Is it better to bake frozen cookie dough frozen or thawed?
The cookie dough sitting in your freezer is calling your name. The question is: do you have to wait for the dough to thaw before baking it? Or could you preheat the oven before you even pull the dough out of the freezer? Our readers had some frozen cookie dough insight they shared with us. Keep reading to see how they recommend preparing your frozen dough.
Aysegul Sanford
Aysegul Sanford is a Food blogger and owner of Foolproof Living.
Frozen Dough Makes Gooey Cookies
Though it’s not necessary, you can thaw your cookie dough by removing it from the freezer and setting it on the counter for an hour uncovered.
It is actually best to cook your cookie dough straight from frozen. This is because their firmer texture will stop the cookies from spreading as much while they bake, which results in a thicker shape and gooier center.
Before freezing, separate the dough into single-serve balls, freeze, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Just remember to heat them for an extra couple of minutes to ensure they cook fully.
Thaw Cookie Dough by Type
The best way to thaw and bake frozen cookie dough will vary by the type of cookie dough. For drop cookies (like chocolate chip cookies), it’s best to scoop the cookie dough into balls and freeze. That way the cookie dough can go directly from the freezer to the oven without thawing. You will likely need to add a minute or two to the bake time since the dough will be colder when it goes into the oven.
For slice and bake cookies (like shortbread), roll the dough into a log before freezing. When you’re planning to bake the cookies, transfer the dough to the fridge to thaw overnight. Once the dough is thawed, slice and bake according to the recipe’s instructions. The process for rolling and cutting cookies (like gingerbread cookies) is similar: thaw the frozen dough in the fridge overnight before rolling, cutting, and baking according to the recipe’s instructions.
Allison Ferraro
Allison Ferraro, is the founder of AlwaysEatDessert.com, which helps home bakers build their confidence in the kitchen by sharing easy-to-follow baking recipes and practical baking tips.
Tracy Mattson
Tracy Mattson is a professionally trained pastry chef and owner of COOKIE…take a bite!
Thawing Dough Makes Unattractive Cookies
Frozen! If you want to keep the shape of the cookie, bake the cookie straight out of the freezer. Letting it sit out and thaw will make your cookie flat and not as attractive. The only time I let my cookies sit for a bit before baking is if I want them to spread more; otherwise, frozen is best!
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