Can You Freeze Cookie Dough? You will certainly need to keep raw cookie dough at some point in your life, whether you just created too much or are attempting to plan ahead a few days. If you’re anything like me, you’ll eat cookies more than once. There are several reasons to freeze cookie dough, and it can sometimes be better than refrigerating it. So, to address the question, “Can I freeze cookie dough rather than refrigerate it?”
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Cookie Dough Freeze
Before going any farther, it is best to address the main question that many people will have.
Yes, you can freeze cookie dough instead of putting it in the fridge. Both the texture and flavour will ultimately remain unchanged, and you will have some great cookies if you decide to bake the dough.
It should be noted, however, that if you freeze the cookie dough and then thaw it, you should avoid freezing it again because the texture will worsen.
If you want to freeze all of your dough and defrost it in batches, freeze it in smaller quantities so that you only thaw what you need. More to come on that later!
Best Cookie Dough Types to Freeze. Can You Freeze Cookie Dough?
When it comes to freezing your cookie dough, you’ll need to know which forms of cookie dough are the most suitable with freezing. Cookies are a form of baked item, and there are many distinct types of cookies. This implies that some cookies will have dough that reacts badly to freezing.
Big hearty doughs that are chunky and chewy are the ideal cookie doughs to freeze. Cookie doughs for sliced cookies, particularly shortbread and sugar cookies, freeze well. Frozen cookie dough can be brittle and stiff, thus delicate doughs like macarons should be avoided. It would be a shame to destroy something so difficult to produce by turning it into a sloppy frozen dough.
Sugar cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and chunky chocolate chip cookies, for example, freeze well. Shortbread and similar cookies can also be frozen. It is the more delicate sort of dough that is at risk of losing its texture if frozen.
Cookie Dough Freezes in a Flash
When freezing cookie dough, it is best not to do so in one large lump. This means that scooping your entire batch of cookie dough into an airtight container and calling it a day is not a good idea. This is awful for the dough and horrible for storage, not to mention that you’ll have to thaw the entire batch at once instead of just what you need.
The best technique to freeze cookie dough is to flash freeze it first. When your cookie dough is ready to freeze, divide it into cookie dough balls with a cookie scoop or a tablespoon. Place the chocolate chip cookie balls on a cookie sheet or baking tray coated with parchment paper/baking sheets. This is the same method as making cookies, but instead of baking them, place them in the freezer for an hour or two.
This approach will somewhat freeze the cookie dough balls, making them firmer and less sticky than raw dough. Remove the cookie dough balls from the freezer and place them in an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. This process can be done until your container or bag is filled. When thawing your cookie dough, simply remove as many dough balls as you require rather than thawing the entire batch.
Freezing Cookie Dough Without Freezer Burn
Freezer burn can deter many individuals from freezing their food, resulting in additional food waste and wasted money. Knowing how to effectively freeze food without damaging it in the freezer is a vital ability.
Freezer burn occurs in most foods when there is a large surface area and some residual moisture from the air. In rare situations, this can be tough to overcome, but for the most part, you should be alright.
Pouring your dough balls into a container or a bag, as described in the previous steps, is a perfect way to store them because it keeps them from being exposed to the freezing. Use a straw or your mouth to suck out as much air as possible while placing the cookie balls in a freezer bag. It does not have to be a vacuum seal, but even removing some of the air is a good start in preventing freezer burn.
Furthermore, if you want to be extra cautious, you can wrap the cookie balls in cling film or plastic wrap to fully exclude any contact with air that they may have.
Cookie Dough Thawing
Now that you know how to freeze cookie dough, you’ll want to know how to correctly transform your cookies from frozen solid to pleasant and soft like they were before. T
The thawing phase is critical, and rushing it will affect the texture of your cookies; even if you decide to bake your cookies, this will be visible.
The easiest technique to thaw frozen cookies is to let their temperature rise naturally over a somewhat longer length of time. Leaving your dough in the fridge overnight is an excellent way to do this because it happens gradually over a few hours. Chilling frozen cookie dough allows it to slowly thaw without affecting the texture.
After that, simply set it aside at room temperature for about 10 minutes before baking the dough. If they are still cold from the fridge, they will take longer to bake and will bake unevenly.
Shelf Life of Frozen Cookie Dough Can You Freeze Cookie Dough?
Now that you know how to freeze cookies to keep them fresher for longer, you may be wondering how long you can keep them frozen before the quality begins to deteriorate.
Personally, I would only keep them in the freezer for about a month. They can survive for longer without being certified safe to eat, but after a month, the texture seems to suffer and can be substantially worse.
Is It Safe to Freeze Cookie Dough?
There are numerous advantages to freezing cookie dough, and because the texture can remain practically unchanged, there is no reason not to do so. For example, if you make a large amount of cookie dough but just want to bake a few cookies, you would generally refrigerate the cookie batter and then have a time limit until the dough is no longer good to bake. Freezing the dough provides you a lot more time to play with it and eliminates the need to use it as soon as possible.
Can I Freeze Cookie Dough Instead Of Refrigerating It – Frequently Asked Questions
Is it best to freeze or refrigerate cookie dough?
Both solutions are good depending on your time constraints, but you should choose the one that is best for you. Refrigerate the dough if you are not going to bake it within a week. However, if you are unsure and want additional time before the dough becomes worthless, freeze it.
What happens if you put cookie dough in the freezer rather than the fridge?
Nothing horrible will occur! The dough will freeze as it should, and you may thaw it in the fridge overnight before using it. Freezing cookie dough is an excellent strategy to extend its shelf life and avoid wasting it.
Is it okay to freeze cookie dough?
The texture of cooked cookies might be ruined by freezing cookie dough. This is primarily due to the freezing of delicate dough for cookies such as macaroons. The bigger, chunkier doughs are considerably easier to freeze because they have little to no effect on the texture later on.
Is it possible to freeze uncooked cookie dough for later use?
You certainly can! Cookie dough should be scooped into balls, partially frozen for a couple of hours, and then totally frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag. This gives you a month to safely preserve your dough before using it.
