Ginevra Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Title is the question. I do not wish to freeze them, because I am always afraid some weird thing will happen. These will mostly be sugar cutout cookies, with some others as well, such as Snickerdoodles or cocoa cookies. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 (edited) I generally don't make cookies more than 2 days in advance of an event. Cookies still sometimes taste good 3 or more days later, but if I'm serving them to guests I like them fresher. Would it be helpful to you to mix and freeze the dough ahead? For cutout cookies, you could roll them out, put the dough on the pan (on parchment) in the freezer, then when the dough's frozen take it off the pan and wrap it. You could freeze multiple sheets that way, one after the other (or all at once, depending on space, etc). That uses up a pretty good bit of plastic wrap and/or foil, but it might be worth it for the purpose? ETA: I do freeze some cookies, with good results, but I understand not wanting to. Edited December 10, 2017 by marbel 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 I'd feel comfortable with a few days. I'd make the dough ahead. That dough generally needs to chill anyway right? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 The day before (or the day of if feasible) because I have no willpower and would eat them all. See also: Halloween candy. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 I generally don't make cookies more than 2 days in advance of an event. Cookies still sometimes taste good 3 or more days later, but if I'm serving them to guests I like them fresher. Would it be helpful to you to mix and freeze the dough ahead? For cutout cookies, you could roll them out, put the dough on the pan (on parchment) in the freezer, then when the dough's frozen take it off the pan and wrap it. You could freeze multiple sheets that way, one after the other (or all at once, depending on space, etc). That uses up a pretty good bit of plastic wrap and/or foil, but it might be worth it for the purpose? ETA: I do freeze some cookies, with good results, but I understand not wanting to. I don’t think this would work. What kind of cookies do you freeze? And how do you thaw them without developing soggy spots or risking something is still cold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Here is a thread with a similar question and a couple of my replies from it. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/663080-cookiesbarstreats-i-can-mail-will-last-a-while/ Really quick... Any cookie with a glaze will last longer than the same cookie without a glaze. So if you make the snowballs (Mexican wedding cakes) make a glaze with milk or water and 10X sugar instead of rolling them in 10X. Cuccidati last forever. I have a chocolate spice cookie that lasts a few weeks, too. I'll try to get it out if you want it. I have a Christmas cookie book from library called a baker's field guide to Christmas cookies. Here are some of her longer "lifespans:" chocolate bourbon balls: 1.5 months Gingerbread people: 3 weeks Chocolate krinkles: 2 weeks Meringues: 2 weeks Night before Christmas mice :2 weeks (I've made these are they are super cute...basically a mouse shaped sugar cookie) Peanut butter kisses: 2 weeks Pfeffenusse: 1 month Ribbon cookies: 1 month Kanelkakor:2 weeks Shortbread 2 weeks Snickerdoodles : 2 weeks Sugar cookie: 1 month Thumbprint cookies 2 weeks She also has a cuccidati recipe in her book that yields 72 cookies that she says lasts 2 weeks but she tops hers with an egg wash before baking, which I wouldn't recommend. Icing and nonpareils are the way to go! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 (edited) During the month of December, I like to make cookies, eat some, and stash about a dozen in the freezer. This way, by Christmas, I have a platter with all the varieties. They’re cookies. They’re good. It’s easy. It’s basically different varieties of butter-sugar-flour. I’m sure if I served a fresh batch of any particular cookie alongside it’s frozen counterpart, I could probably pick the oven-fresh one out of the line-up. I’m not doing that, so that subtle flavor difference doesn’t come into play. The evidence is always eaten. I just freeze them in single layers and thaw them by pulling them out the morning I want to serve them. Cookies come tovroom temperature quickly. Edited December 10, 2017 by KungFuPanda 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Unsinkable's list was spot on. I made cookies and mailed them and they weren't even delivered until a week after I made them. They easily lasted a week, and they each are finishing off the last of them this weekend. I did not send meringues because they are in a more humid area and I wasn't sure if they would survive. I heard the peanut butter kisses were kind of dry but my dad put a slice of bread in the container and they softened up. Unsinkable, I bought the ingredients for the cuccidati and I'm making those this week to send to my sister. (If there are enough left...I suspect I'm going to LOVE them. ) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 I make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. Then bake a day or two before the event. For cutout cookies I have baked them about 5 days in advance and stacked them in an airtight container and then iced/decorated the day before the event. