You’ve baked the dough, chilled it, rolled it and cut it into the shapes of stars and trees. You’ve baked a batch and then another, decorated each cookie carefully with piping bags filled with royal icing, eaten a few (and then a few more), and now it’s time to store them. But what’s the best way to do that without ruining the icing and decorated sugar on frosted sugar cookies?
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62 of Our Best Cookie Recipes, From Chocolate Chip to Snickerdoodle
How to Decorate Cookies Like a Pro Baker
How to Store Sugar Cookies
Once your sugar cookie recipe is fully baked and decorated, properly store them “in a tin or an airtight container, once they're cool,” says Food52 community member Brette W. ChefJune agrees with this method to help the cookies stay fresh and recommends “[separating] the rows with waxed paper to ensure they don't stick to the ones above and below.” (You can also use parchment if that’s what you have!)
King Arthur Baking Company reminds bakers not to be over-eager when storing cookies: “Whatever type of cookies you’re making, be sure they’re entirely cool before you wrap them up to store. Wrapping a still-warm cookie will cause it to stream inside its container, which could yield soggy, stuck-together results,” the brand’s experts write in their latest tome, The Essential Cookie Companion.
Another important consideration: storing the same type of cookies together. This means storing crisp cookies (like tuile cookies or Sarah Kieffer’s chocolate chip) together and storing soft cookies together, too. “A soft cookie's moisture can soften an entire batch of crisp cookies if they are stored together. This also means that if you under bake some cookies in the same batch (like Thirdchild mentioned), they can still be slightly soft and soften the cookies that were baked for longer,” writes Food52 community member Rachel S.
Oh, and the type of storage container matters too! “Cookies kept in plastic containers get soft quickly while cookies kept in glass containers stay crisp much longer,” writes david2308. These kinds of cookie storage tips are exactly why we love our community.
Unless a recipe tells you otherwise, you should always store sugar cookies at room temperature to make sure that they taste as good on day three as they did on day one. Keep them in a cool, dry area of your kitchen; any additional humidity may change their texture, particularly with frosted sugar cookies. This brings me to…
How Long Do Sugar Cookies Last?
If stored properly, most homemade sugar cookies have a shelf life of about two to three days from when they were baked. Does this mean you should throw them out after a few days? Absolutely not. To misquote Cookie Monster, cookie crumbs or, in this case, slightly stale cookies are just as good as freshly baked. Just know that their texture will change, the frosting on top may start to melt, and any chocolate chunks may show signs of discoloration.
What About Frosted Sugar Cookies?
Frosted sugar cookies are one sweet beast when it comes to storing them. Mary Frances Heck, who developed our recipe for Sugar Cookies With Buttercream Frosting (you know the ones; the less-artificial tasting version of the kind kids love from the grocery store), for her approach: “Frost the cooled cookies and let the surface of the frosting dry, which will take a couple of hours. If you can control yourself, wait until the next day, once the frosting and cookies have fused; that great quality butter will guarantee the cookies stay soft and rich,” she writes.
Store them in a single layer, if possible, to avoid squishing the frosting or use sheets of parchment paper in between multiple layers of cookies.
Can You Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough?
Whether you’re trying to get a headstart on holiday baking or you have leftovers, freezing cookie dough is a good idea if you want to give your favorite recipe a second life. Form the cookie dough into a ball and flatten it ever so slightly; wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store for up to three months. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can pre-roll chilled cookie dough into balls and store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag. This is pro-baker Sally McKenney’s preferred, albeit time-consuming, method. “When it’s time to bake the cookies, remove them from the freezer. Preheat the oven according to the recipe’s instructions. Bake the cookies for a minute or two longer since the dough is frozen,” she explained on her blog Sally’s Baking Addiction.
What are your secret tips for storing cookies, especially during the sweetest time of the year? Share your go-to methods in the comments below.
FAQs
If you know you're going to eat them relatively quickly, store cookies in an air-tight container, ideally away from direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place like the pantry, Mok says. She suggests putting the cookies between layers of parchment paper or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking to each other.
