Portioning out and Packaging the Dough
Scoop out cookie dough for drop cookies into 1.5 oz (42.5 g) portions. Drop cookies are round cookies that you bake from balls of dough, such as traditional chocolate chip cookies. Scoop out portions of dough as if you were about to bake them to get the dough ready for storage. Follow your recipe’s directions for portion size or portion the dough out according to your own personal preferences. A 1.5 oz (42.5 g) scoop of dough makes a cookie about 3 in (7.6 cm) in diameter.
Put 6-10 balls of drop cookie dough on non-stick paper and wrap them up. Spread out 6-10 balls of drop cookie dough, spacing them evenly, on a piece of wax paper, parchment paper, or deli paper. Fold the paper over top of the dough balls.Tip: Wax paper, parchment paper, and deli paper are all varieties of non-stick paper that will keep the dough from sticking. You can usually find them in the baking aisle of a supermarket. You can use plastic cling wrap instead of non-stick paper.
Roll dough for slice-and-bake cookies into 9 in (23 cm) logs. Slice-and-bake cookies are the kind that you slice off a log of dough before baking, such as shortbread cookies. Use your hands to roll and shape the dough into the logs. You can make the logs bigger or smaller if you want. However, keep in mind that they need to fit inside of a resealable bag.
Wrap each slice-and-bake cookie dough log in non-stick paper. Place each log onto a piece of wax paper, parchment paper, or deli paper. Wrap the paper around the log and twist the ends to close it. Wrap the logs tightly in plastic cling wrap if you don’t have any non-stick paper.
Form dough for cut-out cookies into 9 in (23 cm) disks. Cut-out cookies are different kinds of cookies, like Christmas cookies, that you cut out of a sheet of dough into different shapes using a cookie cutter. Divide the cookie dough into evenly-sized disks that you can roll out and cut into shapes later. The number of disks depends on how much dough you have. Just make sure each disk will fit inside a resealable bag.
Fold a piece of non-stick paper neatly over each disk of cut-out cookie dough. Place each disk on a piece of wax paper, parchment paper, or deli paper. Fold the paper over top of the disk and fold the edges under to wrap it up. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic cling wrap if you don’t have any non-stick paper.
Put the wrapped portions of dough into freezer-safe bags. Put each portion of cookie dough into a plastic bag with a zip top that you can put into the fridge or freezer. Squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing the top closed. Getting all the air out of the bag is especially important if you plan on freezing the dough. This will help prevent freezer burn and make the dough last longer. Label the bags with the date so you can keep track of how old the dough is.
Store whole balls of dough in an airtight container if you don’t want portions. Portioning out dough will keep it fresher and tasting better longer, but if you just want to quickly store some leftover dough or make a big batch ahead of time and keep it for a few days, then it’s OK to store it whole. Put the whole chunk of dough in a resealable airtight container. Keep in mind that if you plan on freezing the dough, it will take much longer to defrost a large chunk of cookie dough as opposed to smaller portions. Don’t leave cookie dough out in the open for more than 4 hours.
Refrigerating or Freezing Cookie Dough
Refrigerate cookie dough if you plan to use it within 5 days. Cookie dough typically stays good for around 5 days in the fridge. Put the portioned-out and packaged cookie dough that you think you will use within 5 days into the fridge and freeze any leftover dough. After 5 days, you can take any unused cookie dough out of the fridge and put it in the freezer to keep it for longer.
Freeze cookie dough for up to 6 months. Store portioned-out and packaged cookie dough in the freezer and aim to use it within 6 months. It’s possible for the dough to last longer than 6 months, but it will start to lose its flavor and texture.Tip: Frozen, individually packaged portions of cookie dough also make great gifts to send guests home with! Label your frozen cookie dough with the date you made it, the type of dough, and even baking instructions if you want to make it super easy to keep track of and use.
Bake drop cookies straight from the fridge or freezer. Drop cookies, such as chewy chocolate chip cookies that you bake from balls of dough, can be baked either refrigerated or frozen. Grab the portions that you want to bake straight from the fridge or freezer and follow the baking instructions for the recipe. If you are baking frozen dough, you will probably need to add 1-2 minutes onto the baking time of the cookies.
Defrost frozen slice-and-bake cookie dough for 5-10 minutes before baking. Pull a log of the cookie dough out of the freezer and set it on the counter for a few minutes before you slice it. This will make it easier to slice and less crumbly. If you are anticipating using the dough, let the log thaw in the fridge for 6 hours or so ahead of time for an even better consistency.
Thaw frozen dough for cut-out cookies in the fridge overnight before baking. Thaw the cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight if you know you plan to use it the next day. Let it defrost on the counter until it is pliable if you are in a rush. This way you will be able to roll it out and cut out the shapes more easily.
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