So, you’ve decided you feel like baking, and now your kitchen counters are covered with cooling racks filled with cookies. What to do with dozens of leftover cookies after you’ve eaten your fill?
Or maybe you’re heading to a bake sale or a Christmas cookie exchange and made all those cookies on purpose?
In either case, if you want to save some cookies for later, here is some sage advice on storing your delectable creations.
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Cookies left out on the counter after baking will soon dry out and become stale. Even if you plan to eat or give away the rest of your baking efforts within a few hours, storing them properly will ensure that they’re just as fresh and delicious as the moment they came out of the oven.
Pick the Right Storage Temperature
Airtight containers are your friends, whether you want to store cookies on the counter for a few hours, refrigerate for a week or two, or freeze them for one to three months. These helpful tips leverage different temperatures to help you maximize cookie freshness over time. They apply to both homemade and store-bought cookies.
- For short term storage at room temperature, place cookies in an airtight container with wax or parchment paper between the layers. Put the container in a cool, dry area, away from heat and humidity.
- For longer storage, cookies can go in the refrigerator using the same tips as above: wax or parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick together. The refrigerator will keep them fresh for up to two weeks.
Even in an airtight container, store refrigerated cookies away from strong-smelling foods that could alter the flavor, such as garlic. Be sure to label and write the date on the container so you don’t forget how long they’ve been stored. - For one to three-month storage, cookies in an airtight container can go in the freezer. Again, use wax or parchment paper between the layers, and label and date the container so you don’t forget about them—we wouldn’t want homemade cookies to go to waste.
Cookies could be wrapped individually for convenience or placed in smaller containers if you want to pull out a dozen at a time. Bringing them to room temperature before eating is recommended.
In all three examples, home-baked cookies need to be cooled completely before storing. Warm cookies will get mushy in an airtight container. They can even develop freezer burn from the condensation if they go into the freezer soon after coming out of the oven. Be patient and allow the ones that you didn’t eat right away to cool off.
What’s Your Cookie Type?
Here are a few more tips for optimal cookie storage based on the types of cookies you’ve bought or baked.
- Cookies that are soft and chewy will stay fresher at room temperature. Wrapping them in aluminum foil will keep them moist and soft.
- Cookies that are crisp store better when kept cool and dry. Choose an airtight container for optimal freshness.
- Frosted cookies do best when stored in a single layer. Stacking them, even with wax or parchment paper between layers, will result in a sticky mess. Wrapping each cookie individually is recommended to keep them fresh and maintain their appearance. Decorated Christmas cookies do best with this type of storage.
- Dainty cookies, or ones filled with cream, jelly, chocolate, or other confections, should be eaten within a few days because they don’t store well. Refrigeration or freezing will change the texture of the filling. Place them in a single layer in an airtight container and store away from heat and humidity.
How Tight is Airtight?
A final tip about airtight containers: be sure they have a tight seal.
- Tupperware or plastic-type boxes with snap-on lids work well and are fine to store in the refrigerator or freezer.
- If your family likes to use a cookie jar, choose one made of glass. Glass cookie jars work best because they’re airtight. Glass jars usually have twist-off or rubber-gasket sealed lids, ensuring that the contents stay fresh. Ceramic cookie jars are not airtight and will result in stale cookies within a few days.
- Plastic bags with zipper seals are a convenient way to store cookies and will keep them fresh at room temperature. If you love your ceramic cookie jar, store cookies in a sealed plastic bag before placing them inside the jar. If storing cookies in the refrigerator or freezer, double-bagging will help ensure freshness (or choose reinforced zipper “freezer bags”).
- With store-bought cookies, once the package is opened, store them in a plastic zipper bag or airtight container. Even the ‘resealable’ packages do not keep them fresh for long.
There’s no bad time for cookies, and with proper storage, you can enjoy them both now and later.
What if I’m Shipping Cookies?
Shipping cookies is our business, which means we have plenty of tips:
- Let cookies cool to room temperature.
- Double bag them in airtight pouches.
- Make sure to ship sturdy cookies. Drop cookies and bar cookies do well. Avoid fragile cookies or cookies with heavy filling or soft frosting.
- Put cookies in a sturdy container with plenty of packing material (air-popped popcorn works great and is cheap).
- Opt for a quick shipping method.
And if you want to skip the hassle and send cookies the easy way, fill out our online cookie delivery form and send lovin’ from the oven in just a few minutes.