How to: Freeze Cookie Dough (and bake it after freezing)

Do you buy those pre-made ready-to-bake cookie dough balls/discs? Did you know you can make them yourself? Because you can!

I’m going to cover exactly what to do, so the next time you feel like baking cookies, you don’t have to feel like you need to bake the entire batch, and then you can have cookies whenever you’re in the mood!

Best part? You can control the ingredients and what is in the cookies. So you always know what is in your treat!

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Who doesn’t love a good cookie? I would say the only “problem” I have is making an entire batch of cookies and then eating an entire batch of cookies. Am I right?

I started freezing cookies during the Christmas Holidays. Like so many of you, I reserve one day for the Traditional Cookie Bakin. In the past, we would make and bake ALL DAY LONG and then we would have containers of cookies. And honestly, we would be so sick of cookies before Christmas.

So a few years ago, I decided to make one batch at a time but freeze half. Then, when I wanted 1 or 3 cookies, I would just bake those and be done. And if you want to save some energy, use your toaster oven for this. Then you’re not heating the whole house just for 3 cookies.

OK. I’m going to show you 2 different methods to freeze cookies (pst… Method 2 is my preferred way)

Method #1 – The Roll, Freeze Then Cut

This method consists of taking your dough, scraping it out of the bowl onto freezer cling wrap rolling it into a log, and freezing the log.

Before we get started… there are a few things you need (and you probably have them in your kitchen.

What You Need

Ok, Now Let’s Get Started!

Step 1

Scrap the dough onto freezer cling wrap.

Step 2

Shape the dough with the freezer cling wrap into a log shape.

Step 3

Then wrap it tightly with the same freezer cling wrap and put it in the freezer until you’re ready to use.

Chinese almond cookie dough on cling wrap.

Chinese almond cookie dough wrapped up in a log shape in cling wrap.

Chinese almond cookie dough wrapped dough in the freezer

When you’re ready to bake some cookies…

Step 1

Set your oven to the required temp (I’m showing you Chinese Almond Cookie Dough, so that’s 325℉).

Step 2

As the oven preheats, Cut your dough log to about a 1-inch width disc (see notes), and set it onto your lined baking sheet (see notes).

Frozen Chinese Almond Cookie Dough dough being unwrapped

Chinese Almond cookie dough discs on a baking sheet ready to bake.

Step 3

When the oven is ready, place to cookies in the oven and bake according to the directions (see notes).

A few Notes:

Be VERY Careful Cutting cookie tubes that contain chocolate chunks/chips, fruits, or nuts. All of these items frozen are really hard and can be difficult to cut.
I have found, that with the logs you don’t need to add extra baking time. The cookies start to defrost as you cut them.
For the almond cookies, you can add the egg wash and almond slices (even though they are frozen) as per the recipe, or bake them like sugar cookies. Either way is amazing!

The results of the almond cookies in the tube after they are baked.

Pros to this method

You do a little less work in the beginning because you just prep the dough for the freezer and freeze it until ready.

Cons to this method…

I found this method kind of a pain at times.
- First, putting the tube together is a little messy the first time you do it.
- Second, you have to be careful cutting dough tubes that have things like Chocolate chunks/chips, nuts, or fruit, because it gets really hard and can be really difficult (and a little dangerous) to cut.