I love a good weekend project, especially when that project involves my fingers in loads of cookie dough.
I’ll admit that I may be waaaay behind the times on this trick. It’s the sort of trick that super moms have on lock to make them look even more awesome than they already are. Since I haven’t yet produced other people with my body, this trick is just now hitting my radar.
The idea is this: one day… (say, maybe a lazy Saturday morning) whip up a couple batches of your favorite cookie dough. Dollop that cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, all close like. Throw the entire cookie sheet into the freezer. Freeze the dough balls, then throw them into a zip lock bag and back into the freezer. You know what that means? All you have to do is flick on the oven and throw in a few dough balls anytime you want fresh baked cookies! Dang this livin’ is easy!
This frozen dough ball situation is key and here’s why:
You and the family can have fresh baked cookies any and every night.
Surprise guests? No problem at all… you just happened to be whipping up a batch of fresh cookies. Taaadaaa!
Bake ’em directly from frozen…. do it!
Frozen dough balls in the middle of the night? I won’t tell a soul. Can I be honest? I eat the dough balls more often than I actually bake the cookies. In fact… be right back. Dough ball for breakfast.
Full disclosure: I’ve eaten three cookie dough balls in the writing of this post. I’m not done yet.
You might also try these recipes for you cookie dough freezing pleasure:
Oatmeal Cherry White Chocolate Cookies
Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
White Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from King Arthur
makes 2 dozen cookies
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour, or regular whole wheat flour if you’re feeling extra nutty
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1-2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts, again… if you’re feeling nutty.
Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl, whisk it together and set aside. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar and softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute in between each addition. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts if using.
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Drop cookie dough by the tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Place them very close together so that as many cookies balls as possible fit on the tray. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer and chill dough balls until frozen through, at least 3 hours. Remove the sheet from the freezer and place dough balls in a freezer safe bag and place back in the freezer until ready to bake.
When ready to bake cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place frozen dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave a few inches in between the cookies, giving them room to spread. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and irresistible.
Jenn
I’ve always wanted to do this, but have been wary since I don’t know how long it would keep in the freezer. Any ideas on that??
Corinne
I have an entire bag of chocolate chip dough balls in our freezer. I’m convinced my husband sneaks one every night… but with two kids at home, it’s WAY easy to make fresh cookies without having to buy the stuff they pass off as “cookies” in the store. :)
Erin
Oh no! You’ve discovered my magic secret!
Frozen cookie dough balls are also GREAT for if say…. you and your friends are renting a fully furnished cabin in the woods for 4th of July! On the morning of the 4th as we were all getting ready to go out on the boat for the day, I pulled out my bag of frozen cookie dough, baked them up, and put them in a container to take out on the boat! At lunchtime everyone DEVOURED the freshly baked cookies and proclaimed they were MUCH MUCH better than Chips Ahoy!
The Waspy Redhead
What a great idea! I’m busy working full time and going to grad school at night, so this is a great trick for me. Also I love the king Arthur flour website, it’s a phenomenal resource. I’m planning whole wheat zucchini quick bread for this weekend.
Megan
YUM!
Trader Joe’s sells frozen cookie dough balls and it’s like a dream. At any given moment when you want a cookie straight from the oven you can have one aaaaaand making them homemade is even better.
I’m excited to do this!
You’re one smart cookie!
Katie
I am the queen of flash freezing cookies. I love it. At any particular time in my freezer, you’ll find about 5 different kinds in there. The only problem….is that I love frozen cookie dough almost as much as I love the freshly baked cookies.
Romy
Yeah! This is one of my favorite things to do, I always have cookies of some sort in the freezer. Sometimes I come home and my husband is washing off a baking tray with a guilty expression… a sure sign he has been in my freezer stash since otherwise he does NOT bake. ;)
Frieda
I have frozen my favorite cookies before…what is really fun is if all the cookies take the same amount of time to bake, I can take several different kinds of cookies. A dozen of 3-4 different kinds of cookies, right out of the oven, does make quite an impression!
I grind my own wheat and have yet to include it in my cookies/baking. I’ve heard that soft (pastry flour) is better if you want a light, soft product. What is your experience with this?
Hleure
I’ve been meaning to freeze cookie dough for a while now, but I never thought of making cookies with whole wheat flour! Unfortunately, I don’t think my freezer is large enough (or at least it is too full…) to fit an entire cookie sheet in it. I’ve got to find a solution to this problem!
Saw your images and link to your blog on Cupcakes Take the Cake today. Neato! Congrats!
Erin
This is such a great idea! I am such a loser and I always buy those big, premade hunks of dough that you break off and bake. But I am sure that these are way better. This is on my to-do list for next week!
Joi
Yummy! Another great way to store them in the freezer is in an washed out ice cream tub. :)
Heather @ chiknpastry
fantabulous. Although, I’m already totally addicted to freezing almost everything in sight. Every dessert or snack I make, I feel as if i stash a few in the freezer. But… no raw cookie dough yet. No better time than now :)
Lizzie
this is like music to my ears. i’m so ready to change the way i make cookies forever! the freezer is my new best friend ;)
Kate @ Savour Fare
I did this when I was pregnant — I made huge batches of molasses cookies and froze the dough. Then I impressed the bejeezus out of people who dropped in to see my brand new baby by serving them fresh baked cookies. It’s an excellent party trick.
brandi
beautiful!
great tips, and thanks for doing a ww cookie recipe!