Calling all bakers!!! What can I freeze?

[maslex]

I'm not new to baking but I don't usually freeze things. I just like things better when I make them the day of the event or even the day before.

This year I'm making a cookie/candy platter to bring for the holidays (actually two...one for my brother's and one for my SIL's)

Here are the things I'm planning on baking. I'd like to know which ones I'm able to freeze and which I can wait and make the day before?

Chocolate Fudge and Peanut Butter Fudge (I've made these before and have frozen them, so those are fine)

Frosted Sugar Cookies (probably will use Christmas cookie cutters)
I'm sure the cookie can be frozen, but what about the frosting? Should I wait to frost them until after the thaw?

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Meltaways
http://nancycreative.com/2012/12/10/holiday-peanut-butter-chocolate-meltaways/
I'm assuming these would be able to freeze but I'm concerned about the texture after the thaw.

Cake Batter Cookies
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/12/09/recipe-round-2-cake-batter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
These seem like they would be fine frozen, right?

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/12/12/raspberry-almond-thumbprint-cookies/
What about the raspberry preserve? Can that be frozen?

Baltimore Berger Cookies (I MIGHT do these, not sure yet)
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/baltimore-berger-cookies-recipe


Like I said, I've made most of these things before (except the cake batter cookies, berger cookies and the meltaways) but I've always made the other cookies fresh. I'm just worried about the taste and texture once thawed out.

So can someone let me know which ones I can make ahead of time and which ones should be made and eaten fresh. And what's the best way to freeze them? Plastic wrap? Aluminum foil? Wax paper? HELP!!!

 

[Luvchefmic]

I'm not new to baking but I don't usually freeze things. I just like things better when I make them the day of the event or even the day before.

This year I'm making a cookie/candy platter to bring for the holidays (actually two...one for my brother's and one for my SIL's)

Here are the things I'm planning on baking. I'd like to know which ones I'm able to freeze and which I can wait and make the day before?

Chocolate Fudge and Peanut Butter Fudge (I've made these before and have frozen them, so those are fine)

Frosted Sugar Cookies (probably will use Christmas cookie cutters)
I'm sure the cookie can be frozen, but what about the frosting? Should I wait to frost them until after the thaw?

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Meltaways
http://nancycreative.com/2012/12/10/holiday-peanut-butter-chocolate-meltaways/
I'm assuming these would be able to freeze but I'm concerned about the texture after the thaw.

Cake Batter Cookies
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/12/09/recipe-round-2-cake-batter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
These seem like they would be fine frozen, right?

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/12/12/raspberry-almond-thumbprint-cookies/
What about the raspberry preserve? Can that be frozen?

Baltimore Berger Cookies (I MIGHT do these, not sure yet)
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/baltimore-berger-cookies-recipe


Like I said, I've made most of these things before (except the cake batter cookies, berger cookies and the meltaways) but I've always made the other cookies fresh. I'm just worried about the taste and texture once thawed out.

So can someone let me know which ones I can make ahead of time and which ones should be made and eaten fresh. And what's the best way to freeze them? Plastic wrap? Aluminum foil? Wax paper? HELP!!!

Sometimes we need another pair of eyes to help us out for the Baltimore Berger Cookies right on the recipe following the link on the right hand side it says you can freeze for longer storage ( after icing ) I would use storage containers We always do with sugar cookies and ice/frost before freezing.

For the others Sally's recipes has a comment section no one has put anything in since 2013 BUT there are connect with me links ( ie FaceBook)

Fire up that oven everything sounds delicious Now I want a Christmas cookie with my coffee !

 

[Happy Snowman]

When we freeze cookies we put a layer of waxed paper down in the Tupperware container, layer cookies, then another sheet of waxed paper, more cookies, etc. until full with a final layer of waxed paper on top. Most cookies freeze well. The ones I don't like to freeze are peanut butter ones with the Hershey Kiss. They freeze fine but the kiss usually falls off .

 

[lauradis]

I love fresh cookies, so I vacuum seal the dough leave in freg till im ready to bake.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We did some Christmas baking yesterday and are freezing as we go. What we do with some items that are iced is to flash freeze them unwrapped and on a cookie sheet and them put them into air tight containers. Bake and ice your sugar cookies. Set the tray into the freezer for a few hours until the icing is frozen. I have an upright deep freezer so it is easy. Then transfer the cookies to your container to stay frozen till Christmas. I still separate layers with wax paper. When you thaw, lay them on your platter in single layers. You can take out some and Keep the remaining ones frozen. Do cakes the same way. I baked and iced my cake yesterday. Put it, directly into the freezer for a few hours, then wrapped in first in parchment paper, then foil and then into a 2 gallon plastic bag. A cake taker works too but that cake is traveling so bag is easier. I freeze just about all baked goods. Oreo truffles were frozen yesterday too. Most cookies, bar cookies, cakes, and candies freeze well.
When I was little, my mom always made cookies ahead of time and froze them in the freezer in our basement. We would slip down stairs and eat a cookie straight from the freezer. They don't freeze hard and have a sightly different taste and it's one of my favorite childhood taste memories. Now when my mom found all her cookies gone.....not sure a happy memory

 

[Happy Snowman]

I love fresh cookies, so I vacuum seal the dough leave in freg till im ready to bake.

