Help from the experts -- freezing cookies :-)

[mlktwins]

I must confess I'm not much of a baker (I like to do it, but it just never seems to get done). This year I'm determined to make a variety of cookies to give to family as part of their gift, but I don't want to be baking 24 hours a day the few days before Christmas. I want to start next week and make one or two kinds of cookies and freeze them. We just bought a nice freezer so I actually have room to do this now.

 

So...what is the best way to freeze cookies after baking? Does it depend on the kind of cookie?

 

Thanks so much!

[Harriet Vane]

I usually freeze in gallon bags with layers of wax paper in between. Just make sure the bags are resting on something flat, like a baking pan or cookie sheet in the freezer. I have also used shirt boxes for this purpose, with plenty of wax paper.

[Guest inoubliable]

I used to help my grandmother with holiday baking as a kid. I'd say that big thing to do is make sure the cookies are fully cooled before putting them in the freezer. I remember having every kitchen counter and her very large dining room table completely covered with cooling racks and cookies for hours at a time before she'd slip a couple dozen into a big Ziplock for the freezer. Have fun!

[cjzimmer1]

I usually freeze in gallon bags with layers of wax paper in between. Just make sure the bags are resting on something flat, like a baking pan or cookie sheet in the freezer. I have also used shirt boxes for this purpose, with plenty of wax paper.

 

:iagree: with this except I never bother with waxed paper. I never have problems with them sticking together. But I'll be starting next week too. I fill gallon bags and lay them on metals pans until they are frozen. One they are completely frozen, I remove the pans and just stack the bags of cookies. I try to not move them around too much to minimize risk of them get broken.

[Zebra]

I don't think this is the answer you're looking for...but after much trial and error I have found that freezing the dough in balls is the best way to go. Freeze the dough, thaw in the fridge, then bake. I know you still have to bake but they are all ready to go, and taste much better than freezing them. IMHO anyway!