There's A Better Place To Store Chocolate Chip Cookies Than Your Pantry

Most times, the worst part of a perfectly baked batch of chocolate chip cookies is the slog of finishing off week-old leftovers. No longer chewy and soft, these stragglers are somehow dry and oily at the same time and a complete chore to eat for the sake of not being wasteful. You'll most likely have learned to freeze your cookie dough and bake in small batches to avoid this issue — but what you might not know is that already-baked chocolate chip cookies can also be frozen to preserve that chewy goodness.

First, you'll want to let the cookies cool entirely, then layer them into an airtight container. Make sure to have parchment paper between each layer of cookies so that they don't freeze together or make a mess while thawing. Once sealed up and frozen, the cookies will last about eight to 12 months, though particularly moist cookies might lose a bit of quality three months in.

One thing to keep in mind is that cookie decorations don't freeze and keep nearly as well as the cookie itself. While your regular chocolate chip cookie will most likely be fine, cookies meant for decoration or any other extras should definitely go in the freezer bare and plain first. The same rule applies whether you're freezing cookies or cookie dough: Hold off on the powdered sugar, frosting, ganache, or anything else until they're thawed out and ready for use.

When thawing out your cookies, you can either leave them in your fridge, at room temperature, or carefully microwave them for 10 seconds at a time. Regardless of how you thaw them, the most important thing is to make sure they're laid out evenly on a flat and open surface to prevent sogginess as much as possible. You might even want to put them over some paper towels to be thorough. For best results, try going with a slow thaw either in the fridge or on the counter, then give the cookies a quick 10-second microwave just before eating to really recreate that fresh-baked chewiness.