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 do you have a cold room? my grandmother had an unheated bedroom where she'd store her Christmas cookies. they did ok. some cookies freeze well. cookies covered powdered sugar or cocoa powder are not cookies that will freeze well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 If I had time right now, I'd start. Mine will have to wait until a work project is done after the 16th. I store them in tin boxes. The trick here is to hide some so there are some left over on Christmas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Unsinkable's list was spot on. I made cookies and mailed them and they weren't even delivered until a week after I made them. They easily lasted a week, and they each are finishing off the last of them this weekend. I did not send meringues because they are in a more humid area and I wasn't sure if they would survive. I heard the peanut butter kisses were kind of dry but my dad put a slice of bread in the container and they softened up. Unsinkable, I bought the ingredients for the cuccidati and I'm making those this week to send to my sister. (If there are enough left...I suspect I'm going to LOVE them. ) That's awesome. It is so sweet of you to send them Christmas cookies! I'm glad I could help. I love that book. Let me know how the cuccidati turn out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 A very timely thread! I just made monster christmas cookies. Will these be okay sitting at room temp till Tuesday? Or should I put them in the fridge/freezer? My high school kids do a hybrid school, so I'm baking teacher treats. I saw the list above so thank goodness I'm making bourbon balls and buckeye's today and they'll be fine. I'm rethinking the spiced banana bread today, maybe tomorrow will be a better plan for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 During the month of December, I like to make cookies, eat some, and stash about a dozen in the freezer. This way, by Christmas, I have a platter with all the varieties. They’re cookies. They’re good. It’s easy. It’s basically different varieties of butter-sugar-flour. I’m sure if I served a fresh batch of any particular cookie alongside it’s frozen counterpart, I could probably pick the oven-fresh one out of the line-up. I’m not doing that, so that subtle flavor difference doesn’t come into play. The evidence is always eaten. I just freeze them in single layers and thaw them by pulling them out the morning I want to serve them. Cookies come tovroom temperature quickly. Do they have to sit in one layer to thaw? I’m mostly worried about soggy cold spots. I watched someone eat a profiterole that had been frozen and she spit that sucker right out because of soggy cold spots! It was funny, but I only say that because I wasn’t the host and they were not my profiteroles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 (edited) I freeze on serving trays I bought at IKEA with an extra tight wrap of cling film. I might remove the cling film and put fresh on to take to my event but other than that they are ready to go. I only freeze plain cookies so nothing cream filled. Things like mince pies freeze fine. Cut brownies, lemon bars, etc are fine arranged on trays. If the event is more than two days out I freeze. Eta.....I freeze Lemon Drizzle Bars https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemon_drizzle_traybake_01890 not the lemon bars those in the US would be thinking of. Sorry! Edited December 10, 2017 by mumto2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 (edited) My grandmother started baking late in November for Christmas, 8 kinds of cookies, several pounds of each. The only danger is that they get eaten early. Stored properly (earthenware pots or metal tins) cookies keep a looong time. Some kinds require a few weeks maturing and only get better; it's already too late for proper gingerbread to be ready for Christmas. Edited December 10, 2017 by regentrude 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellifera33 Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Make springerle. They keep for weeks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 What kind of cookies do you freeze? And how do you thaw them without developing soggy spots or risking something is still cold? I have successfully frozen most bar cookies (not lemon bars), sugar cookies, shortbread, pecan bars, rip-off recipe starbucks cranberry bliss bars, blondies... I'm sure there are others. Oh, magic cookie bars - but they are so simple to make there's no reason to do ahead really. I typically freeze chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie doughs in balls, ready to put on the cookie sheets and bake. I take things out the morning of the event, or the day before, depending on the time of the event. A profiterole is a little more tricky, I think, because they have to stay cold or at least cool because of the cream filling, right? So they probably have to be defrosted in the fridge. Cookies that can defrost at room temp are different. I also freeze slice-and-bake cookie dough and bake the morning of or day before. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 A very timely thread! I just made monster christmas cookies. Will these be okay sitting at room temp till Tuesday? Or should I put them in the fridge/freezer? My high school kids do a hybrid school, so I'm baking teacher treats. I saw the list above so thank goodness I'm making bourbon balls and buckeye's today and they'll be fine. I'm rethinking the spiced banana bread today, maybe tomorrow will be a better plan for that. The banana bread will/would taste fine. I think it tastes better the "next day." My issue with banana bread is that it is so moist it gets "sticky" ... Mostly on the top. KWIM? The further away from baking day, the stickier it seems to get. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 10, 2017 Share Posted December 10, 2017 Do they have to sit in one layer to thaw? I’m mostly worried about soggy cold spots. I watched someone eat a profiterole that had been frozen and she spit that sucker right out because of soggy cold spots! It was funny, but I only say that because I wasn’t the host and they were not my profiteroles! I don’t know much about proper thawing for pastries. They seem more delicate and trickier to thaw. For cookies I just spread them out in a single layer; usually on cookie sheets, then transfer to a platter when thawed. I’ve never really cut it close enough to risk serving frozen cookies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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