What is the best way to store sugar cookies? ›
If you know you're going to eat them relatively quickly, store cookies in an air-tight container, ideally away from direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place like the pantry, Mok says. She suggests putting the cookies between layers of parchment paper or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking to each other.
Is it better to freeze sugar cookies with or without frosting? ›
Sugar cookies, like most cookies, can be frozen, but if you are planning to decorate your sugar cookies with frosting, freeze before decorating. As with most cookies, you can freeze sugar cookie dough or freeze baked sugar cookies.
Do frosted sugar cookies need to be refrigerated? ›
Unless a recipe tells you otherwise, you should always store sugar cookies at room temperature to make sure that they taste as good on day three as they did on day one. Keep them in a cool, dry area of your kitchen; any additional humidity may change their texture, particularly with frosted sugar cookies.
How do you store icing for sugar cookies? ›
Store sugar cookie icing in a squeeze bottle or airtight storage container in the fridge for up to three days. Cold icing is hard to work with, so let it come to room temperature before using.
Can you store sugar cookies in a Ziploc bag? ›
Freezing baked cookies is the best way to keep them tasting fresh. Layer them between parchment paper before storing them in a resealable container (or plastic bag).
Can I leave decorated sugar cookies out overnight? ›
Decorated Sugar Cookies
If you leave them on the counter, at room temperature, they should be good to go for about two weeks. If you decide to leave them in the fridge, they will last about a week, but keep in mind that it's best to eat them within the first three days.
Can you freeze unfrosted sugar cookies? ›
You can also freeze cookies that have not been iced and just defrost and ice as needed.
Can you freeze cookies in Ziploc bags? ›
After baking, allow cookies to cool completely. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze them, then store them in a freezer-safe zip-top storage bag labeled with the name and date. Squeeze out extra air and place flat in the freezer. To save space, you can flat-stack freezer bags.
How long do sugar cookies last on the counter? ›
The best way to store sugar cookies is in an airtight container at room temperature, with a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer of cookies. Sugar cookies can last for up to two weeks at room temperature, up to a month in the refrigerator, and up to three months in the freezer.
Keep cookies away from excess moisture to prevent them from becoming soggy. Moisture can compromise the texture of both the cookie and the royal icing. Ensure containers are dry before storage. Allow frozen or refrigerated cookies to reach room temperature before serving.
How far in advance can sugar cookies be made? ›
The baked sugar cookies will store up to a week at room temperature in an airtight container, so they can easily be made ahead.
How best to store sugar cookies? ›
Room Temperature:
Decorate the cookies within 48 hours of being baked, as they will start to become stale if left at room temperature for too long. If you need to store them for longer, store the undecorated cookies in an airtight container.
How to frost sugar cookies like a pro? ›
Start by outlining the cookie with piping-consistency icing in any color you choose. Then, use flooding-consistency icing to fill the outlined area, starting by flooding around the edges and working your way towards the center. If the flooding is inconsistent in thickness, redistribute the wet icing with a toothpick.
Is it better to freeze cookies with or without frosting? ›
Yes, you can freeze cookies that have icing or frosting on them, but I'd recommend holding off on icing or frosting them before freezing for optimal freshness. You can then thaw the cookies and frost them before eating them!
Should sugar cookies be kept in the fridge or freezer? ›
However, it's important to note that refrigeration can cause the cookies to become slightly harder than they would be at room temperature. If you have a large batch of sugar cookies that you want to store for an extended period of time, you can also freeze them.
How do you keep sugar cookies soft and fresh? ›
Putting a slice of fresh white bread in the container with the cookies will help the cookies stay soft: fresh bread is moist, and that slice will give up its moisture for the greater good: keeping the cookies from drying out. We recommend white bread so that no flavor is transferred to the cookies.
What is the best way to store homemade cookies? ›
Room temperature: Use airtight containers, cookie jars, or plastic bags to prevent air exposure and moisture loss. Keep cookies in a cool, dry area. Refrigerated: Use airtight containers or sealed plastic bags to store cookies in the fridge. Monitor the moisture level to avoid condensation.
How far in advance can I make sugar cookies? ›
The baked sugar cookies will store up to a week at room temperature in an airtight container, so they can easily be made ahead.
