Frozen cookie dough can be a time saver when a craving for sweets strikes. Butter-based dough, such as chocolate chip, peanut butter and sugar, freezes better than meringue and other thin doughs. All cookie dough must be double-wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in freezer bags or airtight containers to prevent freezer burn and odor absorption. Cookie dough can last four to six weeks in the freezer, so make sure to label all dough with the date it was frozen. Cookie dough can be thawed in the refrigerator or baked from the freezer to prevent flattening. Most importantly, it's not a good idea to thaw at room temperature any doughs that contain raw eggs as it can encourage bacteria growth.
Refrigerator Thawing
Remove cookie dough from the freezer.
Place cookie dough in the refrigerator.
Wait two to three hours for cookie dough to thaw before baking.
Follow your desired baking instructions.
Bake Frozen
Remove cookie dough from freezer.
Place on a baking sheet.
Follow baking instructions, adding a couple minutes to the bake time.
Tip
For added convenience, cookie dough can be shaped before freezing. Dough can be frozen in round flat disks for easier rolling and cutting. It can also be shaped into logs for slicing. Pre-formed balls and pre-cut shapes can be frozen on cookie sheets for one hour before being placed in freezer bags, dividing each layer with parchment paper.
Divide large amounts of dough into smaller sections for quicker thawing.
Warning
Do not thaw cookie dough containing raw eggs at room temperature. This may cause bacteria to grow.