Do Yourself A Favor And Store Leftover Cookie Dough In Ice Cube Trays

If you're an avid baker, you probably already know that making cookies with frozen dough is the ultimate hack for having fresh treats on-demand without breaking out the mixing bowls each time. Though cookies with thinner batter like Florentines or macarons won't freeze well, pretty much any cookie that can be rolled and shaped — like oatmeal, peanut butter, or chocolate chip — is fair game for the freezer. But there's also a preferred way to have ready-to-bake frozen cookie dough that levels up this hack: Simply store it in an ice cube tray.

It may seem a little odd, but using an ice cube tray is a great way to have manageable portions (let's say if you only want to make a few cookies). It also helps prevent dough balls from sticking together as they freeze. Otherwise, you'll have to space each cookie out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, which can take up a fair amount of precious freezer space. Any kind of ice tray will do the trick, but using one that comes with a lid is your best bet for avoiding freezer-burnt dough. Since most cookie dough can last for up to three months in the freezer, it's always a smart idea to label your tray with a use by date so you can keep track, too.

If you're already used to using your ice cube tray to freeze leftover vegetable stock for future soup making or store extra spaghetti sauce for regular pasta nights, this cookie prepping hack follows the same rationale and guidelines. Simply follow your favorite cookie recipe (or, Ina Garten's favorite cookie recipe), and fill each cube of the tray with dough. It's generally a good idea to spray the tray with non-stick cooking oil first to prevent the cookies from clinging to the surface.

Whether you're baking a batch of cookies for a crowd or just craving a singular sweet snack, using your frozen dough is incredibly straightforward. Just pop as many portions as you need out from the ice cube tray and bake the cookies according to your recipe, noting that it may take a couple extra minutes for them to be fully done since they are frozen. You can also skip baking altogether, as unbaked frozen cookie dough can be a versatile treat for your next get-together — just make sure to use heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs for food safety.