When to Chill Cookie Dough, According to Professional Bakers
In fact, “refrigeration” is a hot topic, with Minneapolis, Minnesota-based baker, cookbook author, and Zoë Bakes TV presenter Zoë François devoting an entire chapter to the variables of refrigeration and baking cookies in her upcoming new book, Zoë Bakes Cookies (available in fall 2024).
“The change in dough allows us to create our own perfect biscuits, which is fascinating,” François said. Read on for a clear answer on how to cool cookie dough (and get permission on when you can skip it).
Benefits of Freezing Cookie Dough
Generally speaking, you want to cool any cookie dough, where the shape or size of the finished cookie is important.
There are three main reasons why recipes recommend freezing cookie dough.
- Shape. Since most cookies are made with softened butter and then beaten with sugar to make it creamy as a base, it’s best to cool the dough after mixing to let the butter cool. Cookies made with frozen dough will expand more slowly when baked because the fat is solid, the cookies will spread out less, and you’ll end up with taller, more chewy cookies instead of flat ones.
- Easy to operate. Whether you’re scooping out a ball of dough, rolling it out into a rectangle to make a cut cookie, or cutting the fridge dough into a circle, it’s much easier to do if you cool the cookie dough before trying to shape it. This allows you to cut out clean shapes and avoid the dough sticking to the rolling pin, spoon, or hand. This is especially important if the cookie dough is naturally sticky.
- Flavor. Freezing the dough creates a richer flavor because the flour breaks down and releases sugar, which makes the cookies sweeter. Even a short transfer in the refrigerator is fine, but a long freezing time (e.g. 3 to 5 days) will dry out the cookie dough. That’s actually a good thing; It will bring a more concentrated flavor.
The Best Way to Cool the Cookie Dough
The best shape for frozen cookie dough depends on how you plan to distribute it.
- For scooped or rolled cookies: Frozen dough is difficult to scoop up, so Hill recommends scooping up room-temperature dough after mixing. Place them on a baking sheet or plate and transfer the dough to the refrigerator to cool. If you forget to scoop the dough before it cools, you may need to let the dough preheat for 5 to 10 minutes before it becomes ‘ready to scoop.
- For cut out cookies: If you’re only refrigerating them for an hour or two, feel free to refrigerate the dough in a mixed bowl. For longer storage, we recommend forming the dough into large circles and wrapping it in plastic. This will protect the dough from any potential aroma in the refrigerator.
- For sliced fridge biscuits: Transfer the room-temperature dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll up one side of the dough and start to form a log shape, pressing and stretching the dough by hand as needed. Shape the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter (or the size specified in the recipe). Roll up the other side of the plastic wrap and twist both ends.
How Long Does It Take to Freeze Cookie Dough
Refrigerate the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to start reaping all of the above benefits.
The longer the better, as it gives the dough time to really harden and the ingredients to bind together, which can change the texture and even the taste of baked cookies.
Wait 8 to 10 hours and you’ll start noticing a difference in taste. Hill says that if you have time to extend that time, your batch may have a significantly darker flavor and darker color than the cookie dough baked on the day it was made.
The First Shortcut to Cooling Cookie Dough Faster
The ultimate way to speed up this process is: your refrigerator.
Putting the cookie dough in the refrigerator can speed up the cooling process considerably. A good rule of thumb is to freeze cookie dough for 25% of the usual refrigeration time. This means that if the recipe calls for the dough to be refrigerated for 1 hour, simply put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
If you happen to forget the dough on ice and come back to find it frozen, simply leave the cookie dough at room temperature until soft.
Keep in mind that if you try to speed up the process, the results may vary.
If you freeze cookies instead of refrigerating them, the outside of the dough ball will be cold and firm, but the inside may still be soft and therefore baked unevenly. You’ll want to try freezing the dough to bake or bring it back to room temperature.
One way to avoid temperature changes is to freeze the dough completely.
To make life easier, I recommend mixing a pile of cookie dough, dividing it into the right sizes, and freezing the dough balls or logs in freezer bags. Then you can bake them before eating them or giving them as a gift so that they are fresh.
Or, if you want them to enjoy the taste of freshly baked cookies and have the opportunity to bake them on demand, give someone else a bag of frozen cookie balls.
Label the frozen dough with the name of the recipe, the date it was made (frozen cookie dough lasts up to 3 months), and baking instructions so you can share one of the sweetest gifts you can share.
When You Don’t Need to Freeze Cookie Dough
If the recipe calls for butter and is pillow-like and evenly round, then you need to cool the cookie dough.
There are a few exceptions to this rule:
- Your goal is to make a cookie that can be spread. Bake immediately after mixing, or if you prefer flat, crispy, or crunchy cookies, allow the frozen dough to return to room temperature before baking.
- You’re making a less traditional type of cookie. This overview focuses on butter cookies baked on a pan. Most bar cookies don’t need to be cooled with cookie dough unless you like flavor differences. We do not recommend frozen macarons, spray biscuits, or other creations that involve a biscuit press or pipe; This will be more challenging for frozen mixtures.
- You’re pressed for time. If you need cookies right away, you can always skip the freezing step and put them in the oven to speed up your enjoyment.
