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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Bread dough, unbaked rolls, pizza dough and cookie dough can withstand refrigeration and freezing as long as you take the proper steps to preserve their flavors and textural qualities. Refrigerators should be at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and freezers should be below 0 F to achieve the best results and maintain food safety. Keep in mind that yeast and gluten lose their effectiveness over time. Storing yeast doughs longer than recommended may result in dense, heavy breads. And breads, crusts or cookies that contain wheat flour may become excessively crumbly.

Moisture- and Vapor-Resistant Packaging

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Store dough in moisture- and vapor-resistant packaging. Dough is porous, and it will readily absorb odors from other foods. Airtight packaging prevents dough from developing an off-taste. Dough can also dry quickly if it's exposed to air, developing a thick crust that affects its texture and ability to cook properly. Use resealable plastic bags or plastic containers made specifically for food storage.

Storing Bread Dough

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Prepare the dough according to your recipe. Allow the dough to rise as instructed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and then place it in a plastic bag or container.

  • Refrigerate bread dough for three to four days.
  • Freeze bread dough for up to one month.

Thaw bread dough in the refrigerator. Allow thawed or refrigerated bread dough to rise at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking.

Storing Unbaked Rolls

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Prepare and rise the dough according to your recipe. Shape the rolls. Arrange them on a baking sheet or pan lined with parchment paper. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap.

  • Refrigerate a pan of shaped rolls for three to four days.
  • Freeze a pan of shaped rolls overnight.

Remove the frozen rolls and repackage them in a plastic bag or container. Freeze them for up to one month. Transfer frozen rolls to a baking sheet or pan to thaw them in the refrigerator. Allow thawed or refrigerated rolls to rise at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Storing Pizza Dough

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Prepare pizza dough according to your recipe. Do not knead or rise the dough before storing it. Divide pizza dough into the portions you will use in one meal. Brush each portion with a light coat of olive oil.

  • Place pizza dough in a rigid airtight container with enough room for the dough to expand -- it will rise in the refrigerator. Leave the lid of a plastic container cracked to let gases escape; close the lid completely after two days to prevent the dough from drying. Refrigerate pizza dough for three to five days.

  • Wrap each portion of oiled pizza dough in plastic wrap. Place them in a plastic bag or container. Freeze them for two to three weeks.

Thaw pizza dough in the refrigerator. Proof the dough at 70 F for two hours before you shape it.

Storing Slice-and-Bake Cookie Dough

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Roll slice-and-bake cookie dough into a log. Wrap the cookie dough log in plastic wrap, and then place it in a plastic bag or container.

  • Refrigerate a cookie dough log for two to three weeks. Slice and bake cookies directly from the refrigerator.
  • Freeze a cookie dough log for up to two months.

Slice and bake cookies directly from the freezer, allowing several extra minutes for them to cook through. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or at room temperature for 15 minutes if the log is too difficult to slice while it's still frozen.

Storing Cookie Dough Cutouts

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Roll cookie dough into a disc about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes. Sandwich each cutout between two squares of parchment paper to prevent the cutouts from sticking together. Stack the cutouts in a rigid plastic container, to protect them from outside force that could alter their shapes.

  • Refrigerate cookie dough cutouts for two to three weeks.
  • Freeze cookie dough cutouts for up to two months.

Bake cookies directly from the refrigerator or freezer, allowing several extra minutes for frozen dough to bake through.

Storing Drop Cookie Dough

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Christian Killian/Demand Media

Shape drop cookie dough into small balls.

  • Arrange a single layer of drop cookie dough balls in an airtight container lined with parchment paper. Separate layers of cookie dough balls with a sheet of parchment paper. Refrigerate drop cookie dough for two to three weeks.
  • Arrange spoonfuls of drop cookie dough on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Freeze drop cookie dough overnight. Transfer frozen balls of dough to a plastic bag or container. Freeze the dough for up to two months.

Bake cookies directly from the refrigerator or freezer, allowing several extra minutes for frozen dough to bake through.