Cookaholics Bulletin Board

My usual cooking baking plan is to do them all at once at the last minute resulting in mess, exhaustion and a sugar jones that won't quit. I thought I would shake things up a bit and do some in advance. Is it better to bake and freeze or freeze the dough and bake that? I usually make World Peace Cookies and have frozen that dough successfully. Thoughts?

Mary

I've never made them, but they seem similar to KA's coal cookies or Noche Buena cookies I've been making for a few years now. I'd bake and freeze. I'm starting mine on Monday and I usually do one type of cookie per day and freeze them. Also, I seem to recall someone on the board saying that chocolate cake layers taste better after freezing, and I just assumed chocolate cookies would be the same.

Does that go for all cookies? Are there some where it is better to freeze the dough or wait for the last minute and make fresh?

Mary

I don't freeze the meringues, just put them someplace cool and dry. I do Sablés, hazelnut balls, a peppermint pinwheel that is similar to a Sablé, a cookie with coconut, butterscotch chips and candied cherries in it, gingerbread bears, butter cookies, linzer cookies, and the aforementioned chocolate cookies -- I freeze them all. I don't frost or fill until I'm putting together the treat boxes/platters, though.

I've successfully baked and frozen Renee's Chocolate Crackles, my favorite Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Jumbles and the Momofuku Apricot and Cream ones, Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze. And of course Chocolate Chip Cookies.

For most cookies freezing the dough and baking fresh is better. Making logs and slicing them is faster than scooping.

Thinking about it ai may have to go the dough route as my freezer is fairly small. Plus get off my butt and get going!

Thanks for all your input.

Mary

I bake and freeze biscotti since the work is not making the dough but the forming, baking, slicing and then baking again. But they do take up a lot of room.