerdoodle dough can also be kept frozen for up to 3 months. We recommend baking and eating them within 2-months as beyond this period, the dough may lose some of its freshness. That said, they’ll still bake well enough if stored in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.

How Do You Defrost Snickerdoodles?

Defrosting Baked Snickerdoodles

1. Room Temperature Thawing
   Remove baked snickerdoodles from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. They’ll be soft and ready to enjoy!
2. Microwave Defrosting (Optional)
   If you need them quickly, you can microwave the cookies on low power for 10-15 seconds, but be careful not to overheat them, as they may become too soft or burn.

Defrosting Unbaked Snickerdoodle Dough

1. Bake Straight from Frozen
   Preheat your oven and bake the frozen snickerdoodle dough balls as directed in your recipe (usually about 200˚C/400˚F for eight to eleven minutes). You’ll need to add about 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time, but they’ll turn out just as delicious.
2. Microwave NOT Recommended
   It’s not safe to defrost raw dough in the microwave, as it can cause uneven thawing or partial cooking, which will affect the quality of the cookies.

** Once baked, I add a small toss of sugar on top when I’m baking from frozen. Mmmmmm, delicious!

Can You Refreeze Snickerdoodles?

Yes, but it’s not recommended. You can thaw and refreeze uncooked snickerdoodles only if they’ve been kept at or below refrigerator temperatures during thawing. And, since you’re baking from frozen…it’s not recommended.

It’s worth noting, with each repeated thaw and freeze of baked snickerdoodles, the texture will become more and more damaged.

Do Snickerdoodles Freeze Well?

Yes, snickerdoodles do freeze well – whether frozen as dough or as baked cookies, they freeze very well, allowing the snickerdoodles to be a wonderful tasty treat when you do come to eat them.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about frreezing snickerdoodles or snickerdoodles in general, then these may help: