Cookie Know-How: Cookie Baking Shortcuts

When it’s the season for baking lots of cookies, it’s nice to rely on some shortcuts to get you out of the kitchen faster.

• Plan ahead:
  • Make cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months.
  • When freezing, cover dough tightly with plastic food wrap and package in an airtight container or resealable plastic freezer bag. Label and date.
    • Cookie dough can be frozen in rolls for slice-and-bake varieties.
    • For dough balls, scoop or spoon dough onto a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Freeze until solid (up to 1 hour); then place dough balls in resealable plastic freezer bags.
    • Thaw cookie dough in the refrigerator.
  • Bake cut-out cookies one day and decorate the next. Or freeze baked cut-out cookies for up to 3 months. Decorate when needed.
• Easy cleanup when baking:
  • Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for easy cookie release and quick cleanup.
  • Line pans used for baking bars with aluminum foil, extending foil edges over ends of pan. When bars are completely cool, lift out using foil ends. Peel away the foil. Now bars are easy to cut and pan requires minimal cleanup.

Happy baking!