Storing Cookies: Tips and Tricks for Maximizing Shelf Life

Homemade cookies are a beloved dessert across the United States. The average American enjoys approximately 300 cookies annually. If you're eager to have a continuous supply of freshly baked cookies without the need to bake frequently, it's important to understand how long cookies last. This article will provide you with comprehensive tips on how to store both unbaked cookie dough and baked cookies, ensuring they maintain their freshness and flavor for longer periods.

Storing Unbaked Cookie Dough

If you're looking to get a head start on your baking but want to enjoy fresh cookies in a few days, storing the dough is a great option. Simply remove the dough from storage when you're ready to serve.

• Refrigerate Cookie Dough: Unbaked dough can last for about 7 days in the refrigerator. Mix your cookie dough (except for bar cookie batters and meringues) and store it in airtight containers or shape your slice-and-bake dough into logs and wrap tightly. Keep in a covered container.
• Freeze Cookie Dough: Most butter- and shortening-based cookie doughs can be frozen for up to 6 months. Place the dough in a tightly sealed container and follow these freezing directions. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator before shaping and baking as directed.

Storing Baked Cookies at Room Temperature

Curious about how long cookies last at room temperature? Most homemade cookies maintain their taste and texture for up to 3 days. Leaving them out for too long can cause them to harden or dry out. Covering the cookies with plastic wrap or storing them in an airtight container helps prevent staleness.

• Storing Cookies in a Pan: For bar cookies, cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap to keep them in place.
• Storing Cookies Separately: Store each type of cookie in a tightly covered container. Layer delicate unfrosted cookies and cookies with firmly set icing or frosting between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Avoid mixing soft and crisp cookies to prevent one from absorbing the flavor of the other.

Storing Cookies in the Freezer

Most cookie recipes can last up to 3 months in the freezer when stored unfrosted. For more information on freezing, refer to this guide.

Storing Cookies in Multiple Layers or Single Layers

Sturdy cookies and baked goods, such as drop cookies, unfrosted bar cookies, and cookies with firm-set icing, can generally be stacked in layers in airtight containers without losing their shape or freshness. Soft cookies and baked goods, including brownies and cheesecake bars, are best stored in a single layer in an airtight container to prevent them from losing their shape or smushing together.

Now that you're an expert on storing cookies, the answer to "How long do cookies last?" is more about "How long can you resist them?" rather than "When will they taste less-than-fresh-baked?" Stock your freezer every three months, and you'll always have a continuous supply of homemade cookies on hand.