Can You Freeze Snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodles aren't the fanciest-looking cookies you can make, but what they lack in appearance is made up for in flavor. These cinnamon-sugar-flavored cookies, while delicious straight from the oven with a glass of milk, keep well up to two weeks in an airtight container. Make enough snickerdoodle dough at one time to bake a batch and freeze the extra to enjoy at a later time.

Snickerdoodles have been around since the late 1800s. Also referred to as "snipdoodles," the cookies were likely first baked in New England and are Dutch or German in origin. While they have an unusual name, their taste is quite familiar. The inside of the cookie is similar to a sugar cookie, while the outside is rolled in cinnamon and sugar before baking. When baked correctly, they have a soft, chewy inside and crisp edges.

If you want freshly baked cookies all year long, you can prepare the snickerdoodle dough and freeze it in one of two ways, in logs or preportioned. To freeze in a log, prepare the cookie dough according to your recipe; shape the prepared dough into one or more logs. Wrap the logs in a layer of wax or parchment paper, tucking in the ends to keep the log fully covered. Put the logs in a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible before sealing it; place it in the back of your freezer. To use the dough, thaw the log in the refrigerator overnight, slice your cookies to size and then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking. To freeze in preportioned cookies, prepare your dough, then portion the cookies onto a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer just until solid, which could take up to six hours. Then transfer the cookies to an airtight freezer bag for longer storage. To bake the cookies, first thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, roll into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and bake according to your recipe. With either method, use the dough within three months of freezing.

You can bake your snickerdoodles to freeze and use later, which is especially helpful if you're starting your holiday baking early. Bake the cookies according to your recipe and cool them completely on a wire cooling rack. Place them in a single layer inside a freezer bag or airtight container. Put a piece of wax or parchment paper in between each layer of cookies, ending with plastic wrap or parchment on top. Place the container in the freezer for up to two months.

Cookies and unbaked cookie dough can absorb odors in your freezer, which you can avoid by properly wrapping and sealing your snickerdoodles before freezing. Write the type of dough and date before freezing your dough or pre-baked snickerdoodles. Defrosting unbaked cooking dough can take a few hours, while baked snickerdoodles can defrost in as little as an hour on the counter. If they are stored properly, your snickerdoodles will taste as if they were made and baked fresh that day.