Versatile Freezer Cookie Dough Recipe
Use this versatile freezer cookie dough recipe to make whatever unique cookie combinations your family will enjoy! Make a double batch, as this cookie dough freezes very well!
How to Make the Cookie Dough
This basic cookie dough recipe is incredibly easy. Start by combining the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set it aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy.
Add your eggs and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and combine.
If you’re using an electric mixer, put it on the lowest setting and slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet until they’re combined.
Here is the part where you flex your creative cookie-making muscles! Without adding anything, these cookies are pleasant, slightly sweet, with a consistency of a chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate chips. They’re the perfect blank canvas to create whatever kind of cookie you could imagine.
If you are going to bake these cookies straight away, place your dough in the refrigerator foras long as your able to but preferably at least 30 minutes. This will firm up your dough and prevent the cookies from spreading during the baking process.
While the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350℉ and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake for 9-12 minutes.
Cookie Variations
There are some obvious choices like chocolate chip and peanut butter, and those I mention in my YouTube video: pumpkin walnut and chocolate marshmallow. Find those described in the recipe box below. I wanted to brainstorm a couple other options.
Cinnamon roll: add a tablespoon of cinnamon to the dough and bake like normal. While the cookies are baking, in a medium bowl add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix well. After the cookies have cooled, drizzle a spoonful of icing over each cookie.
Autumnal Spice: add 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1 tablespoon orange zest to the dough and bake like normal. While the cookies are baking, in a medium bowl add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and perhaps an additional tablespoon orange zest for a little extra oomph. Mix well. After the cookies have cooled, drizzle a spoonful of icing over each cookie.
If you have any other fabulous flavor combinations, leave them down in the comments for others to try!
Freezer Instructions
Having cookie dough on hand at all times really helps create a homemakers stocked and working kitchen. If you have unexpected guests, you can have a sweet treat on the table in 15 minutes. Or if your family has had a long day and you want to treat everyone to a dessert after dinner, you can have warm, fresh out of the oven cookies ready before they’re done eating. It’s great to keep in your arsenal.
Freezing these cookies is easy. Follow all the directions up to the baking step.
When you’ve added all the ingredients you’re going to add, roll out roughly one-inch dough balls and place them on a baking sheet spaced far enough apart they aren’t touching.
Flash freeze these. Flash freezing means to place them directly into the freezer for at least ten minutes, preferably more like 30 minutes.
Remove them from the freezer and place them into whatever freezer container you choose. I usually use Ziploc freezer bags for my cookie dough.
Because you flash froze these, they will not stick together in the freezer and you can pull out however many you need. If you have a freezer bag with 30 cookie dough balls, but you and your husband just want two each after dinner, you can pull out four dough balls without having to pull out, thaw, and then bake all 30 cookie dough balls.
You DO NOT have to thaw these cookies before baking! Simply place on a parchment lined baking sheet, put in your 350℉ preheated oven and increase the baking time to 10-13 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this versatile freezer cookie dough recipe and you come up with unique, delicious flavor combinations your family will love! As the years go on and you continue making cookie dough to keep in the freezer, keep experimenting with different flavors!
Versatile Freezer Cookie Dough Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine Dry ingredients in medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine butter and sugar in stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla to butter/sugar mixture. Combine.
- Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined.
Potential Cookie Variations
- Chocolate Chip – Just add however many chocolate chips you want.
- Chocolate Marshmallow – Add ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and ½ cup mini marshmallows
- Pumpkin Walnut – Add 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 tablespoon cinnamon and ½ cup walnuts
- Peanut Butter – Add ½ cup peanut butter
Baking Cookie Dough
- I highly recommend chilling your dough in the fridge for 30 mins before baking. This will firm your dough up and help keep it from spreading during the baking process.
- When ready, preheat oven to 350℉.
- Bake 9-12 mins.
Freezing Cookie Dough
- Shape your dough into balls.
- Place on a baking sheet and stick in the freezer for at least 10 mins.
- Place chilled dough balls in Ziploc bag and place in freezer. Dough stays fresh up to 3 months.
- When ready to bake, dough balls can be spread out on baking sheet and put directly into 350℉ preheated oven. Simply increase baking time to 10-13 mins.