That is a good idea!! I wonder if putting them in a zip lock and getting the air mostly out would work too?? I don't have a vacuum sealer.

We did some Christmas baking yesterday and are freezing as we go. What we do with some items that are iced is to flash freeze them unwrapped and on a cookie sheet and them put them into air tight containers. Bake and ice your sugar cookies. Set the tray into the freezer for a few hours until the icing is frozen. I have an upright deep freezer so it is easy. Then transfer the cookies to your container to stay frozen till Christmas. I still separate layers with wax paper. When you thaw, lay them on your platter in single layers. You can take out some and Keep the remaining ones frozen. Do cakes the same way. I baked and iced my cake yesterday. Put it, directly into the freezer for a few hours, then wrapped in first in parchment paper, then foil and then into a 2 gallon plastic bag. A cake taker works too but that cake is traveling so bag is easier. I freeze just about all baked goods. Oreo truffles were frozen yesterday too. Most cookies, bar cookies, cakes, and candies freeze well.
When I was little, my mom always made cookies ahead of time and froze them in the freezer in our basement. We would slip down stairs and eat a cookie straight from the freezer. They don't freeze hard and have a sightly different taste and it's one of my favorite childhood taste memories. Now when my mom found all her cookies gone.....not sure a happy memory

I like frosted sugar cookies better after they have been frozen. They seem softer and not as crumbly.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We did some Christmas baking yesterday and are freezing as we go. What we do with some items that are iced is to flash freeze them unwrapped and on a cookie sheet and them put them into air tight containers. Bake and ice your sugar cookies. Set the tray into the freezer for a few hours until the icing is frozen. I have an upright deep freezer so it is easy. Then transfer the cookies to your container to stay frozen till Christmas. I still separate layers with wax paper. When you thaw, lay them on your platter in single layers. You can take out some and Keep the remaining ones frozen. Do cakes the same way. I baked and iced my cake yesterday. Put it, directly into the freezer for a few hours, then wrapped in first in parchment paper, then foil and then into a 2 gallon plastic bag. A cake taker works too but that cake is traveling so bag is easier. I freeze just about all baked goods. Oreo truffles were frozen yesterday too. Most cookies, bar cookies, cakes, and candies freeze well.

When I was little, my mom always made cookies ahead of time and froze them in the freezer in our basement. We would slip down stairs and eat a cookie straight from the freezer. They don't freeze hard and have a sightly different taste and it's one of my favorite childhood taste memories. Now when my mom found all her cookies gone.....not sure a happy memory

Recipe please!

OP, when you thaw your cookies, make sure the lid of the container is off so any ice crystals can evaporate, or the cookies might be soggy.

I like to freeze unfrosted sugar cookies. If they were frosted before frozen, they'd disappear long before the holly daze. I've also frozen butter cookies, but they sneaked out of the freezer and onto our hips.

 

[plutolovr]

I make LOTS of Christmas cookies, pounds and pounds. What I do is I take a day or 2 and make cookie dough. For drop cookies, I drop the dough and then freeze them. Once frozen I store them in a ziplock and bake as needed. For doughs that need cutting, with cookie cutters, I roll out the dough, cut the cookies, freeze. Again, once frozen, I store them in a bag and bake as needed.

I do a few that are scoop and bake, I freeze the dough and then thaw before baking.

Some I do need to be mixed and baked the same day, but this method saves me lots of time.

 

[lauradis]

That is a good idea!! I wonder if putting them in a zip lock and getting the air mostly out would work too?? I don't have a vacuum sealer.

Never tried the zip lock bag, I just love playing with the foodsaver

 

[katie01]

I've always frozen frosted sugar cookies and the peanut butter ones with excellent results

 

[lizabu]

You can freeze any of that.

 

[marthachick]

You can freeze any of that.

I'm not sure about that. I think OP should bake some and send to all of us so we can test them!

Seriously, I think they would all be fine also.

 

[lovesmurfs]

That is a good idea!! I wonder if putting them in a zip lock and getting the air mostly out would work too?? I don't have a vacuum sealer.

Yes, Ziploc works - I freeze cookie dough all the time. Actually, you can scoop the dough out on cookie sheets, freeze and then bag the pre-portioned dough. I usually cook the frozen cookies about 25 degrees less to give more time to thawing.