Cookie Dough Question - Make now bake later?

[alien_host]

I need to make a bunch of cookies for a party next weekend and don't want to bake them too far in advance so they will taste really fresh. If I made the dough ahead, how long do you think I can keep it in the fridge (plastic container) before baking it?

I need to make chocolate chip cookies, a chocolate crinkle, maybe snickerdoodles and probably a few others.

Any advice?

[Pepper]

Choc chips and snickerdoodle dough should be totally fine in the fridge for a few days (i.e., you can make it tomorrow and bake 'em on Thursday or Friday). I think choc crinkles would be ok too. You can always freeze the dough and that it out later - I sometimes make choc chip dough, scoop it out & freeze the chunks for baking later.

[brittone2]

When we do cookies, we often flash freeze. For choc. chip we plop the balls of dough onto a silicone sheet (or parchment) and stick the whole tray in the freezer for about an hour. You can then pour the dough balls into a container and they won't be stuck together in one huge glob. When you want to bake them, just pull them out and put them on a cookie sheet.

It is a great way for us to be able to pop 4 in the oven at a time for the kids to each have 2 fresh cookies.

[Beth24]

When we do cookies, we often flash freeze. For choc. chip we plop the balls of dough onto a silicone sheet (or parchment) and stick the whole tray in the freezer for about an hour. You can then pour the dough balls into a container and they won't be stuck together in one huge glob. When you want to bake them, just pull them out and put them on a cookie sheet.

It is a great way for us to be able to pop 4 in the oven at a time for the kids to each have 2 fresh cookies.

:yeahthat: That's what I would do. Should work for all the cookies you want to make.

[Melaine]

When we do cookies, we often flash freeze. For choc. chip we plop the balls of dough onto a silicone sheet (or parchment) and stick the whole tray in the freezer for about an hour. You can then pour the dough balls into a container and they won't be stuck together in one huge glob. When you want to bake them, just pull them out and put them on a cookie sheet.

It is a great way for us to be able to pop 4 in the oven at a time for the kids to each have 2 fresh cookies.

I think I learned that tip here on this board and now I always make cookies this way. Love doing this, it's such I time saver. Having ready to go cookies in the freezer is so much better than picking up a package of oreos or something for last minute treat.

[alien_host]

The freeze and bake sounds great. Do you have to adjust the cooking temp or time since they are frozen?

[Melaine]

The freeze and bake sounds great. Do you have to adjust the cooking temp or time since they are frozen?

I usually do the same temp, but pop them right in without preheating. They need a few extra minutes, but they come out great!

[Nyfeara]

I loooovvee freezing cookie dough. My mom even asks for a bag of frozen dough for herself. We do the same temp, a couple extra minutes - no problems.

I've even frozen the dough for a triple chocolate chip cookie (Bobby Flay recipe, I think) where there is melted chocolate in the batter, and they were fine as well. We use a little cookie scoop/melon baller type thing to make it quicker. Chocolate shortbread has worked as well, those had to be flat, so I flattened them into the shape I wanted, then froze them.