Sweet BITS Of Information! Part 4 of 5

[Rita~]

Continued from part 3 / Storing cookies at room Temperature

To EVERYONE!
Sweet BITS Of Information!
Part 4
Freezing Cookies

Happy Holiday"FREEZING COOKIE DOUGH"
Cookie dough will freeze well for 4 to 6 weeks. Rolls of dough should be sealed tightly in plastic wrap (chill in refrigerator first before freezing). Other kinds of dough should be stored in airtight containers. Drop cookies (unbaked) may be frozen on cookie sheets and transferred to freezer bags. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. Don't try to freeze soft meringue-type cookie dough. Chocolate chip, brownies, peanut butter, and sugar cookie dough (or anything similar) freezes well. Let the dough defrost in the refrigerator (about 2-3 hours). Make sure to label the container with the date and type of cookie dough.

GoodHealth"FREEZING BAKED COOKIES"
Almost any baked cookie freezes well. Let cookies completely cool before freezing.
Then arrange cookies on a tray in a single layer and freeze until firm. Then place the frozen cookies in a freezer safe zip-lock plastic bag.
Wrap cookies individually in plastic wrap then store them in a ziploc freezer bag or storage tin (coffee cans or holiday tins work great). You can also just layer the cookies between layers of waxed paper in the container, but the individually wrapped ones will store longer.
Freeze frosted cookies uncovered first until they are firm. Then pack them in airtight container lined with plastic wrap or foil separating layers with waxed paper or plastic wrap. Make sure to label the container with the date and type of cookies. Unfrosted cookies can be frozen up to 6-12 months (frosted, about 3 months). Frozen cookies thaw in about 10 minutes at room temperature (if you can wait that long). If cookies should be crisp when thawed, remove them from the container before thawing.
Above freezing tips by Rachel Paxton - [e-mail] whom I just met October 13 at a food and wine tasting in Atlanic City
Tips:
Cooling cookies before wrapping and freezing prevents moisture from forming when a warm cookie is exposed to the cold air in the freezer.

Store cookies in a cold freezer, as close to 0 degrees as possible. Store cookies inside the freezer rather than the door shelves, which are warmer.

Defrost cookies with their wrapping in place. The moisture that forms during defrosting forms on the wrapper, not the cookies.

After you bake and cool cookies, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze them in gift tins. Wrapping them in plastic wrap looks attractive and keeps them fresh tasting. When it's time to distribute them, simply remove labeled containers with the date and contents from the freezer as you need them.
If soft cookies begin to dry out, add a piece of apple or bread to the container to help them retain moisture.
If crisp cookies become soggy and are not decorated, heat in a 300 degree oven for 3-5 minutes to crisp them.
Bar cookies may be stored, tightly covered, in baking pan. Some may require refrigeration because of ingredients in them.

Crisp cookies freeze better than soft cookies. Bars and brownies are an exception to this rule since they freeze extremely well.
Cardboard containers are not recommended for storage as the flavor and aroma from the box may be absorbed by the cookies and will not protect them against the elements.
A Very Happy New Year!

Packing cookies for shipping

[Baking "C"]

Thank you so much for all the great tips! I appreciate the insight very much. I apologize for taking so long to tell you of my gratefulness, but business has been booming and haven't had time to get back.

My girls wanted to give their dad a tin of cookies from our business. They were going back with him on Monday so we were in a pinch to figure out the best way to keep them fresh until Christmas. Well, they opened their presents early and it ended up being no longer a concern. So, for future reference, I am still searching if cookies can be frozen right in the tins.

Thank you again and have a blessed holiday season!

[Rita~]

[quote="Baking "C""]Thank you so much for all the great tips! I appreciate the insight very much. I apologize for taking so long to tell you of my gratefulness, but business has been booming and haven't had time to get back.

My girls wanted to give their dad a tin of cookies from our business. They were going back with him on Monday so we were in a pinch to figure out the best way to keep them fresh until Christmas. Well, they opened their presents early and it ended up being no longer a concern. So, for future reference, I am still searching if cookies can be frozen right in the tins.

Thank you again and have a blessed holiday season![/quote]A Blessed Holiday to you and Your Family too! Good to hear business is good for you! Glad to help!
A wonderful New Year to you