When it comes to baking cookies, everyone has their go-to method – some brown, while others use bread flour to make them chewier. But one method that keeps coming up is ripening the cookie dough, which involves putting it in the fridge for anywhere from 30 minutes to 72 hours before baking it.
While this step may appear to be optional, it is a critical element that can make a huge impact on the appearance of your cookies. Plus, having cookie dough ready to go in the fridge is usually a smart idea but how long is cookie dough good for in the fridge before it starts to lose its taste? Let’s find out
How Long is Cookie Dough Good for in the Fridge?
Cookie dough only lasts 1-2 weeks in the fridge. This is because homemade cookie dough doesn’t usually have preservatives added to it so a shorter lifespan is expected while store-bought cookie dough has a shelf life of about 3 weeks in the refrigerator and 12 months in the freezer while still edible for up to a month or two past its best by date.
Store-bought cookie dough is made for longer storage and is usually frozen, but moisture from condensation will cause your cookie dough to degrade more quickly once it is thawed. Therefore, after thawing your cookie, you should bake it within a week.
Cookie dough is popular because of its low price, higher calorie, and candy flavor. You can buy your dough refrigerated, suspended, or fresh, all of which have different expiration dates. So how long cookie dough is good for depends on the shelf life which is also dependent on the kind of bread, the preparation process, and the way the dough is preserved.
How Long is Cookie Dough Good for after Opening?
If you don’t keep your cookie dough in the fridge, it will last 2-3 days after opening. When refrigerated, it will last around 1 to 2 weeks after the “best by” date. Frozen raw cookie dough can survive 9 to 12 months in the freezer, giving you plenty of time to consume it before it spoils. Also, dough containing milk-based ingredients or eggs will spoil quickly if left out at room temperature for more than a few hours.
The amount of time dough lasts is highly dependent on the ingredients used and the environment in which it is stored. A ball of dough, for example, will remain much longer in the fridge than it would at room temperature, and even longer in the freezer than it would in the fridge.
The food marketing Institute recommends keeping unopened or opened commercially produced cookie dough in the refrigerator and using it before the expiration date on the package.
Read also: Does Teriyaki Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated?
Can You Bake Expired Cookie Dough?
Yes, you can bake expired cookie dough. But while it is generally acceptable to utilize cookie dough that has passed its best-by date, I’ll advise using it with caution. Trust your nose and mouth. Take a whiff of the dough and taste it. If it smells delicious, it’s probably safe to cook and eat, same for when it tastes good. Foul food has a distinct odor and flavor that makes it impossible to confuse with fresh food. At the same time, to ensure that your cookie dough does not turn, you should always follow correct food safety measures.
Of course, as tempting as it may be to bypass the wait, and shove that spoonful of dough into your mouth, I’ll recommend cooking your dough properly before eating it.
Read also: Does Maple Syrup Need to Be Refrigerated?
How to Store Cookie Dough in Fridge?
It’s convenient to have ready-made cookie dough on hand in case you get a cookie desire. Refrigerating cookie dough causes the flour to absorb the liquids, resulting in a better-tasting cookie with a less rubbery texture. It also cuts down on the number of cookies that will be spread out on the cookie sheet.
Now that you have an idea of how long cookie dough is good for in the fridge, you should also know how to store them in the fridge properly for long-term use. Here is how to store cookie dough in the fridge:
- To prepare the dough for storing, scoop out portions as though you were about to bake them.
- Put the cookie dough in an airtight container, such as a Ziploc bag or a snap-top jar. Roll the cookie dough into a log and cover it in plastic wrap if preferred; it will be easier to slice later.
- On the container, write the type of cookie dough and the “use by” date.
- Place the wrapped and labeled cookie dough in the refrigerator’s center. This is because the temperature is more likely to change on the refrigerator door, especially as you keep opening and closing it.
How Long is Nestlé Cookie Dough Good for in the Fridge?
You can keep Nestle cookie dough refrigerated until the expiration date on the package, or freeze it for up to 2 months before using it.
Nestle cookie dough contains no preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors, making it a healthy ready-to-bake treat. This cookie dough is also pre-scored, making it simple to break off the proper amount for homemade chocolate chip cookies in minutes.
It’s always a thing of happiness to find cookie dough in the fridge. Making cookie dough from scratch can be messy and tiring, but fortunately, you can refrigerate or freeze the rest after use, making it easy for you to take and bake anytime you want to.
Also, you now know how long your cookie dough is good for in the fridge, which helps you make better cookie dough preservation decisions.