How To Freeze Baked Cookies

Freezing baked cookies is incredibly convenient when you have to make a bunch of them and want to be able to make them ahead of time (like at Christmas). It may seem intimidating, but the process is simple and they'll still taste freshly baked months later.

If you want to know how to freeze unbaked cookie dough for later, make sure you check out my post all about freezing cookie dough.

🥶 Best Cookies For Freezing

Almost any kind of cookie can be frozen, so try freezing some of these delicious varieties.

👩‍🍳 How To Freeze Cookies

Freezing baked cookies is super simple, just follow these steps.

Step 1: Bake! Bake your favorite cookies according to your recipe. Once done, make sure to let them cool completely to room temperature. You don't want them to be warm at all.

Step 2: Flash freeze. Line up your cookies on a baking sheet and place them into the freezer. Freezing them separately like this before moving them into a container will prevent them from sticking to one another. Let them freeze until solid and then continue to step 3.

Step 3: Store. Place your cookies into your preferred freezer-safe container. This could be a storage bag or a container with a lid. You'll want it to be airtight. Be careful when stacking cookies, as you don't want them to break.

Step 3: Freeze. Label and date your container, if needed. Then, place your cookies into the freezer for up to 3 months.

🍪 Freezing Decorated Cookies

Cookies with icing or frosting can be frozen as well. If you have the option, it is best to bake the cookies and freeze them undecorated. Thaw them, then add your icing or frosting when ready.

However, if you already have some frosted cookies on hand, you can definitely freeze them too.

Step 1: Let them dry. Make sure all frosting or icing is as dry as possible. This will help prevent messing up the decorations.

Step 2: Flash freeze. Place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and then place them into the freezer until solid. Store and stack once frozen, typically 1-2 hours for cookies.

Step 3: Store. Airtight containers are better than storage bags since they reduce the risk of messing up your frosting or icing. Try to use a container with a larger surface area so you don't have to stack too many cookies on top of one another.

Stack your cookies gently on top of one another, placing a piece of parchment paper between each layer inside the container. You could even heat seal each cookie individually first.

Step 4: Freeze. Place your container of cookies into the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.

❄️ Storing Frozen Cookies

Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months, as long as they are stored properly following the instructions above.

🍪 Thawing Cookies

Thawing frozen cookies is very simple, and there are two ways to do it: at room temperature or in the fridge.

Room Temperature Thawing

You can thaw your cookies by simply moving the entire container to the kitchen counter. The downfall to this is that condensation will form.

Luckily, the condensation will dry on its own. For best results, DO NOT open the container until the cookies are completely room temperature and condensation has dried (which will take a couple of hours).

Fridge Thawing

Using the fridge will reduce the amount of condensation, but will take longer. Move the container of cookies to the fridge and let them thaw.

Once they're no longer frozen, transfer the container to the kitchen counter and let them warm to room temperature.

Thawing Cookies with Royal Icing

Sugar cookies that are decorated with royal icing can be frozen, but be careful when defrosting them so that you don't ruin the decorations.

All you need to do is remove them from the freezer and let them come to room temperature. However, DO NOT open the container that the cookies are in during this time.

Opening the container before the cookies reach room temperature will cause condensation that can ruin the designs of the cookies.

💭 Tips

• Cool your cookies completely. Any excess warmth on your cookies will create crystals in the freezer and increase the risk of freezer burn.
• Don't refreeze your cookies. The constant change of thawing and freezing will risk affecting the taste and texture.
• Flash freeze to avoid sticking. Letting your cookies freeze on a baking sheet before placing them into a container will prevent them from sticking together.

Now you know how to freeze cookies to enjoy them whenever you like. Leave a comment and let me know which are your favorite cookies to freeze.